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Musicians,events,anecdotes and tid-bits
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Table of contents
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Maharajapuram Santhanam (humour)
Maharajapuram Santhanam was in a concert in one of the American Universities. In the middle of the concert, the airconditioning went off and he was sweating. The organizers brought a fan and put it next to the stage with wind blowing on his face. The vocalist looked at it and quipped: 'ivvaLavu fans irukkumbodhu indha fan edharkku? ' (When there are so many fans here, why do I need this fan?) The audience burst into laughter.
In the same concert somebody made a request after he started 'mangaLam'. He looked at the chit and said: ' innoru tharam mangaLam paadittaal pochu.' He finished mangaLam, sang the song requested and sang mangaLam again.
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T.S.Parthasarathy(scholar)
T.S.Parthasarathy, scholar in music and dance, passed away recently.
http://www.carnatica.net/special/tsp-obit-oct2006.htm
http://www.thehindu.com/fr/2006/10/2...2000130300.htm
His book on Thyagaraja (lyrics with meaning) is probably the best I have seen. He also gives a glossary of Telugu words in the book.
Those interested in Thyagaraja's compositions this book is a must.
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reply
once Prince Rama Varma was performing at Hague. The next day, the news papers carried his picture and a write up on his performance. A dutch paper also did the same. A few days later, he met a friend, who knew Ducth and asked him to translate the contents, it said-the musician sang well. so are the accompnying artistes. But i do not know why the main artiste gestures to the accomapnying ones saying your are wrong'- every time?
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i am costly
Whenever Dr. Balamurali, visits trivandrum, we meet. i was introduced to him by Prince Rama Varma, a disciple of Balamurali. We chat for an hour or so. This incident happened two years ago. i rang him at 8 am. he recognized my voice and said...oh it is you...then i asked:Are u free? pat came the reply: no iam very costly!
both of us burst into laughter, and we met at 10 am and had nice chat. he narrates stories very well, especially those connected with Birbal and Tennali raman
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p unni krishnan(musician)
Unnikrishnan P:
If you had asked UNNIKRISHNAN, carnatic musician, cum paly back singer, what he wants to become two decades ago, he would have said “I want to become a cricketer.”
He did play seriously participated in the senior division league, with krishnamachari sreekant, and robin singh. Bur destiny had something different in store for him. Today he has craved a niche in the realm of carnatic music.
My mother dr. Harini, is a good vocalist, but not a performer. She wanted me to become a musician. But my first love was cricket. I practiced it out of compulsion. In course of time I developed a keen interest and was gradually imbibed into the world of classical music.
My mother taught me the basics, and then I was trained by V L Seshadri before I joined DR, S RAMANADAN. My debut performance was at palakkad, my native place. Then I learnt under Calcutta Krishnamurthi, Savithri satyamurthi, and P S Narayanaswami. I was trained by T Brinda also.
I TOOK MUSIC SERIOUSLY only at the age of 25. If I had pursued cricket, I would perhaps, have made a mark in the field. I have no regrets now. In sports, you will get only a short span. If you don’t make it you will be nowhere. Music is not like that.” He explained. “Now time has changed and a concert hardly lasts for 21/2 hours imposing pressure on musicians. That is why most of the singers skip ragam thanam pallavi” he added.
Ennavale adi ennavale (kaadalan) fetched him the national award. His other numbers include adisayam and hairabba, in jeans.
“If I focus more on film songs, it would affect my performance as a classical musician. Singing for films is easy and effortless. But you will have to set time to do your daily practice. A performer should listen to more music. I am not for a compromise. I would like to be known as a classical musician first” he said.
(INDIAN EXPRESS, JANUARY, 2004)
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RUDRAPATNAM BROTHERS(musicians)
RUDRAPATNAM BROTHERS:
Rudrapatnam is a small hamlet near Kaveri. Although small, it has produced a number of musicians. R N THYAGARAJAN AND DR. R N THARANADAN represent the third generation of musicians from this place.
Their grand father R K Krishnasastri was not only a musician, but a Harikatha exponent, play Wright and Sanskrit scholar. “Our father R K Narayana swami, and his brothers, R K Ramamkrishanan and R K Sreekantan, are popular musicians. Our father is a disciple of Mussiri Subramania Iyer and Satri uncle was the disciple of the legendary Mysore t Chowdiah. They initiated into music besides veda adyayana” said DR.Tharanadan, deputy director of CFTRI Mysore.
He completed her Ph. D, in chemistry, went to GERMANY FOR HIGHER STUDIES, while Thygarajan joined AIR, and recently retired as the deputy director of BANGALORE DOORDARSHAN. They have been singing together for the past four decades.
“FINDING a mutually convenient time was tough. So we accepted concerts on weekends only. According to them co-ordination is very important. Our voice blends very well. We belong to the same school of padaantharam. We rehearse together, and express our caliber during ragalapana and swara prasthanam” they say.
The ancestors of these musicians were migrants from chenkottai. Then they moved to kozhikkode. Even now the family is known as the KALIKOTTAI (CALICUT).
THE Brothers possessed a chaste classical style and demonstrated excellence, in rendering compositions while they perform together at the Navarathri Mandapam. They are traditionalist to the core. They have the touch of Alathur style and are considered as harbingers of the RAMANAD KRISHNAN WAY OF GENERATING FLASHES IN THE CONCERT.
They include less renderd ragas, like nayaki, malavi, hamsa vinodini, poornachandrika. It was needamangalam krishanmoorthi, who taught us compositions of oothukad. When we performed at the US, dancer Kamala Laxman, expressed her desire to choreograph a few compositions.
The duo is invited as external examiners, by the SINGAPORE FINE ARTS SOCIETY. They have conducted many lec-dems. We do not believe in fusion. It is in fact confusion. They can be considered as a surviving strategy. WE owe to our mother and wives for managing the family. The concert albums have been brought out by Saraswathi Project Armsterdam-the Netherlands and CMANA NEW YORK.
(This article of mine was published in the week end express of the new Indian express dt, 20-11-04.)
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venugopal thakil (thavil artist)
Tread along the narrow Judge Sankaranarayanan road near Pazhavangadi. Sweet notes of thavil greet your ears as Venugopal’s dexterous fingers against the broad surface of thavil in swift rhythm. The delicate, subtle, fine waves of the tala ascend to a crescendo leaving its trills suspended for a while. “I have been playing thavil since six decades. Still I practice for a few hours a day” said Venugopal with a gentle smile.
“The instrument is awfully heavy. I cannot carry it on my shoulder any more. So I accept only concerts where one can sit and play” he admits.
Venugopal belongs to a family of musicians based at Nanchinadu.
Born in Kumarakoil, he went to Eraniyal to learn thavil under Kaintha Pillai Swamy and had advanced training under Tiruchendur Nainar Swami, a great master.
Being a pupil of Nainar Swamy had many advantages. Nagaswaram and clarinet players preferred well disciplined accompanists, which they found in all the disciples of Nainar Swamy. Thus I too enjoyed all the privileges and chances poured in. I could accompany pioneer artistes like, Kanyakumari Sudalayandi Kambar, Tiruchendur Chinna Subbaiah, Pathamadai Raja, A K C Natarajan [clarinet], Nagerkoil Ganesa Kambar, Thiruvizha Jayasankar, Kandiyoor Sivasankaran, Chengannur Sivasankara Panicker and Oachira Sivadas. My brother Kottar Ramachandra Bhagavathar is the disciple of Dr. Balamurali Krishna.
It was around three decades ago that I came to this place, when I was short listed for the post of percussionist at the Sree Padmanabha Temple. Violin maestro Chalakkudi Narayana Swami was the judge. There were seven contestants. We are asked to accompany the nagaswaram artiste” he paused for a while and continued: “Here I must tell you something. The seven principal
talas give rise to 35 varieties on account of the pancha jathi bhedas and each in turn gives rise to five kinds on account of pancha gati bhedas. Thus all together there are 175 talas. The one which was rendered did not figure in the list. The songs rendered were the varnams in Sankarabharanam and Kambhodi set to a tala unknown to us. We have not heard it before. In the initial round we could not maintain the balance of the music. We were puzzled. I could play close to the tala and was appointed as the thavil artiste. We have not named the tala so far. Once Namagiri Pettai Krishnan the legendary nagaswaram artiste happened to hear this tala and wondered. After the performance he approached us and learned it. No were in India you can find this combination remarked Namagiri Pettai.”
Venugopal under went training to the codified pattern of music at the temple.
Thavil are made in Thajavoor. Traditional leather straps are now being replaced by stainless steel ones which add weight to the instrument.
“When the body Sree Chithira Tirunal was taken to the funeral pyre, we paid our last honors to the great man by rendering Mukhari, a raga which can evoke Karuna rasa” reminisced Venugopal.
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vikku vinayak ram(artist-ghatam)
Vikku Vinayak Ram
T R Harihara Sarma was a musician with a vision. It was his wish to make his children great artistes of international repute. He trained them in the hard way and thus we have the Grammy Award Winner ghatom maestro Vikku Vinayak Ram.
Popularly known as Vikku, (a name christened by none other than the legendary singer MS SUBBALEKSHMI) HE WITH HIS CHILDREN AND NEPHEWS have founded an orchestra troupe called SAPTHAAKSHARA, to handle seven different instruments namely Mrudangam, gahatom, ganjira, morsing, gethy, and konnakkol all complimented by vocal music. The maestro was in the city to perform percussion ensemble with his troupe.
To really feel the aural impression, the upa thaala vaadya are capable of creating one has to experience the alliteration of tone coupled with intelligent sequence of instruments and the clean neat and polished way of presentation.
Vikku believes that,the Blessings of Kanchi Kamakodi Peedathipathi, and the Midas touch of MS made him what he is today.
“I am only a medium. It is HIS bliss that brought this poor clay pot into the lime light” said Vikku. “My father used to lock the room and order us practice intensively. It was my father who brought the concept of SAPTHA LAYA AKSHARANGAL–the seven syllables used in the south Indian carnatic percussion system” he informed.
“My first love is always ghatom. But my father asked me to learn ganjira. He was running a mrudangam school, and there was none to play ganjira. He could not force other students to learn it. So I was chosen. I have accompanied, GNB, Mussiri, Chembai, Ariyakkudi, and Semmangudi.
