Asha Srinivasan Wins International Composition Competition

Assistant Professor of Music Asha Srinivasan received the first-place Ruam Samai Award at the 2011 Thailand International Composition Festival for her original composition “Dviraag.”

Asha Srinivasan

Srinivasan’s composition was one of four works selected as a finalist from nearly 100 entries submitted for the competition, which was held at Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand. “Dviraag,” an eight-minute work written for flute and cello, was named the winning composition by a judging panel of four composers from China, Thailand and the United States. A vote by the audience for their favorite among the four finalists was factored into the final decision. Srinivasan received a first-place prize of $1,500.

The work incorporates a Carnatic vocal exercise, a classical style popular in South India. Srinivasan wrote the piece in 2009 as a commission by the Flute/Cello Commissioning Circle.

Listen to a recording of “Dviraag.”

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a world-class conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. Ranked among America’s best colleges, it was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.” Individualized learning, the development of multiple interests and community engagement are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,520 students from 44 states and 56 countries.