Musicians,events,anecdotes and tid-bits

[padmanabha]

WHEN WE ARE ORGANIZING A CONCERT OR ANY OTHER PROGRAM IN COMMEMMRATION OF A PERSON WE MUST SING THAT PARTICULAR COMPOSERS'S COMPOSITIONS ONLY. WE CAN CALL OTHER AS JUST "CONCERTS".
HERE IN TRIVANDRUM, AT THE NAVARATHRI MANDAPAM AND DURING THE SWATI FEST ONLY THE COMPOSITIONS OF THE MONARCH MUSICIAN ARE SUNG. THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
ON GANDHI JAYANTHI DAY, WE REMEMBER GANDHIJI THAN ANYOTHER PERSON. IT DOES MEAN THAT WE ARE FORGETTING OTHERS.

[V.Annasamy]

well said padmanabha sir. Some times, we the artists get carried away by the trend 'just invoked', which is wrong.

When normally we worship Gods daily, on the particular days of 'shrardham' to parents(death anniversary), the practice is to perform the rituals first, then even the auspicious light is lit manually and pooja is augmented for Gods. 'Shrardham' is originated from the word 'shraddha' only.

The theme is to concentrate on the departed souls. This naturally does not mean we just reject Gods that are worshipped daily. Just a
devotion to someone who loved us so much.

Collective days like 'Independence Day' where all the persons in the involved in freedom fighting can be remembered.

-va-

[padmanabha]

NEYYATTINKARA VASUDEVAN IS CONFERRED WITH THE SWATI PURASKARAM. HE IS THE DISCIPLE OF SEMMANGUDI SREENIVASA IYER AND PARASSALA B PONNAMMAL. HE WAS CONFERRED WITH PADMASREE IN 2004

[lasik]

OK, MMD rendered tamil krithis at Thiruvayyaru- big deal!
What about ARI, MMI, SSI, even MSS included telugu krithis in concerts at Tamil Isai Sangam. Tamil Isai Sangam was started by Rajah Annamalai Chettair to promote tamil sangeetham- daa

lk

[padmanabha]

Sree Chembai memorial trust presents chembai sangeetholsavam-2007
venue chembai trust sree varaham thiruvananthapuram
time 6 p m to 8 45 pm
2 9 07
Lalgudi g j r krishnan & Vijayalekshmi

3 9 07

devi chennai

4 9 07
varkala c s jayaram

5 09 07
rudrapattnam brothers

6 09 07
dr b arundathi

7 09 07
puspa anand

8 09 07
sasi kiran and brothers

09 09 07

Vayyankara Madhusudanan- but this artiste slipped into eternal sleep last week substitute will be announced later


10 09 07
mavelikkara velukkutty nair

11 09 07
t m krishna

[RR]

Gayathri Girish, young vocalist, who has made rapid strides in the music field through hard work, is trying to evolve a style of her own. An artist who strongly feels that every concert should have some innovation or other, she is determined about elevating her listeners both emotionally and intellectually. Gayathri, known for her perfect diction whatever the language, speaks out.

Exposure to music…

Though I was born in Coimbatore, I was brought up in Chennai from a very tender age. Padmini Srinivasan, my mother, is a graded artiste of AIR while father has a sound knowledge of classical music. I was exposed to music right from the age of two. I am told that I used sit engrossed in the concerts without getting restless. My mother laid the foundation by teaching a lot of varnams and kritis when I was six. Later I started learning from Vaigal Gnanaskandan, who belonged to the Semmangudi school. This strengthened the foundation. Shaping up the vidwan in you...

Attending a lot of competitions while in school, gave me confidence. Winning prizes was only incidental. In fact I would say that those competitions that I lost taught me more lessons. Schooling was at IIT, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Guindy. I was one of the toppers and almost got my medical seat, but since I had already made up my mind that music would be my career. I also started performing only then. The tremendous support I got from my college helped me adjust between college hours and concert schedules. Ghatam Karthik, Manoj Siva and Nithyashree were some of my contemporaries whom I used to meet in competitions. Once I started performing I became ineligible to compete in college competitions. I still remember the days during the semester exams in December when I would rush from the exam hall to the concert hall. My mother would be waiting for me there with food and formal dress. The race was very exciting.

Family support...

My mother-in-law is a disciple of Thanjavur S.Kalyanaraman, and hence I got the same encouragement as I got in my parents’ place and my husband has been really supportive. I have been able to pursue my passion without a break thanks to them. V. Sanjeev, my brother-in-law is an accomplished violin vidwan.

Your source of inspiration...

It was while in college that I started learning from Madurai T.N.Seshagopalan and could easily adapt to his style. It was a dream-come-true for me. In fact my thirst for reading increased after becoming his disciple. Incredible is his knowledge spectrum. He could talk for hours on music, bhajans, Kamba Ramayanam, Bhagavatham, Tiruppugazh and so on. I should consider myself very fortunate to have come under his tutelage.

On planning for concerts...