“It was Semmangudi who introduced me to MS. I accompanied her three decades with the retirement of Rama Iyer. On the UN Day, MS performed before the General Assembly in New York. I accompanied her. It was my first foreign tour. It was more like a family trip. MS and Sadasivam were more particular about our comfort. They were like parents to me. They affectionately called me Vikku. Later, when JOHN MC LAUGHLIN asked to shorten my name, I could not think of any other than Vikku” he explained.
“I played a fusion concert with John, L Sankar, and Zakkir Hussein. Ghatom which was considered as a Upa thaala vaadya, received a higher status. Since then I have accompanied PT. SHIVKUMAR SHARMA, PT.HARIPRASAD CHOURASYA, PT. JASRAJ AND USTAD AMJAD ALI KHAN.Once popular drummers were invited to create, a music album titled Planet Drum. I and Zakkir represented India. That bagged the Grammy Award.” he said.
Kanchi Periyavar, predicted a good fortune for ghatom. I was very proud of Maana madurai ghatom and believed that none can surpass its quality. I expressed it to the Swamigal. He laughed. I could not understand. Later, after a concert, in GERMANY, WHEN WE MISSED A FLIGHT, a guitarist took him to a musical instrument shop. I was bewildered when I saw a ghatom there. The elated shop owner, presented me with that unique ghatom, that was made by fusing two halves. In the US, I had to accompany mandolin wizard, U.SREENIVAS. I was forced to use this ghatom, as my instrument developed a crack. The German one was a perfect match, for mandolin. Again another lady from Athens presented me another ghatom. Then I realized the meaning of Swamigals gesture” he remembered.
SAPTHAAKSHARA won NUESCO Award 2000 and Vikku is the first ghatom artiste to receive Central Sangeetha NATAKA Akademi Award. The team has visited LONDON, SEYCHELLES, MAURITIUS, SOUTH AFRICA, ZAMBIA, KENYA AND LESOTHO.
Vikku’s eldest son, SELVAGANESH HAS ACCOMAPNIED THE LEGENDARY MUSICIANS LIKE MS, MLV, LALGUDI, BALAMURALI, ZAKKIR HUSSIEN, AMJAD ALI KAHN, SHIVA KUMAR SHARMA and PT. JASRAJ. He has performed fusion with John Mc Laughin. His albums are popular.
Uma Sankar, another son of Vikku, has done many fusion concerts and has contributed for film as well. He ahs worked with ARR, FOR THE ALBUM “DESH KA SALAM.”
Uma Mahesh, third son of Vikku, is the disciple of Radha Viswanathan. (this interview was done two years back-for the indian express)
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gayatri venkatraghavan(vocalist)
Gayathri Venkataraghavan enthralled the audience at the Swati Sangeetha Archana 2006 last Sunday. This leading young vocalist from Chennai says that she never took music seriously in the beginning, attended the music classes casually and accompanied her mother as a listener to all concerts out of compulsion. My father made me sing at the sanctum sanctorum of the temples whenever we visit one. “I reached this level because of my parents only. They would have realized my potential” remembers Gayathri with gratitude.
“In the 90 s I started winning competitions, and gradually I took music seriously” laughs Gayathri. Of course recognition and encouragements are always effective. In 1993 she is wedded to an ophthalmic surgeon Dr. Venkatraghavan working for the Aravind hospital and Sankara Netralaya at Madurai and Thirunelveli. Thus when she took music seriously she was out of Chennai- a place believed to be the nerve center of carnatic music- for six long years. In 2000 she returned to her home town and there was no looking back since then.
Gayathri had her initial lessons in music from Rajalekshmi and then from Padma Veeraraghavan a disciple of K.V. Narayana Swami. “It really changed my outlook. I was more exposed to the KVN style known for its bhava. His rendition of the ulsavaprabhandam of Maharaja Swati Thirunal is very popular. Then A. Sunderesan a senior vocalist from Madurai taught me music. He is an authority as far as the works of Syama Sastri are concerned. Sunderesn represents Althur bani of music. As part of my scholarship I was trained under the tutelage of V.Subramanian .There I had the opportunity to learn the Semmangudi bani. Still I learn under Sunderesan” she said.
But learning under masters who follow different schools of music never posed any problem for Gayathri. She says: I am trying my best to bring the bhava that is KVN’s style .Bhkati is essential to bring the bhava. When I sing I communicate with the Almighty. I want the listeners to be a part of it .Sunderesan is a traditionalist. I wanted my kriti rendering to be strong. Padanthara suddham is highly valued. Each composer had composed each song under different moods. My guru always wanted to realize the mood of the composer while rendering. Then we will be able to convey what the composer had in his mind. My rendition of the raga and its approach has changed dramatically after my training under Sunderesan. My guru would compare the raga with a devatha and music is embellishing the deity with the swaras”
Regarding the accompaniments she said it is an unknown web in a concert. When we start we are different individuals and as the concert progresses it blends beautifully. There should be a general feeling that the success of the concert depends on the team effort. If the violinist could bring out the raga bahava beautifully it sparks off additional inspiration. Akkarai Subbalekshmi a teenager who accompanied Gayathri on violin is also a well known vocalist who is in great demand, these days. B. Ganapathiraman and N.Guruprasad, accompanied her on mrudangam and ghatom respectively.
Gayathri has several times staged thematic concerts, which is gaining popularity these days. In India she has performed in all major sabhas in Chennai and other big cities. She had the opportunity to perform at Shanmukanada sabha on the birth day of MS before her demise. Last year she participated at the Cleveland festival and performed at Toronto and Canada. “I am really honored to sing at Kuthira Malika” she said (587 words)
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mavelikkara prabhakara varma(vocalist)
He is 77. But this makes no difference to his phenomenal musical prowess. Ask any thing about classical music. His adrenalin starts to flow with new vigor. That is Mavelikkara Prabhakara Varma –the recipient of Swati Puraskaram -2005 instituted by the Government of Kerala. This maestro was in the city recently. In an interview he talks about his passion for music, how he miserably failed in studies and later became a Post Graduate, and about his disciples.
Prabhakara Varma hails from Mavelikkara Kottaram where his formative years were marked by an unbridled passion for music. Born in 1928 to Chandra Prabha [daughter of Kerala Panini A. R Raja Raja Varma] and Rama Varma of Kilimanoor Palace, Prabahkaran’s inspiration for music stemmed from the songs rendered by his maternal aunt Bhageerathi. The swaras and her tonal quality enthralled him. His thoughts were saturated with musical notes and obviously he was below average in his studies. ‘I always fail” laughs Prabhakara Varma who was affected by polio when he was in his mother’s womb.
Nothing stopped him from hearing the music even during examinations. Annual exams always coincide with the temple festival. Rajaratnam the nadaswaram wizard was performing at the temple. “I just could not jot down what little did I knew. The invigilator came, snatched my answer paper and said: “Go and listen to the music” I ran to the venue swiftly, to hear Rajaratnam. The family members often scolded Bhageerathi for spoiling me like this. Soon my cousin LPR Varma joined the Music Academy and I became restless. My father insisted that I should complete at least ESLC. To every body’s surprise I got through it in the first chance and that was news in the family circle” he said and continued:
“It was a golden period in the Academy. We had stalwarts like Semmnagudi, KS Narayana Swami and C S Krishna Iyer. Those were also the days of gramophones. I have heard many times the concerts of great masters like Ariyakkudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Mahahrajapuram Viswanatha Iyer and Rajaratnam Pillai. They created tremendous impact in me. All the kritis were indelibly etched in my memory. During my practical exam Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer asked me to render Hammer Kalyani-a Hindusthani raga rarely sung in those days. Swati Tirunal has composed a beautiful composition Gangeya vasana dhara in this raga. That was the least expected question. I rendered the raga briefly. I have heard Ariyakudi singing this tune. After my presentation he asked: “From where did you learn this?” I answered”.
In 1957 he joined the Academy as the Asst. Professor and retired as the Principal. Mean while he had to wipe off the stigma that he was not a bright student. So he appeared the University exams. For BA he took music as the main subject. The university issued a special order exempting him from under going the practical exam. But for the post graduation he had to. “Dr. Revamma asked me to render Narayana Gaula yet another rare raga. As an obedient student I rendered it” says Varma whose primary disciples include Dr. K. Omanakutti and Neyyatinkara Vasudevan.
Prabhakara Varma took the effort to notate the compositions of Thulasivanam. He had done a comparative study of Deekshithar and Swathi Tirunal. He humbly says that it takes more than a lifetime to mature as an artiste, and the fact that he is able to do so at this age is due to the blessings of the God, his teachers, the sadhana and the grace of Maharaja Swati Tirunal himself whose family he belongs to. “If you look at the genealogy he is my great grand uncle.” he said with folded hands. This chronic bachelor stays with his niece at Tripunithura
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Bombay Sisters(vocalists)
_Bombay sisters C. Saroja and C. Lalitha who have mesmerized the audience all over the world presented an excellent concert in concert in connection with the Swati Nritha sangeetholsavam, organized by Swati Tirunal Sangeth Sabha.
Their greatest assets were crystal enunciation of the sahitya, and neraval which flows with impressive ease.
“Though we are called Bombay sisters, we belong to Thrissur. Our father Chidambaram a great connoisseur of music was working in Bombay. So the family settled there. He wanted us to become good musicians.” They said.
Mani popularly known as Chellamani (father of play back singer Hariharan) initiated them into music. On securing scholarship the sisters moved to Chennai. They joined the Madras central college of music. Musiri the legendary singer was the Principal. Impressed by the sisters he gave special attention them.
Only Lalitha had the scholarship. He gave special training to her and said that I could be pesent provided I should not sing. Including me in training would have gone against the Scholarship rules and regulations. I was deeply moved by the gesture” said Saroja.
Their debut performance was held in 1960. After the concert they were christened as Bombay sisters by a saint Maunaswamigal. “During Navarathri we performed at the Sai Baba Center at Mylapore. Our concert was scheduled prior to the great GNB’s performance. Suddenly he fell ill and as per his directives our concert was extended. It was a big success. His magnanimity provided a turning point in our career.” Said Lalitha.
Bhava sangeetham, and neraval are the two significant features of Musiri School of music. Each raga is an entity with its own characteristic aesthetic expresson. This uniqueness called bhava is the life of raga.
“When we sing, we give much importance to it. The under lying emotion of the sahitya can be brought only through bhava sangeetham” they say. The Bombay sisters’ rendition of Padmanabha Satakam for instance, substantiates this statement.
