Vidita Kanniks is a multi-faceted vocalist whose work primarily traverses chamber ensemble music, historical performance & neo-classical exploration. Equally at home with her dual background in Indian and Western classical music, she aims to engage in unique, personal projects that challenge cultural and musical boundaries. Most recently, her voice and arrangements were featured on ‘East is East’, a critically-acclaimed collaborative album recording project with Montreal-based ensemble Infusion Baroque. Season highlights for 2024-25 include solo appearances with the Montreal Early Music Festival, Converging Arts Columbus, the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra’s Summermusik Festival and Sinfonia Ancaster (Greater Toronto). 

 

Previous notable credits include her work with Earth World Collaborative on their multi-media project, 'For the Humming World', her recorded work featured through San Francisco-based baroque ensemble, Voices of Music, 'The Response Project' and her involvement in 'How it's Musically Made', a podcast series aimed to re-define the art song genre through remote collaboration and commissioned new works reflecting the pandemic era. In the 20-21 Season Vidita was heard as a finalist in both the Colorado Bach and Audrey Rooney Bach competitions.

 

An avid choral musician, Vidita has been affiliated with GRAMMY-nominated Seraphic Fire (Miami, FL), the VOCES8 US Scholars Program (2019-20), the Choir of St. Andrew and St. Paul (Montreal, QC), The Project Inclusion Vocal Fellowship with Grant Park Music Festival in Chicago (2019) and Songfest, Los Angeles (2017). Vidita is a recurring chorister and soloist with the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble, Cincinnati Bach Ensemble, the St. Peter in Chains Cathedral Choir, Collegium Cincinnati and Coro Volante.

​

Vidita has been recognized by audiences around the globe for her collaborative work with her father, Dr. Kanniks Kannikeswaran. She has studied both within the Hindustani and Carnatic musical traditions, particularly in the Dhrupad style of vocal technique and interpretation. Her unprecedented interdisciplinary work in this area paired with her sensitive musicianship and affinity for language has led her to gain attention through social media content and live performances across the United States and internationally. Some notable appearances include her feature at the India Dans Festival in the Hague, Netherlands (2013), her solo performance at Madison Square Garden, NYC for Indian Prime Minister Modi’s inaugural ceremony (2014), her workshop/recital for the DesiYup house-concert series in Rotterdam, Netherlands and her interview with Ashanti Omkar of BBC Asia in the UK (2016). Her voice was commissioned for a solo album of Indian classical repertoire in collaboration with Dr. Kanniks  by the SVBF Foundation and Sarada Hindu Temple of Stroudsberg, PA (2015). The album, titled 'Sarada', was officially released on digital platforms in 2020. Her voice is also featured exclusively on the two-part album, Vismaya – an Indo-Celtic musical journey (2008), a first-ever archival of the 39 colonial tunes of 19th century Carnatic composer Mutthusvami Dikshitar.

​

A passionate educator, Vidita has been a guest lecturer for several universities and organizations including the University of Cincinnati (CCM), McGill University, Reed College, The Ohio Music Teachers Association, Vallejo Choral Society among others, leading workshops on Indian Classical Music and its global impact. She has also been featured on the web podcasts 'Are We All Met?' and 'Redefining ABCD' on the topics of multi-disciplinary music, art in the digital age and the Indian-American identity.

​

Vidita completed her graduate education at McGill University where she received a fellowship to study Voice and Historical Performance. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and Music History from the University of Cincinnati (CCM) with a minor in French. She has been a member of Early Music America's Emerging Professional Leadership Council and has served on the adjunct faculty of music (Voice) for Thomas More University (Crestview Hills, KY). She currently resides in Cincinnati where she is active as a teaching artist and vocal instructor in both Western and Indian classical disciplines.