Amali Premawardhana

Cellist Amali Premawardhana is an active performing musician and educator in the Chicago area. She began her undergraduate in cello performance studies at Indiana University and completed them at the Manhattan School of Music. Her primary teachers include Elizabeth Anderson and Richard Hirschl in Chicago, followed by Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Julia Lichten in college. She earned her master’s in music education at the University of Bridgeport and did her long-term Suzuki training at New York School for Strings. She has done additional studies with cellists Fred Sherry, Margot Tatgenhorst Drakos, Nancy Lesh Kulkarni and Suzuki and educators Pam Devenport, Tanya Lesinsky Carey and Winifred Crock.

Amali began her professional performing career in New York City and continues to perform there with the Distinguished Concerts International of New York Orchestra. She performs in the Chicago area with the New Philharmonic Orchestra. With violinist and longtime musical partner, Trina Basu, she co-leads the chamber ensemble, Karavika, an improvising group which infuses Indian classical music with western chamber and Americana music. Karavika has been hailed by the New York Times as “a soulful blend of classical and folk traditions” and has been described in All About Jazz as “a dynamic sonic blend of uncommon mesmeric beauty.”

Notable performances include New York’s SummerStage, San Francisco’s Classical Revolution Festival, the Black Rock Coalition Orchestra throughout France, as well as Brooklyn Raga Massive, Kennedy Center, Asia Society, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Blue Note. Other highlights include collaborations with vocalist and composer Imani Uzuri, Kathak dancer, Parul Shah, women’s choir, Le Cantanti di Chicago, and Classical Indian string and percussion group Akshara Ensemble.

Currently Amali is on the faculty at Elmhurst University and directs Elementary Orchestra in Naperville CUSD 203. She and her husband, bassist Perry Wortman, enjoy spending time with their three wonderful children and their lovable dog.