“Each one of us show our brilliance when we render elaborate alapana and kalpana swaram individually. It is music created on the spot, flows out spontaneously bringing out the vivid points of excellence. When we sing together there is no competition between us. The balance is struck naturally and we are comfortable” they explained.
These sisters have only few disciples. “We are busy performers. Secondly these days students have other diversions too. They give more importance to academic studies. Finding a mutually convenient time is difficult-they said.
Bombay sisters have umpteen numbers of cassettes and CDs to their credit. They expressed their sincere gratitude to their family members without which their career may not be as luminous as this.
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u p raju(mandolin)
Born in a musical family it isn’t all that surprising to see U P Raju’s inclination for music. But rendering the traditional carnatic music through a western instrument is a stroke of genius. The artiste was in the city to perform at the Chembai memorial Trust.
Raju belong to the first generation of mandolin artistes. His guru is Rudraraju SubbaRAJU- A VOCALIST AND THE DISCIPLE of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. “WE REPRODUCED WHAT HE RENDERED. With much trial and error we mastered it. I have spent seven years with my guru. The class was very tough but the passion for Mandolin, the will and perseverance made me what I am today” he said.
It was a shower of melody. The swaras sparkled. He was never in a hurry even at an exceedingly high speed. The audience was awe struck to see his fingers sliding on the strings.
The sweet notes of entaro mahanubhavulu in sree ragam wafted down the breeze from the concert hall. With his mellow music, he had every one under his spell for three hours. Audience could asses with admiration his creativity, talent and perseverance.
mandolin we play is a modified form. We call it electrified mandolin. These modifications are required to produce sustained noted-said Raju. The techniques of veena and violin are employed. The plucking is akin to veena and the fingering resembles that of violin. Unlike violin the strings are hard and there are taala strings like veena.
It was Sreenivas who first performed carnatic music in Mandolin. H e had to face much criticism initially as it was a non traditional instrument. A disciple of Subbaraju he showed the rest the clear path.”
When we compare our old rendition with that of today, we would find a lot of difference. We have improved a lot. Our disciples are lucky as there is an established system today.
There existed a belief that rendition at a slower pace would not be pleasing. I do not believe. Ragas like Kirvani can be rendered.
But we have not tried Hindustani music. We play bhajans and similar numbers set to Hindustani music. Mrudangam, Ghatom, Ghanjira ae usually as accompaniments. Once in a while tavil is also used.
“My wife Nagamani is also a Mandolin artiste. We have performed together many times.” He said. Lucky couple.
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shasank(Flautist)
___The name Shashank is now synonymous with flute. This flamboyant flautist enthralls the audience all over the world. With vast musical range and technical dexterity he has managed to elevate the simple bamboo flute to stellar heights. He was in the city recently for a personal visit.
A wistful glint in his eyes is hard to miss as he explains his love for Hindustani music. “It is my passion. Now I have started learning Hindustani vocal under Pandit Jasraj. He is a great performer and I can learn from the performer’s angle. It is new language with a lot of ornamentation. I may perform a Hindustani concert after five or six years. Learning music has to be always vocal. I have to learn the ragas and the hundreds of compositions-said Shashank.
Born in 1978 he was initiated inot the world music at a very early age almost when I started talking. As per the advice of T R Mahalingam the great flautist the world had ever seen Shashank started learning music under Palakkad K V Narayana swami.
At the age of 6 he casually played his fathers and surprised the listeners. His debut concert was held at Adelaide 15 years back.
“Being an instrumentalist there are limitations in the selection of songs and ragas. But I chose rags which are not elaborately rendered-like kapinarayani. I like to dwell on the less tread path. I am always engrossed in exploring the depths of music. I take risks to plunge in and explore and see where it leads.”
HIS CONTRIBUTION is the introduction of multi flute transposed fingering technique to merge flutes of different frequencies, producing deep bass to the shrill sounds. He has played jugalbandi with musicians of India and abroad.
HE HAS PERFORMED AT Rashtrapathi BHAVAN, Kennedy center, J Paul Getty Hall Hollywood, National academy of sciences-Washington DC, Xebec Hall Kobe-Japan, UNESCO Paris, tropical institute Amsterdam, Museum Reitberg Zurich and Seoul Plaza. He has 29 cd albums to his credit.
Shashank is wedded to SHIRISHA POPULAR Bharatanatyam and Kuchupidi dancer.
My house is a museum dedicated to the clutters that one finds in the Indian kitchen. VESSELS especially URULIS of all imaginable sizes and period furniture are my father’s weakness.
Shashank has no disciples. ‘I am a busy traveling artiste and secondly many think that I am too young to teach. My only disciple is my sister who is accompanying me these days. In a year or two she would give solo recitals” he said.
(I E dec-2005)
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padmanabha iyer(vocalist)
That was a gathering of nearly two dozens of people above forty. They have assembled to learn a few gems from the vast repertoire of carnatic music. When they sing it is hard to believe that they have no basic training in music.
“This is the fourth batch of students. I teach them Pancharatna kirtanams, Navaratari kritis and Navavarana kritis. This class is meant for music lovers, who earlier had no opportunity to learn music, but wanted to sing classical music. I consider it a great service” said Parvathipuram Padmanabha Iyer, who belongs to the family of Mullamoodu Bhagavathar.
I was initiated into music by my uncle Harihara Bhagavathar of Mullamoodu School. “He taught me a number of rare compositions composed by Maharaja Swati Tirunal. I music academy and took my ganapraveen. I had my advanced training in music from Gayaka Ratnam Vechoor H. Harihara Subramania Iyer. It was a totally different experience. Still I follow his padantharam. Though I had the opportunity to learn music under K V Narayana Swami, I was not in a position to stay in Chennai for a long period. I consider him as my manasika guru” he said.
Padmanabha Iyer is currently working as a teacher at the Govt. Model High School.
Today children are under academic pressure. How interested are they in learning music? What is the space available for a music teacher?
“Each class has one period per week for music. If you take the entire students in a school only a hundred students will have a flair for classical music. I have asked them to remain after 3.30 twice in a week and give them special training in music. In our school we have all facilities and the PTA is supporting this as well. In most of the schools the scene is entirely different and unfortunate. PTA is not interested in these activities. Most of the music teachers are asked to handle other classes, like history. Music teachers never protest, and many consider it a privilege” he explained and added “Music should be made a compulsory subject and 5 marks should be allotted for theoretical knowledge.”
His program “Raga of the day” telecast in Asianet Suprabhatham is the forerunner of similar programs in various channels. He covered 250 ragas in 350 episodes. His current program Saadakam in Surya is equally popular.
He recently gave a vocal concert at the Rashtrapathi bhawan. He has given many stage performances, in Kerala, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi. He also conducts demonstrations for Music lovers and students.
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vechur sankar(vocalist)
He has come all the way from Nilambur to meet his guru Kumara Kerala Varma the veteran musician, and the disciple of Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer. He is to perform at the Navarathri Mandapam on the last day. He has to come for a rehearsal performance. Meet Vechur Sankar, one of the upcoming musicians.
Like most of the musicians he too belongs to the traditional family of musicians, who regularly perform at the Vakkom Mahadeva temple annually. His grand father has composed many songs praising their tutelary deity Sastha. “Of all the family members Vechur Harihara subramanian, could carve a niche in the field of Carnatic music. He was based at Thiruvananthapuram. So he entrusted his disciples Vaikom Vasudevan Nampoothiri and Vaikom Gopala Krishnan and my aunt Vaikom Rajammal trained me in music. Once in a while when we meet he never fails to teach me kirtanams,” said Sankar.
“Vechur uncle was a great musician. He always rendered in a slow tempo, in perfect unison with the sruthi. He unfolded the raga gradually and never made concessions to popular taste” reminisce Sankar.
He participated and won prizes in the school and university youth festivals. As part of Scholarship program he had his advanced training from Kumara Kerala Varma. Ten years ago he joined the Music sohool of Pala C K Ramachandran. Pala c k and Kerala Varma provided the vocal support for Semmangudi for longtime.
Sankar is an employee of the South Malabar Gramin Bank, Nilambur. Recently the institution accepted him as a musician and offered him the special privilege of an artiste.
“Nilambur though a remote place has plenty of discerning singers and listeners of Carnatic music” he remarked.
“Now I can bring out cassettes and CDs” he said and added “wherever I go I make it a point to sing at least three compositions of Swati Tirunal including a Padam. For the neraval apt phrase is chosen. My tutors have taught me the right splitting of phrases, enabling to bring out the bahva. I follow the padantharam of Semmangudi known for elaborate rendition of the raga, and improvisation. Paahi parvatha nandini in Aarabhi is the song of the concluding day of the Navarathri Festival, at the Navarathri MANDAPAM. The rapid and elegant flow of its music made this song more popular”
“I consider it a great blessing to sing at the Navarathri Mandapam where great legendary musicians had rendered for year after year” said Sankar.
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r. krishnaswami(vocalist)
He has many unknown disciples. Many write to him to clear their doubts in music. Still others come in search of him to learn new songs. He is the most revered person in the music circle. Meet R. Krishnaswami the veteran vocalist.
Though he belongs to the family of music lovers, his uncle initiated him into music. A close associate of the great composer T. Lakshmanan Pillai, his uncle entrusted Krishnaswami with him. Lakshmanan Pillai could identify the innate talent in him and was so confident that he engaged him to notate his works. “Though I refused initially, I have to concede. I was in my late twenties. Later on looking back, I felt that certain compositions need re-notation. I am at present engaged in that work,” said Krishanswami.
When the Swati Thirunal Music Academy was established, he joined the institution. It was a period when stalwarts like Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer, Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar, K S Narayanaswami, were the tutors. Hence, the foundation laid was strong.
In 1950, he joined AIR and was in charge of music-based programs. It provided him opportunities to meet the great musicians.
All India Radio regularly conducted music lessons. Krishanswami was the tutor for three decades. Thus, he had many unknown faces as his disciples, who promptly took down the lessons when the program was aired. Many like Jalaja Varma wrote to him. Many came in search of him, to learn music. When popularity of the program increased, certain forces were working overtime to tarnish his image. “Yes. Somebody managed to include a letter in the ezhuthupetti, severely criticizing the program and the authority instead of supporting me openly said that we are planning to change the tutor. Thus overnight every thing was settled as desired by the wicked forces.” His voice choked and he became emotional. “That was not the way to oust somebody.” He remarked.