I take TNS Sir as a role model in presenting a kutcheri. It should be a right mix of all aspects. You should always do something new in every concert either in the raga alapana or niraval or swaraprastharam. It should be a source of relaxation for the rasika but at the same time it should also have an intellectual component. I never like going out of bounds but always have a surprise element for my rasikas in every concert. Emotional and intellectual elevation is my prime agenda. Through music you can reach God. Only if you experience what you are singing, will you be able to take the audience with you on the sojourn. Not all concerts go that way. There are so many factors that influence a concert’s success such as mike, auditorium, rasikas, organisers and weather, to name a few.

Heard you can play on the violin...

When I was in school I learnt the violin for eight years initially from Nagaraj (a disciple of Lalgudi Sir.) Lalgudi Sir also used to guide me and later he asked me to go to T. Rukmini who lived close by. I still have the baby violin he gave me. A small problem with my voice made me shift to violin, fearing that I might not be able to sing for long. But once I was confident that my voice would never derail, violin took a back seat.

Other intersts...

I do like film music but particularly the old ones, for their rich lyrical and musical value. Ultimately it is music that gives you the peace and touches your soul. I love reading both Sanskrit and Tamil literature. I also listen to old masters and of course my contemporaries. Every one has something good about them which might be useful to us. TNS Sir’s concert by itself is a virtual education for me. I practise every morning and evening. There is so much to know I feel that this birth would not be enough to master learn.

Style...

Learning from male vidwans has not affected my singing at all. I think I am evolving a style of my own and it will get established only through hard work over the passage of time.

Dream...

To be genuine about what you are presenting with all humility. To be of service to society, like when people say that my music touched their hearts. Rasikas should be given the best.

Rasikas...

Fans perform special archanai for me in temples on my birthdays and send the prasadam. They call me up and wish me the best for every concert. There are fans who also present a critical review of my concerts and the biggest critic among them is my father and it is tough to get a pat from him. Only if you experience what you are singing, will you be able to take the audience with you on the sojourn.

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/10/26/s...2651040200.htm

[RR]

Among musicians MLV was a class apart. A tribute, with her death anniversary on October 31.

Full fledged rehearsals were not MLV’s cup of tea. She believed in manodharma.



M.L.Vasanthakumari

It is 17 long years since the demise of M.L.Vasanthakumari, fondly called MLV, but the void left in the field of Carnatic music still remains to be filled. Much has been written about her musical prowess, her imagination and other glorious aspects of her music.

The Asura Sadhakam that she did in her earlier years stood MLV in good stead making her concerts charming.

Full fledged rehearsals were not MLV’s cup of tea. She believed in manodharma. New additions — regular in her concerts — to her repertoire were, however, polished to a certain degree before presenting them to the audiences. The already polished songs, ‘Unnaiandri’ in Bhavani for instance, gained sheen with new hues every time MLV presented them. There was a new flourish or a raga embellishment between sangatis heard for the first time. So fertile was her imagination.
Music with bhava

MLV’s kalpanaswara rendering was something phenomenal. She blended her kizhkala swara singing technique with the bhava rich style of Semmangudi. In fact, her appreciation of Semmangudi’s music was evident from her swaras in Sankarabharanam, Nattakurinji, etc in the slow tempo.

The bhakti aspect came to the forefront in MLV’s ragamalika virutham renderings of Kandar Anuboodhi, Krishna Karnamritham, Abirami Andadi and so on. Of course her soulful versions of the Dasakuta Ugabhogas are unforgettable.

One instance of her confidence in her musical capabilities was at one of her concerts in the U.S. in the Eighties. As is the custom abroad where musicians announce details of the song they are going to sing, MLV, before embarking on an Abhogi alapana informed the audience that a composition of Gopalakrishna Bharati would follow the raga essay. The audience naturally expected ‘Sabapathikku’ to follow.

MLV’s manodharma reached dizzy heights on that day, her Abogi vinyasa spanning nearly half-an-hour. Realising that a small composition like ‘Sabapathiku’ would not do justice to her alapana, MLV launched into a brilliant tanam exposition and made it known to the gathering that she would render a Pallavi instead. It is needless to say that the pallavi and her ragamalika swara outpourings on that occasion were an aural feast!

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2007/10/26/s...2651430400.htm

[santhosh hegde]

We are a music group based in bangalore who can give concerts in Hindustani classical, Hindustani and Carnatic fussion or Hindustani and western fussion programs. We have a team of accomplished mucians in Sitar/tabla/Veena/ Flute/Shehanai, Keyboard/ Guitar(Western) etc. Any body intersted to have our concerts, please call Santhosh Hegde 098866 45691

[V.Annasamy]

Dear Chennai Friends,

Pl listen to my carnatic vocal music on 02/12/07 between 11.30 am to 12 noon at FM Gold, All India Radio, Chennai.

Thanks

V.Annasamy
Phone: 044-22235698 (Res)

[V.Annasamy]

Dear Friends,

I am performing Carnatic Vocal at :

Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan,
East Mada Street, Mylapore

On 19/12/07 between 12.15 to 13.45 hrs.

Pl make it convenient to drop in and listen.

-va-