Year 1987- Three friends, all musicians, were traveling to Madras; Aruna Sunderlal, Founder of the Bangalore School of Music and two eminent German Artistes, Singer Margarita Schack & Prof. H.J. Koelreutter, conductor & composer. The topic- music & cultural collaborations between the East & West, to bring art and artistes together in closed understanding. Within an hour ideas were put together & the first Encounter organized in 1990, bringing nearly 300 artistes & scholars together from India & around the globe. Concerts, seminars, and workshops drew students & music lovers together, over a ten day period.

The interest generated encouraged the BSM to continue the music dialogue & since, nine exciting encounters have been organized in which great artistes from 30 countries have participated.

Guru Kelucharan Mahapatra	Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
Pandit Bhirju Maharaj	Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia
Prof. T. N. Krishnan	Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty
Dr. Chittu Babu & Daksha Seth Dance troupe	Samudra Dance Company
Dr. L. Subramaniam & World Orchestra - Carnatic Violin & Fusion (100 members)	The Late Vainika Dr. Doraiswamy Iyengar - Veena (also adviser to the festival)
Dr. Raja Ramanna - Scholar and Pianist	TAS Mani and Karnataka College of Percussion
Smt. Maya Rao of Kathak and Choreography	Shri R. K. Shrikantan - Carnatic Vocal
Kadri Gopalnath & Carnatic Ensemble - Saxaphone and Percussion (performed at 4 Encounters)	Singer M.S.Sheela - Carnatic Vocal
Danseuse Protima Bedi & Nrityagram Dancers	Smt. Leela Ramanathan - Musicologist
Dr. Suma Sudhindra - Mysore	V. Subramanya - Scholar & Critic
Shri Nakod Trio - Tabla	Ubhaya Gaana Vidhushi Shyamala Bhave - Hind. Vocal
Collaboration with Karnatic Ganakala Parishad for Seminar on Comparative Studies 1996	Collaboration with Sangeet Natak Academy on Seminars of the East West since 1990

Battery Dance Company of New York: Courtesy Ford Foundation	A Capella 2000: 50 voice German Choir Courtesy Deutscher Musikrat & Max Meuller Bhavan
Storini Trio Netherlands: Courtesy Royal Netherlands Embassy & ICCR	VIsion Authentique French Jazz Quartet: Courtesy Indiana University Music School
BT Melodians Steel Orchestra, UK	State Academic Classical Ballet: Courtesy Indiana University Music School
Annette Leday Dance Company: ICCR & Alliance Francaise	The Opera Company of Toulon, France
Artziz Wind Quintet (Portugal): Courtesy Viji Global Arts, USA	Jiebing Chen (Ehru Virtuoso-China): Courtesy Viji Global Arts, USA
Roman Guilfoyle Trio (Ireland): Courtesy PROHELVETIA, Culture Ministry, Switzerland	Aswan Drummers Tobool (Egypt): Courtesy- by Act of Parliament Government of Egypt
Lydia Orias (Piano, Hungary): Courtesy Davidka foundation, USA	White Lotus Dance Ensemble Russia: Courtesy Rashmi Hegde
Southern Crossings (Jazz, Australia): Courtesy ICCR & Indo Australia Council	Prof. H.J. Koelreufter (Composer, Conductor-Brazil)
Margarita Schack (Singer, Germany)	Zygmunt Kranze (Pianist, composer-Poland): Courtesy - The Cultural Ministry, Poland
Logos Quartet (Austria): Courtesy - The Austrian Embassy	Kolner Saxaphone Quintet (Germany): Courtesy MMB/ German Consulate/ Deutscher Musikrat
Amadeus Ensemble (Quartet: Italy): Italian Embassy	Svante Henryson - Cellist Sweden: Courtesy - The Royal College of Music, Sweden
Suma Sudhindra and Panchaveena Ensemble: Courtesy - The Bangalore School of Music	Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra: Courtesy the ACO Musicians
OSMOSIS of Amsterdam: Courtesy - The Guadamus & Fonds Podium	WAMPAS - Rock Group, France: Courtesy Alliance Francaise & French Embassy
ANTARAGINI - World Music Band, India: Courtesy - Bangalore School of Music