But I am happy that aspiring musicians who approached me after listening my radio lessons have later became popular singers like, Dr. Jalaja Varma, Dr. G Bhuvaneswari, and Dr. B. Arundathi. TR Rema is popular in Chennai. My daughter Premalatha is working in the Department of Music, Women’s college,” said Krishnaswami the recipient of this years Sangeetha Ratna Award, instituted by Adi Sankara Vedanta Sanskrit Society, besides many other awards and accolades.
“I conducted lessons exclusively on Deekshitars composition for one year. Then I taught Pancharatna Keertana. I recorded and edited Navarathri Mandapam recitals. The two and a half program concludes by 8.30 pm and the same has to be edited with in one hour for broadcast at 9.30pm.,” remembered the Krishnaswami.
“I am happy that I am a contemporary of Semmangudi, Lalgudi, and KSN. The contribution of Semmangudi brought pure music to Kerala. Whether it is Swati Tirunal, Tyagaraja, or Deekshitar his rendition is of the purest form. Though I am the primary disciple of Lakshmana Pillai I followed his rendition. Semmangudi once happened to hear me singing a piece in Kamaz popularized by him. “That is nice. You are singing like me,” said Semmangudi. That shows his magnanimity-remembered this octogenarian.
Even today, many established musicians and upcoming artiste come in search of him. “The door is always open for them,” he concluded.
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vani jayaram(playback singer)
Vani Jayaram is a gifted person. Her flair for music is nurtured by great musicians of yester years. Her pencil sketches, oil and water color paintings speaks volumes on her aesthetic senses. She has won 17 prizes at the school final for extra curricular activities which continues in the college e days as well. Meet the multi faceted vani jayaram.
Whatever I have achieved in the field of music is because of my husband jayaram’s support-feels vani. Anative of vellore vani belongs to a family of musicians. Her mother is the disciple of Ranga Ramunaja Iyengar-a great veena artiste. Kadaloor Sreenivasa Iyengar, who taught vani’s sister music, was fascinated by her observation and grasping power. He taught her a few Deekshidar kritis when she was hardly five.
When the family shifted to Chennai Vani continued her music lessons in music under the tutelage of T R Balasubramanium, disciple of G N B and Trivandrum R S Mani (disciple of Semmangudi).
“AT THE AGE OF TEN I STARTED GIVING THREE HOUR CONCERT” SAYS VANI A GRADUAUTE IN Economics. MY MARRIAGE WITH JAYARAM IS A TURNING POINT IN MY LIFE. HE WAS THE EXCECUTIVE SECERTARY TO INDO-BELGIUM CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, MUMBAI. A talented sitar palyer he was trained by Sambu das a disciple of PT. Ravi Sankar. He took me to Abdul Rehman of Patiala gharana to learn Hindusthani music. The classes begin at 10 am and continued till 6 pm. So, resigned my job. He taught me the intricate techniques of thumri bhajans, and gahzals. Vasanth Desai happened to be there once. Impressed by my voice he gave an opportunity to sing for a Marathi play. I sang with KUMAR Gandharva. (marathi theatre insisted professional music recordings). Mean while Hrikesh Mukherjee asked Desai to compose music for his film Guddi. He made sing Bholorae papi hara….which turned out to be a super hit. It fetched me many awards” remembers Vani.
It is a nice coincidence that the all awards that received were for the classical based songs only. (apoorva raagangal, sankarabharanam and swati kiranam) Vani has sung in 14 languages with consummate ease. “It is god’s gift” she feels. Now she has devoted her time to Ghazals, geeths bhajans, folk songs. She also writes poems in Tamil and Hindi. She is running an audio recording unit in Chennai. She has worked with Pt. Birju maharaj, the legendary kathak maestro for two cassettes of thumri bhajans. Guru Kelu charan mohopatra played Pakhawaj for her rendition of Git Govind.
She is fortunate that she could sing for all popular music directors and had the privilege to sing with al stalwarts of India play back singing. She sang for the Hindi film Meera. The songs were composed by Ravi Sankar.
Vani organizes workshops and seminars for school children to prevent the onslaught of cultural imperialism. She would like to spend time with terminally ill patients and renders songs for them-an effort to ease their pain and wipe away the tears. (I E DATED 18 12 04).
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khalid anwar jan(vocalist from Pakistan)
Born in Jalander of undivided India, Khalid Anwar JAN migrate to Lahore on the eve of Independence. He went to Muscat to earn a living, and for the past three decades he has been teaching classical music. Meet this Pakistani vocalist who was in this city for a short stay.
In the interview he talked at length about KIRANA Gharana, the golden period of music its sad decline in Pakistan.
For Khalid music is always his first love. I do not belong to family of musicians. But all the family members love music. I still remember how we gather round the small radio every Saturday 9 pm to listen to the classical music-said Jan a chronic bachelor.
“At Muscat there are plenty of Keralites and most of my students are Malayalees. I came to India because of my disciple Manjari. SHE IS PERFROMING HERE AT THE Surya FESTIVAL. I AM HERE TO HEAR HER. “
THE VOCALIST HAD HIS TRAINING under the guidance of Feroz Nizami of Kirana Gharana. Nizami has composed a number of compositions for Hindi films including Jugunoo,starring Dileep Kumar and Noor Jahan,
Many consider Abdul Karim Khan as the founder of Kirana Kharana, Pople gather in thousands to hear Karim Khan expansive Bhairavi and Thodi at the Khwaja Mira Saheb Dargah.
Swaii Gandarwa the prominent disciple of Karim KHAN WAS ALSO A THEATRE Maniac. Once he refused to accompany his master on thampura saying that he had a sore throat and participated in a stage play. The master cursed him and since then Sawaii had to start singing one hour before the performance to clear his throat. Detractors of this Gharana mistook this exercise for the raagalap.Even now traditionalists sing aalap without rhythm accompaniment for about an hour-said Khalid Jan.
In the last century we had plenty of legendary musicians like Roshanara Beegum, Bade Ali Khan, Abdul Waheer Khan and Mubaraq Ali. Their repertoire was rich with tumri, dadra and ghazals. I could imbibe a lot from these singers.
According to Jan, India still has patrons for classical music. But in Pakistan it is almost declined. They consider classical music as outdated ones. They have lost aesthetic sense. We the classical singers have reduced to mere gaanae bhajanae wallahs.
He spoke at length about ghazals love lyrics of Persian origin. They are 10 centuries old and it was its brevity and rich suggestiveness that conquered the music lovers’ heart. It have deep root in Pakistan also. Iqbaal Banoo and Noor Jahan were the legendary singers.
This musician never misses Malayalam films.” Sathyan is my favorite actor and Yesudas is my favorite singer.” (436 words)
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ramani( flautist}
“Music is an art which represents the divine beauty and grandeur of creation. God is the greatest poet, and this universe is HIS work- the intrinsic beauty and glory of which is expressed by music. One life time is not enough to learn music” said DR. N RAMANI, the popular flautist.
“My grand father Narayanaswami was a great musician. He played and taught all musical instruments except veena and flute was his favorite. Sikkil sisters are his disciples. Mymother and aunts were great singers and violinists. I am the nephew of the flute wizard Mali” said Dr Ramani.
“Mali’s rendition is intense and it is something one as to experience, When I heard Mali, I decided to concentrate on flute and in fact longed to play like him. This wish made me to devote more time for practice” he said.
“It was Travancore BROAD CASTING SERVICE which relayed my concert for the first time. In the late forties I approached my uncle for advanced training. Here began my commitment. I could acquire new dimension, depth and maturity imbibing the nuances and subtleties, of the rich legacy. Offers poured in and I could not complete my college studies.”
In 1956 I performed for Madras Music Academy. It was a turning point. I accompanied Veena Balachander to USA. WE gave separate concerts. Since 1971 I with Pt. Hariparasad churasya have been giving jugalbandi concerts.”
“It is a sacrifice and a compromise. To be frank, it is the south Indian performers who are forced to under go his. Academically both are benefited.”
“1950-70 was a golden period of Carnatic music. We had great musicians and serious audience” he opined.
Regarding the flute the instrument, he said there are several factors that determine the quality of the instrument. My flute is heavy. In my opinion Harikambodi is the ideal raga in which the preliminary swaras exercise can be taught in flute. The notes figuring in it allows to group it into consonantal pairs. Sa – pa bear the shadja panchama relationship, and the rest shadja madhyama relationship. Though this scale was known even in early times, the credit for imparting swarupa to it and endow it with a musical personality goes to Thyagaraja swamigal” explained Ramani.
Ramani has established Ramani;s academy of flute in Chennai with its baranches in Thiruvananthapuram, Bangalore, Chennai Hyderabad and the USA. I HAVE MORE THAN 400 QUALITY DISCIPLES all over the world.
“Untiring practice makes a lot of difference. There is no short cut to learn music” he stressed.
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veerabhadraih hiremath( hindusthani vocalist)
_Pandit Veerabhadraiah Hiremath gave a delectable Hindusthai vocal recital at the Swathi Sangeetha Archana last week. Born and brought in a rural village of Yaragal in Bijapur, he was sent to the music school of Pt. Putraj Gawaii known for the gurukula system. He was not rich enough even to send his son to the music school. The kind villagers gathered money and fulfilled his father’s dream. Of course they had staunch faith in young Veerabhadraiah’s rich voice that one day he would bring glory and fame to the village.
“We are basically farmers. My father plays harmonium very well to the accompaniment of bhajans. He wanted me to become a trained musician which he could not. I spent 10 years in the school and imbibed the Gwaliar Gharana of Hindusthani Music with all its nuances. It was a different experience. We pupils have to partake in pooja for two hours. It was in fact a musical offering to Lord Siva. The music lesson will be for four hours a day besides this. The master plays all musical instruments so are the students. I can play harmonium sarangi and flute. I even teach flute and recently sent one of my disciples to Pt. Hariprasad Chourasya for advance training. The coaching at the school is free .ALL the 800 pupils are provided with food and accommodation” said Veerabhadraiah.
This musician is struggling to establish Hindusthani system of music in Mysore where carnatic music has more takers and is dominant. Now organizations are inviting us to stage Hindusthani music. Now I am learning under Padmabhushan Pt. Indhudhara Nirodi of Agra gaharana. He is the disciple of Ratanjanakar who notated the Hindusthani compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. That was how I came to know of Swati Tirunal’s beautiful works. For the last few months I have been practicing the songs” revealed the artiste. He began the concert with Sankar sree giri nath prabhu kae in Gouri. He was accompanied on Harmonium Mallikarjun Sunshi also a disciple of Pt. Putraj Gawaii, and on tabala Bhimshankar Bidanur.
Veerbhadraiah’s gifted mellifluous voice, rich in tradition and saturated with bhava made the concert a worthy one.
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t v sankanarayanan( vocalist)
Advocate. T V Sankaranarayanan, a gold medalist from the Bar council enrolled his name and started practicing as a junior. A fortnight passed. His uncle called him aside and asked: Tell me when did you last sing? I know very well that you have not even hummed a bit. That is unpardonable. You better focus on classical music.”
Now he is Padmabhushan, Sangeetha kalanidhi T V Sankaranarayanan, the much sought vocalist today. He was in the city to perform at the Durga Devi Temple near Sreekanteswaram.
For the connoisseurs of music hearing TVS (as he is widely known), is like reliving the ages of Madurai Mani Iyer. TVS’ style is so close to that of his uncle cum mentor Madurai Mani Iyer that music lovers expect the Mani Iyer’s numbers from him.
Endowed with rich and vibrant voice, he keeps alive the glory of the family tradition. His grand father Madurai Ramaswami Iyer was a musicologist. His grand uncle Madurai Pushpavanam Iyer was a legend in his time. He was the contemporary of Puchchi Sreenivasan. In fact they ruled the roost then.
“Those were fine days. I had the fortune to learn music from my uncle Madurai Mani Iyer. My mother Gomathi, sister and disciple of Mani Iyer taught me the basics of music. My father Vembu Iyer, had been giving vocal support to Mani Iyer for long. From the age of 15, I started accompanying my uncle. After my graduation in Commerce and then Law Degrees I was called to the bar only to discontinue after a fortnight. Finance minister Chidambaram was my classmate for Law” said T V S.
His maiden concert was held in 1968. “I was accompanied by great masters like T N Krishnan, Vellore Ramabhadran and Alangudi Ramachandran. Since then till today I am busy. I am a strict follower of Mani Iyer bani. Mani Iyer was a great creator. His improvisation, exposition of the raga, swara sancharam in the sarva laghu patterns were his brand. One never knows what comes next. Mani Iyer is known for his sahitya suddhi and bhava sangeetam. I could more or less establish his style” explained T V S.
A voracious reader, T V S favorite authors include Oscar Wilde, Shaw, Arthur Conan Doyle, P G Woodhouse, etc.
T V S has composed a few vruthams brimming with philosophical thoughts. He is a touring performer. He has conducted more than 15 trips to the USA and Canada and several trips to Australia, the Gulf countries, Singapore, Malayasia, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. His wife Vijayalekshmi is also a musician and restricts herself to AIR and T V. “She gave up public performance for my sake. Our children Sankaramahadevan and Amrita are also in this line. Faith in God, and devotion to my gurus, and hard work made me what I am today” he said.
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thiruvaroor bhaktavalsalam( mrudangisit)
Cauvery belt is a fertile region not only for agricultural crops but also for musician notes. Every sand grain seems to enthrall to the saptaswaras. The most revered saintly composers we call them The Trinities were born Thiruvarur on the banks of cauvery. The little unpretentious village has always teemed with eminent singers and instrumentalists-including the Bhaktavalsalam. This maestro is in the city to perform at the Navarathri Mandapam.
Connoisseurs of music cherish his solo performance every time. His expounding of the tala through various stages of introduction, exposition, and conclusion is fascinating. Listening to him is indeed an artistic and rhythmic experience by itself.
For the past 35 years he has been accompanying leading performers and all seasoned artistes prefer Bhaktavalsalam’s support.
“It is indeed a blessing for born into a family of musicians in Thiruvarur” said Bhaktavalsalam who started stage performance at the age of nine by accompanying his mother T R Anandavalli. “It was my mother who initiated into music. My uncle T Krishnamurthi was a popular mridangist, I had a passion for it since my childhood. When great musicians visited Thiruvarur, I rush to meet them and nurtured the ambition of becoming a musician of caliber one day. Today I am happy and contented” he said.
He has accompanied the doyens and the legends like Bhim Sen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj, Hariprasad Chaurasya, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and T N Rajam when they performed jugalbandis with carnatic musicians like Dr. Balamurali Krishna and T N Krishanan. “With Zakkir Hussien I have staged several shows. Rhythm ecstasy an album C D with Anido Chatterjee was well received. My Talavadya concert with Vikku Vinayakaram on Ghatom and Dr. T K Murthi the mrudangist on Konnakkol-vocal percussion at Kolkatta was a memorable show” he added.
Music lovers in Madurai have formed Bhaktavalsalam Fans Association. “Unbelievable! They have installed even huge cut outs” Bhaktavalsalam reminisced with awe.
This musician of impeccable lineage and incredible skills has plenty of disciples. He provides stipend to the talented students who are economically weak.
“I have an ambition. I would like to stage a fusion show with all leading percussionists. However, the satisfaction and I enjoy while playing for a carnatic music concert is beyond description” he said. (373 words)
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prince rama varma( vocalist cum vainika)
Though the Travancore royal family had no dearth for musicians he is the first public performer. He is a Carnatic vocalist, veena artist and a teacher at the Rotterdam Conservatory of Music. He listens to all types of music, Hindustani, Western and is a great fan of MDRamanathan, Kishore Kumar and Jacques Brel. Meet Prince Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma. “I was initiated into music by Vechur Hariharasubramany Iyer, a disciple of Semmangudi. Since his demise in 1994 I am training under Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr Balamuralikrishna. In between I also started learning veena under R Venkitaraman and then under the doyen of Carnatic music, vidwan K S Narayaswamy,” said Rama Varma a descendant of Maharaja Swati Thirunal, the great composer and Raja Ravi Varma, the pioneer artist, the world has ever seen.
“When Amma Maharani was alive, the Kowdiar Palace was frequented by renowned musicians. She herself was a great vayanika. I had the innumerable opportunities to listen to great stalwarts performing at the Palace,” says Rama Varma about the growing years with his grandmother. Born to Pooyam Thirunal Parvati Bayi and Chembrol Raja Raja Varma the inherent talent was nurtured and received appropriate supplements from this exposure to music by the great names. It was T V Gopalakrishnan who gave the courage to break free from the fetters in 1990.
Clarity in raga, purity in shruti, stability in gamaka, propriety in bhava and correctness in diction are the hallmarks of his rendition. He effortlessly brings out the underlyng emotion through gentle touches. His versatility in singing has made him popular in the music circle.
Regarding improvisation he said, it is music created on the spot, on the spur of the moment. Indian music is always creative and never a reproduction of what is written or played. The artist can adorn it with gorgeous jewels and there is no limit in which you can embellish it. This is what makes the concert a success and satisfying.
Varma never forgets to appreciate the accompanists when they excelled, giving sufficient opportunities and wisely extracts the best from them.
Having traversed the globe many times, he said, “I am open to all varieties of music and never bound to one particular school or thought of music. He has mesmerized audiences both in the country and abroad and performed in all prestigious venues including the Queen Elizabeth Hall where his maiden CD was released.Under his initiative two concerts honouring two living legends of music Manna Dey and Dr Balamuralakrishna were held in Thiruvananthapuram last November.
A further example of his dynamism is the decision to invite women musicians to perform at the Navratri Mandapam, thus bringing to an end, the three hundred year old custom that barred women from performing at the mandapam and also as part of the audience. This scion of the Travancore royal family is proud about the concert at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, before the President APJ Abdul Kalam.
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meeta pandit hindusthani( vocalist)
If you have seen the much acclaimed film KHAMOSHPANI, YOU WOULD REMEMBER the trained voice of Meet Pandit in the back drop of the movie. She is in the sixth unbroken lineage of musicians of the legendary Pandit family of the Gwalior Gharana. Excerpts from the interview:
Acknowledged as the scion of the Gwalior Gharana, Meeta is acclaimed to be one of the most promising young musicians of today. Deep rooted in the traditional eight fold style, of singing (ASHTANG GAYAKI) SHE EXCELS IN THE exposition elaboration and interpretation of the intricate patterns, of ragas of the khayal style, with all variations, modulations, and split second precisions. Her melodious and robust voice coupled with intricate handling of ragas has won her admires -young and old alike.
The first musician in the family meeta is pursuing the research on the rare styles like Tapp-khayal, Tapp-tarana, and Taap –tumri, which are almost extinct.
“Gwalior gharan is like the gangotri. The cultural splendor of Gwalior under the great patron of Maan sing was just amazing. It attained the pinnacle of glory during the reign of Akbar. Mia Tan Sen, a native of Behet, near Gwalior is known for his drupad. We have a galaxy of musicians from this school” she said.
She was groomed by her grand father Padmabhshan PT. Krishna Rao and then father Lakshaman Pandit. She had her debut performance at the age of nine. ”In fact it was a trio concert. My brothers THUSHAR AND Athul accompanied me,” said Meeta. The responsibility of upholding the exalted standards of the Gwalior Gahrana suddenly fell on her shoulder aftwer the tragic demise of her brother Thushar Pandit. It was untimely and a sever blow to us. He was doing the research on the contributions of the Pandits of this gharana to HINDUSTANI MUSIC. I COMPLETED THE WORK AND WAS AWARDED THE DOCTORATE.
Meeta’s voice is unique. It is really meeta(sweet). It has tremendous power and range tempered with astound sweetness, stretching over an amazingly wide range of three octaves. The rendering of the breathtaking traditional Tappa is one of the thrilling items in her concert.
“It is the most taxing form of singing” she said. Meeta is equally adept in Tarana, Ashtapadi, and Bhajan. She has composed a few bhajans. Rendition of Ashtapadi by Meeta and her father set to music by the Pir Baksh family is mind boggling. He two albums “foot steps” and “Tansen” were released by Music Today.
Meeta Pandit-Linking a tradition with today is a film on her by PSBT. Her innate talent and dedication to music have been recognized right from an early age. She has bagged a number of awards and accolades including the Golden voice of India (1989).
She has performed all over the world
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trissur ramachandran( vocalist)
Padmavibhushan Thrissur Ramachandran needs no introduction. He will be enthralling the audience at the Navarathri Mandapam on 29th of this month. For him singing at the Navarathri Mandapam is a great honor as his mentor the legendary G N Balasubramanium had rendered here many times.
In an interview Ramachandran wax eloquent about GNB, his role in molding him, and the encouragements he received from great masters.
Born to former Chief Justice Vaidyanatha Iyer, and Kamalambal, in 1940, little Raman was initiated into music by his mother. Varkala Subramania Bhagavathar and Tripunithura Krishna Iyer, were his other masters. Then it was the turn of the doyen of Carnatic music GNB.
“GNB is the first graduate among musicians. I too was a bright student. When I got admission to MBBS I was in a dilemma. I boldly opted for music. I consider myself lucky to have a guru like GNB. He was the Principal of Swati Tirunal Music Academy and I stayed with him.”
“He insisted the clarity of the sahitya and diction. He advised me to sing effortlessly, without much body movements and gestures. Those are termed according to GNB as gayakadoshas.”
GNB predicted a bright future for Ramachandran. After his demise Ramachandran was trained by Sangeetha kalaninidhi Dr. M L Vasanthakumari, the primary disciple of G N B.
Ramachnadran’s style of rendition is so close to GNB, that it creates nostalgic memories in the minds of old timers. “I owe much to the late Chalakudi N S Narayanaswami and Mavelikkara krishanan kutti Nair. In my early years of performance they gave adequate encouragement.”
Pt.Krishnanand of Kirana Gharana trained Ramachandran in Hindustani Music. “I really appreciate the training process. When I met Bhimsen Joshi he said that he would practice for 18 hours a day. That is how they become legends in their lifetime. There is no short cut in music. Only practice and more practice will enable one to achieve something in this field. Musicians must be a good listener also. Listening is also a part of learning” that was a valid piece of advice for the aspiring ones.
Ramachandran has sung in all major sabhas in India. He has performed in UK, USA, Australia, Sri Lanka, France, Bahrain, and Jakarta. His wife charumati is a renowned vocalist. Their daughter Subhasree is upcoming musician.
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visalakshi nithyanand( vocalist)
Her family had strong connections with music. Her father Thiruvananthapuram R S Mani, a popular musician of yester generation laid the strong foundation. She had the fortune to learn under the doyens Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer R. Venkitaraman and T K Govinda Rao. Meet Visalakshi Nityanand, a vocalist based at Chennai. She was here in the city to perform at the Chembai Music festival.
“I did my MA Music and these days I am concentrating only on performance. I have to devote more time for practice and so my husband resigned the job to support me. I attend plenty of concerts and each one is a lesson. A performer should be a good listener also” she said.
“My learning under Semmangudi mama is an experience. His rendition of ragas and flow of swaras, spinning coils within coils was awe some. It was the essence of carnatic music. He insisted that students of music should learn Deekshithar compositions. He taught me 25 compositions of Deekshitahr. R .Venkitaraman was a task master. He has reprimanded me many times and never prepared for a compromise. It was highly analytical. Both of them taught me plenty of compositions” she added.
She is tirelessly building up a massive repertoire from many sources. “I had to go to many sources. The concerts of great masters help me to improve. Each of them has their on qualities. But I never follow them blindly as reproducing them is neither easy nor right. I have to design my own style, based on their tradition. Regarding improvisation, initially I by-hearted the ones of great masters to gain frame and direction. Then it came naturally.”
Visalakshi has made it a point to render Ragam Taanam and Pallavi, _which is rarely heard these days. Today many try to make the concert appeal to the largest number of listeners. That is why they cut down on raga and concentrate on swara, often overloading small kritis with fireworks which destroy the form.
Visalakshi has performed in all major sabhas in Chennai, and Hydearbad. “As I am brought up in Chennai I don’t find any difficulty in finding a space for me. But all my north Indian tours were for the south Indian audience.” She agrees.
For a performer Kerala is an ideal place. “I was invited for a concert at Thottuva in Kollam district. When I reached the place I was surprised to see the nature audience. They never seem to have any taste in music. I regretted, but had to perform. There were only 50 peoples. When it commenced, people gathered quickly and the seats were full till the end. They applauded rarely” she remembered.
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thiruvizha jayasankar( nadaswaram artiste)
He belongs to the traditional family of musicians and served AIR as the program announcer for three decades. After retirement he found time to focus on his yet another passion that is painting- adding more color to his music. Meet Thiruvizha Jayasankar, the popular Nagaswaram artiste. Chembai Sangeetholsavam begins today with his concert, at the Chembai Trust Sreevaraham.
In an interview, he talks about his carrier, why there are fewer takers for this instrument, and his love for painting. “My father Raghava Panicker, grand father Sanakra Panicker were professional nagawaram vidwans. I chose this profession against my fathers wish. He was well aware of the living conditions of a musician.”
“But, I was initiated into music by my grand father. Our house always reverberated with musical notes. It only supplemented my love for music. I initially learnt vocal music systematically. At the age of ten I opted for Nagaswaram. In those days Ambalapuzha brothers, my father and grand father were the popular nagaswaram artistes. At the age of 14 I accompanied my father as a tala artiste. Madhavan Pillai a great connoisseur of art and music asked me to perform the next day. My father initially resisted this move as he was not satisfied with my performance. “He is not fit yet” was my father’s reaction. Pillai insisted and that was my debut concert and it was well received. I was presented a gold ring” said Jayasankar.
“I won the first prize in the All India Radio National Contest. Dr. Rajendra Prasad presented the Award. Then I joined RLV Academy for Ganabhushanam, Chittoor College Palakkad for BA degree in music, and the Swati Tirunal Academy of music for ganapraveena,” he said.
“With enough back ground in music, what made you to apply for the post of announcer in AIR?” asked G P S Nair, in the interview. I quoted my father,” said Jayasankar.
He believes that his service in AIR made him what he is today. “The opportunities to meet great musicians, to listen to their performances, chances for hearing old gems, etc influenced me and nurtured my taste” said Jayasankar with gratitude.
“Nagaswaram is an asura vadhya. It is very loud. Even then, initially I opted for violin and mrudangam as the accompanying instrument. It had a major draw back. I had to restrain a lot. Being a loud instrument it never matched with violin and mrudnagam. I could not bring the best in me. Then I opted for thavil which offered me more freedom,” said Jayasankar. But today he is accompanied on the mrudangam by Dr. G.Babu, on the Violin by Mahadeva Sarma, and on the Ghatom by Uduppi Sreedhar.
Why there are fewer takers for this instrument?
“It requires more effort and perseverance. Learning process is really tough. Hence only a few pursue.”
“After retirement, I concentrated on painting, my second love. In my teens I was in a dilemma. My mind was bubbling with music and colors. My father advised, music and art require hard work. You cannot achieve both simultaneously. Music demands rigorous practice. Painting demands much patience. Both are time consuming. Hence opt and concentrate on one. After retirement I restarted painting.”
His works are different. They are the portrayal of the raags as experienced by him.
“Initially I chose seven ragas namely Bhoopalam, Mohanam, Amritavarshini, Anadabhairavi, Sankarabharanam, Abheri and Neelambari. I essayed them in acrylic. It was well received” said Jayasankar.
Jayasankar was conferred the title of Kalaimamani, Isai Perarinjar, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academi Award & Fellowship, and the Guruvayoor Puraskaram.
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chalamela varnam of swati tirunal(composition)
Next to Tanjore, Travancore is regarded as the centre of South Indian music. This state has a hoary tradition and culture and hence an important seat of music and dance.
Thanks to Maharaja Swati Tirunal. In this essay, let us analyze the Varnams of this monarch musician.
What are Varnams? You all know that they are scholarly compositions, which reflect the talents of the composer. It is tough to compose one and that is the reason we have more kritis than Varnams.
Why?
In a Varnam every aspect of the ragam has to e presented in a balanced manner. The normal & usual phrases admissible in the ragam are to be portrayed in all their bright colors along with the sancharams and viseshaprayogams. Thus, Varnam gives a true picture of a ragam. But ragamalika are exceptions and that is its limitation.
Chalamela (Sankarabharanam ata talam) is one of the brilliant Varnams of the Maharaja. Illustrious musicians had begun their concert with this Varnam. It has a balanced purvanga and an uttaranga. The former with pallavi 2 aaaavartas, anu pallavi 2 avartas, and mukhtayi swaras 2 avartas and the latter, with charanas one avarta, the ettugada swara with 1, 2, 3 of the length of one avarta each and the last ettugada swara of 2 avarta.
The dhatu is distributed over the three octaves. The pallavi starts with the visesha sanchara SNP. In the Varnam Sarajinabha (KAMBHODHI), SIMILAR COMMENCEMENT IS NOITCED. The anupallvi starts with the Madhya sthayi shadja. The commencing notes of the pallavi and the anupallavi are thus an octave apart. The mukhtayi swaram is characterized by n|dn|pdn|mpdn|gmpdn|rgmpdn|srgmpdn|.
The charanas starts with the swarakshara and the sahitya itself, is worthy of attention. The first ettugada swara contains long notes. The second is couched in the tana riti. THE panchama nyasa is powerfully emphasized upon in the third ettugada makes us oblivious to the fact that the composer has adroitly introduced the phrse s n d p in the manthra sthayi. This is rare in the lower octave of Sankarabharana the phrases met with being either-s n d n s or s n s d n s or s n s d n p D n s. The phrase s n d p is avoided as it suggests Navaroj.
Last ettugada opens with an ascending glide. The phrase D N R occurring herein is also a usual phrase in Sankarabharanam. Also the phrase N R G M D. HOWEVER, the melodic entity of Sankarabharana is maintained. The length of the paada in the compositions is 2 avartas. The pallavi and the charans admit of 3 sangatis. The trisruti dha and the chatursruti dha occur at relevant places. The chalamela is indeed a gem. This dignified composition is the splendid testimony to the genius of Swati Tirunal.
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t v gopalakrishnan( vocalist cum mrudangist)
Will you play mrudangam for me?” asked the legendary Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar to the eight old boy. The boy replied, “Only if I can follow you.” “Any body can understand my music” the maestro replied. The child’s father took it casually but Chembai was serious. The lad accompanied the musician, who was much impressed. The boy-pursued music, could accompany his master for four decades. Many awards and accolades reached him, the latest being the Swati Puaraskaram. Meet, Tripunithura Viswanathan Gopalakrishanan popularly known as TVG the renowned vocalist cum mrudangam artiste.
“My father and fore fathers were court musicians. My uncle Narayanaswamy was an excellent percussionist. I was brought up in an atmosphere saturated with pure classical music. My parents would say that I started singing before I could talk. That could be an exaggeration. Coimbatore Raghava Iyer, Mahavaidyanatha Iyer, Chakkrathanam Subba Iyer and Palakkad Anantharama Bhagavathar were my teachers. The long association with Chembai molded into a perfect musician. I am his premier disciple,” said TVG.
“After graduation, I joined AG’s office. Nevertheless, I continued learning music. Besides, mrudangam I learnt violin, and veena. The connoisseurs of music soon accepted me and I resigned my job,” he said.
TVG is the first musician to perform both Hindustani and Carnatic music. He introduced Carnatic Jazz, harnessing western instruments. His duets with and jugalbandis with Ustad Allah Rakka, Pt. Ravisankar, Pierre Favre, George Harrisons of Beatles fame John Handy took the music world by storm.
You have been performing both the systems of music since 1969. Who initiated you into the Hindustani music and What is the secret of success?
Pandit Krishananth of Kirana Gharana taught me Hindustani music. He was a close associate of my father. They often share their knowledge in their respective systems of music. Thus, at a very early stage I could learn both the systems of music. Absolute discipline and concentration are required to perform both.
You have introduced many numbers of young artistes. How do you feel?
In a musician’s carrier, the role of the teacher is very critical. I have received enough encouragement and blessing from my tutors and I am passing the same to my pupils. My disciples include Ilayaraja, A R Rehman, Bupindre Singh, Sivamani, Kadari Gopalanath, Rajkumar Bharathi, Siegfried Kutterer,
Andre Fertier, Carole Grey, Herbert Lang, and the list is endless. The more I teach, the more I improve. In my debut jazz performance, I was accompanied by A R Rehman, Kadari, and Sivamani.
TVG is actively involved in the resurrection of old musical forms and in preserving archival music. He established Academy of Indian music and Arts, in 1986 to identify child prodigies. He designs veena, mrudangam and thampura with advanced technologies and inputs from other nations.
“I diligently follow the tenets of Nadayoga, and want to pursue music until my last breath,” he said. Perhaps this is what keeps him energetic, enterprising, and capable of enthralling the listeners, all over the world over six decades. (495 words)
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avaneeswaram s r vinu (violinist)
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Here is a rising star in violin. Last week he accompanied two well known artistes Aswati Tirunal RamaVarma and Vettikavala Sasikumar organized by Swati Tirunal Sangeeta Sabha and Navarasam Sangeeta Sabha respectively. The violinist received much appreciation from the audience for his eminence. Meet Avaneeswaram S R Vinu.
Hailing from a family of musicians he was initiated into music by his father Avaneeswaram S Ramachandran well known vocalist and the former Principal of R L V College of music. His grand father Krishan Pillai was a known nagaswaram artiste. And naturally his reverberated with musical notes. However Vinu was attracted towards Violin which his father practiced often and had the basic lessons under him. Later he trained with Kilimanoor Thyagarajan a tutor at the Swati Thirunal Music Academy, during summer vacations. Then he joined the Academy and took his ganabhooshanam and ganapraveena.
“Once I happened to hear an audio cassette of Mysore M Nagarajan. I was so fascinated by his style of rendition and decided to learn under him. Again I spent my summer vacations at Mysore and had advanced training under him. My guru and his brother Mysore Manjunath practiced violin in the evenings and I will be one among the few listeners” said Vinu.
He is one of the most demanding accompanying violinists. He has accompanied great musicians like Dr Balamurali Krishna TV Sankaranarayanan. N Ramani, Bombay sisters, Vijay Siva, Sanjay Subramanaian, Trissur Ramachandran, and chitra vina Ravi Kiran. He has performed solo concerts as well. “It gives plenty of freedom. While accompanying one has to under play. One must allow the main artiste to render more. The supporting artiste should only support. If the padantharam of the main and the accompanying artistes are same our job will be easy. It is not always like that. Hence we must widen our repertoire by learning new compositions and to listen to more concerts” feels Vinu.
Vinu has performed at the Chennai music season besides, the Swati Sangeetholsavam, at the Navarathri Mandapam, and concerts organized by major sabhas in Kerala, Chennai, and Bombay. Vinu is wedded to Aswathi a vocalist. He received Lalgudi Jayaraman Award, Gopala Iyer [father of Lalgudi] Award, for the best young artiste recently.
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gaurav mazumdar( sitarist)
Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Sankar once attended a violin concert at Allahabad. After the show, he invited the artiste to his gurukul school in Delhi. The artiste accepted the offer, reached Delhi and spent a few days in the gurukul. With in this short period his mind has undergone a transformation. He felt that he should learn Sitar and disclosed his ambition to the maestro. Ravi Sankar gave his own instrument and taught the boy Sitar from the very basics. The master’s judgment was absolutely right and within two years he proved his caliber. Today he is one of the leading sitarists. Meet Gaurav Mazumdar. He was in Thiruvananthapuram recently, for a performance organized by Thapovan Heritage Home at Vyloppilli Samskriti Bhavan. He was accompanied on the tabala by Debashesh Mukherjee.
In an interview the artiste talks about his traditional music family, his training in vocal, violin and then sitar, creation of new ragas, compositions, his performances abroad and his latest project with child prodigies.
‘I was born into a musical family in Allahabad. I was initiated into vocal music by my cousins- Kamala Bose and Jayasree Roy. When they got married, I could not pursue music. My father Dulal Mazumdar, Guru Pandit Nandkishore Vishwakarma and my uncle trained me in violin. Soon I started giving concerts. It was on one such occasion that I met Pandit Ravi Sankar” he said and continued:
“When I decided to learn Sitar there was a great protest. I have to learn sitar from the very basics. I had gained enough popularity as a vocalist cum violinist. It is too late for any artiste to begin the music lessons in the 20s with an ambition to become a professional. So apprehension prevailed. But somehow I wanted to pursue sitar. Hearing sitar I realized that, violin- of course a great instrument- is not meant for me. I spoke to Ravi Sankar with lot of apprehension and fear. He agreed to teach me. I had no sitar of my own. So he gave me one of his. I discontinued my college studies and started learning sitar.”
How difficult was it?
‘I knew that it is going to be difficult. Parents were concerned about my future. They firmly believed that I will end up in no where. But my passion was too strong. Within a couple of years I could imbibe its techniques and qualified to perform for AIR. I started giving small concerts and offers came naturally. My parents were relieved” explained Gaurav.
Shiv kalyani, Aishani, Madhu priya, Akansha, Shivangi and Saraswati malhar are a few ragas that Mazumdar has created. On the eve of the new millennium he performed at Vatican where he presented Akansha [hope and expectation] and dedicated it to world peace. He collaborated with and composed for the English Chamber Orchestra and performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall London. East Meets West was a joint presentation of Pandit Ravi Sankar and Lord Yehudi Menuhin the two great giants in music. Years later Gaurav performed the same with Daniel Hope - the pupil of Menuhin. Its recording was released by Warner Classics and was nominated for the Grammy Award in 2004. He had the honor of being chosen to compose music for a ballet based on Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha. He has written a lot of lyrics for khayal.
Currently Gaurav is working with the school children in England. Children who are good in instrumental music are selected. He has composed a special piece for an orchestra thus formed, and will be staged on 23rd of May, in London.
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dr. t k murthy (mrudangist)
The mother while cooking was surprised to find a gold medal in the mustard box. The father patiently waited for the arrival his seven year old son. After lunch he asked his son “When did you start learning mrudangam?” The child stared for a while and said, “I just played, and the Maharaja Chithira Tirunal gave me this medal.”
“Oh I see. Can you play for me now?” The child nodded. The father sang and the child played. The father was convinced and said, “You better learn mrudangam.” After the Scout rally cultural program was organized at the Model High School. I and Chellamani (father of play back singer Hariharan) were classmates, at the Fort High School. Our Head Master Shri Unni, knew our talents and asked to represent our school. I was afraid to inform my parents as I was learning vocal music under my father Thanu Bhagavathar. So I promptly dropped the medal in the mustard box-laughs Sangitakalanidhi Dr. T K Murthy the doyen in mrudangam. He was in the capital city for a couple of performances. In an interview he talks about his ancestors, his relationship with the Melody Queen M S Subbalekshmi, the great maestros he has accompanied, and the need to create awareness about the less known great musicians of the past.
Murthy belongs to a family of Mullamudu musicians. For generations they were court musicians of Travancore. “My father Thanu Bhagavathar, grand father Subramanya Bhagavathar, great grand father Thanu Bhagavathar and his father were court musicians. This is my 75th year of performance.” He said.
As a child it was his long desire to learn mrudangam under Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer. “I disclosed it to the Maharaja and he provided the financial support” remembers the maestro. “I continued there for 35 long years. The master treated me and Palakkad Mani Iyer as his children.
Thnjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer was an undisputed master of caliber and could produce equally talented disciples, namely Mani Iyer and Murthy. He presented Murthy a pair of diamond studs. It was Paakkad Mani Iyer who christened me T K Murthy.
At the age of 17 I accompanied my master (2nd mrudangam) for Musiri Subramania Iyer. The occasion was the wedding ceremony of the daughter of Shanmughan chetti the Dewan of Kochi. In 1934 I accompanied Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer at the Mysore Palace. Chaudiah the great was on the violin. We were all conferred with the Killathu maryadai. We were presented Rs.1000 besides a pair of silk mundu and a richly brocaded coat.
Since then there was no looking back. There are no senior musicians for whom I have not accompanied. I played for M S for 55 years. That was a different experience. She calls me suttu. We stayed at the residence of Jawaharlal Nehru, for 10 days, and the Rashtrapathi Bahavan for another 10 days when Rajaji was the Governor General. I am lucky. I could accompany M S all over the world. We performed at the UN Head Quarters. In those days she paid me 400/ performance. One day while chatting at her residence, she paid the amount for four concerts. She said “Suttu count and check.” I refused. When she insisted I gave the money back. There were 2000 rupees. Immediately she said “from now onwards we have enhanced your payment to Rs 500 per concert” That was her magnanimity.
“We also stayed at the Birla’s residence for 10 days. We were served food in silver plates which resembled plantain leaves. After lunch we were offered cold sweet drink. I consumed it. After some time I started yelling at Sadasivam the husband of M S. The drink contained Baang an intoxicating agent, and I never knew that” recollected T K Murthy.
Vikku Vinayakram’s father and I were friends. When Vikku was born I went to see the child. I prophesied that he would become a Ghatom master. The father asked “You are a mrudangist. How come you advice like that?” It could be a slip of the tongue. But today Vikku is the one of the greatest Ghatom artistes. He has accompanied M S for many years. “
Murthy has performed jugalbandi with Allarekka.
“Recently Zakkir Hussien invited Murthy for a concert on his father’s day. Murthy has plenty of disciples in India and abroad. Regarding the Swati Puraskaram he said “the Govt should select the musicians who have really propagated the compositions of Maharaja Swati Tirunal. There are many award winners who do not know who the Swati Tirunal was. It is my humble request to organize programs to revive the memories of the legendary musicians like Shadkala Govinda Marar, Anantharama Bhagavathar and Vaikkom Krishnan. The present generation must know about them, and the organizers should promote the musicians of Kearala.”
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sajeev namboothiri( vocalist)
Sajeev Nampoothiri- B. Tech., MBA, is a different personality altogether. He is not after MNC s. His aim is to establish himself in the field of classical music. His mellifluous voice and strong foundation in carnatic music enabled him to be identified by the connoisseurs.
Born to Gowri Antharjanam and Sreekumaran Nampoothiri of Chandramana Illam, Perumbavoor, Sajeev had his basic lessons in music from Lalitha, Irinjalakkuda Vijayalekshmi, and advanced lessons from Varkala C S Jayaram. Narayanan Nampoothiri his paternal uncle also trained in music.
“I owe much to my parents. My father takes me daily to the music class at 6 am. When I was 12, I participated in Poo mottukal a children’s program for Doordarsan. It was well received and later it was telecast by Bombay Doordarshan. That was my debut performance. In the formal arangettam Mahadeva Sarma the popular violin artiste accompanied me. The family once made an unscheduled trip to Puttaparthi in the next year. I sang Thodi raga and Sai Baba was much pleased. He blessed me” said Sajeev.
In 1992, Sajeev passed the audition test conducted by AIR, Calicut. He came first in the AIR National music competition in both classical and semi classical music. He won the gold medal at the National University Youth Festival held at Nagpur [1993] and Gulbarga [1995]. For three consecutive years he won the first prize at the M G University Youth Festival. He won the Chembai Award instituted by the Govt. of Kerala.
‘Semmangudi Sreenivasa Iyer, Mussiri Subramania Iyer, Alattur brothers, Palkkad KVN, M D Ramanathan Lalgudi Jayaraman, Mavellikkara Prabhakara Varma, Neyyattinkara Vasudevan and Dr K Omanakutti are a few of my favorite musicians. As an effort to popularize the lesser known compositions of Neelakanta Sivan, Papanasam Sivan, Gopalakrishan Bharathi, Thulasivanam and Lekshmana Pillai I make it a point to include a small piece during performance. I had the opportunity to perform at Thiruvayaru during Thyagaraja festival” he said.
Sajeev’s grand father and his brother-Sreedharan Nampoothiri and Govindan Nampoothiri- were popular kathakali artistes. Love for Kathakali is in his blood. Kalamandalam Haridas trained Sajeev in Kathakali pathangal.
Sajeev expressed his gratitude to R Krishana Swamy and Rajalekshmi for their proper advice and encouragement. ‘It was T S Babu who passed away last week, trained my father and his brother in music. I too am a student of Babu. What I am today is because of the blessings of these well wishers. At Chennai Sajeev has established Neelakanta Cultural Academy in Adayar. There he takes music lessons and conducts concerts. Sajeev has performed at many sabhas during the Chennai music season and also at Bangalore, Bombay and Kerala. He has produced three CDs so far.
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irayimmen thampi(composer)
How can one forget the immortal lullaby Omana thingal kidavo….? Nalla komala thamara poovo…? specially composed for the garbhasreeman Swati Tirunal by Irayimmen Thampi? Born to Parvathipilla Thankachi and Kerala Varma Thampan of Cherthala Naduvilae Kovilakam, in 958 M E Thampi was trained by his father. He never concealed his urge for writing and once he composed a verse and submitted to the Maharaja, Dharmaraja. He underwent advanced training in Sanskrit from Moothattu Sankaranilayathu. It is said that Thampi composed Keechakavadham and Uttaraswayamvaram before the demise of Dharmaraja. Thampi married Kalipila Thankachi, and the couple had seven children and among them Kuttikunju Thankachi followed his foot steps and she is the first lady to compose Attakatha. In 990 M E he became the court musician. He has composed many eulogies on Rani Gauri Pparvathi Bayi, Princess Rukmini Bayi, Swati Tirunal and Uthram Tirunal. Murajapam (1004 M E), investiture of Maharaja Swati Tirunal (1004 M E), and similar events connected with the royal family formed the subjects. He was the only Poet Laureate.
He has penned three attakathas, namely, Kkeechakavadham, Uttaraswayamvaram, and Dakshayagam; Subhadra haranam kaikottipattu, murajapappana, Vaasishtam kilipattu, Rasa kreeda, Rajasevakramam manipravalam, and slokams in Sanskrit and Malayalam. His works are rich in poetic beauty, and alliterations. In most of his works, there is a verse –mudra either in the beginning or towards the end. It is written in such a way that the first letter of the first line, second letter of the second line and similar constructions in the lines that follow would produce the word “Ravivarmanthampikavanam.” Thampi’s kummi “veera virada kumara vibho” for instance are equally popular. 29 Sanskrit Kirtanams, 27 maniparvalam, 5 varnam, are his other works. Some of his padams like prana nadhan enikku nalkiya …, oru naal nisi chaitha leelakal…., are highly erotic. He went to the other extreme and composed “Karunachaivan enthu thamasam Krishna…”He passed away in 1031 in the month of Karkitakom. This is his 150th death anniversary.
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lavanya( saxaphone artiste)
When music lovers saw a thin, fair, young lady with a saxophone, they were awe struck. Women and saxophone?How can it be?
With the commencement of the concert, they had to accept the fact that women are in no way behind in handling musical instruments as tough as this. Meet Lavanya the only women saxophone player in India. She was in the capital to perform saxophone concert at the Karikkakom temple.
Lavanya belongs to a family of musicians. Her grand father M R Rajappa was the court musicians of the Mysore Palace. Her father M R Sainath is a leading mrudangist and working as the staff artiste of AIR. He has accompanied many leading artistes especially Kadari Gopalanath-the saxophone maestro. “I was trained in vocal music and regularly attended concerts and had the oppurtunity to hear Kadari amny times. Gradually I was attracted towards saxophone and decided to learn. I was only fifteen then. It is a complicated and complex instrument. One need to spend great effort just to familiarise the fingering techniques.Initially my playing reminded of ancient houses where women blow the fire with a pipe. Then it was like somebody pulling a chair. Even I thought of quitting” LAUGHED Lavanya.
The artiste need lot of energy to play this. Initially you may develop severe throat pain and muscular pain in the jaws. May be this is the reason why women never try saxophone. “I play even tough compostions. Recital of heavy ragas is really challenging as you have to sustain the notes for long. I never restrict myself to lighter and easier pieces” added Lavanya and continued “The instrumenthas many limitations. Basically it is a western instrument, designed to play western music. Our music is full of grace notes and it is tough to bring that quality and still we do our best”.
“My guru Kadari was initially trained in Nagaswaram. When he was just eleven years he saw saxophone being played at Mysore. He somehow wanted to learn and there was no teacher available to teach classical music in saxophone. He learned it all by himself and could evolve a style of his own.He was trained in music by T V Gopalakrishnan” informed Lavanya.
“I have not tried Hindusthani music in saxophone. But I do play bhajans and abhangs. My sister M S subbalekshmi also accompanies me these days. Suddenly she developed food poison and hence couldnot make her presence here. We are popularly known as saxophone sisters” said Lavanya.
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mullamoodu tradition of music( )
Traditions in music are many. Here we have the famous Mullamudu tradition which is n 175 years old. Only, a handful of mullamudu musicians remain today. In an informal conversation Mullamudu musicians talk about their ancestors, their role in popularizing the compositions of Maharaja Swati Tirunal, and how they still maintain rich age old tradition.These musicians pay their musical offerings at the scheduled time on the days of ulsavam and Navarathri at the Padmanabha Temple and Navarathri Mandapam respectively.
The origin of mullamudu tradition goes like this:
Maharaja Swati Tirunal, once happened to listen Palakakad Parameswara Bhagavathar at the Temple. Enthralled, he made enquiries on the spot and appointed him as the court musician. He provided him a house at mullamudu near the palace. Parameswaran is the first musician to represent this great tradition. He later served the courts of Ayilyam Tirunal, Visakhom Tirunal and Sree Mualm Tirunal. Coimbatore Raghava Iyer, was his primary disciple. Aashramam Annaswami, Attingal Sankaranarayanan, Elathur Hariharan, Karamana Venkiteswaran, Kalkulam Subramanian, Parakkai Narayanan, Tanjavore Kathir Kama Dasan, Kadayam Kasi,and Neelakanta Iyer were the few others to name. They assembled at the rustling thickets intertwined with jasmine shrubs and rendered the Maharajas compositions and hence the name mullamudu bhagavathar.
“I have been part of this team since 50 years. My father Padmanabhan was one of the mullamudu musicians” said T .P .Mani Iyer former Principal of the Swati Tirunal Music Academy. We were given rice, vegetables, and coconut daily” remembered Mani.
“My father Venku Bhagavathar was one among the mullamudu musicians. I have been serving the temple for the past 46 years as the violinist” said V Meenakshi Sundaram. “During the festival we render Ulsava Prabhandam which the Maharaja has specially composed in Manipravalam in 1839. It gives a detailed account of the ten days festival celebrated twice annually. It has 12 songs and 42 verses in different meters. We render the corresponding songs of the day” he informed. He specially mentioned the song Shibikayil Ezhunnalledunnu set to the rare raga Mangalakausika.
“We render ulsava prabhandam at night and other Swati compositions in the evening on the festival days. At the Navarathri Mandapam we perform Thodaya Mangalam for half an hour before the main concert. We begin with Jayadeva ke kishora [Natta] and Mathanga Thanayayae [pantuvarali] followed by the compositions of Annamacharya and Purandaradasa. On the eve of Ariyittu vazhcha,[Attingal] there existed a custom to recite Aanadavalli kuru [Neelambari] at the nalukettu and Janani Pahi [suddha saveri] at the sanctum the next day” explained Parameswara Sarma son of late mullamudu Lekshmi Narayana Bahgavathar.
“Lekshmi Narayanan and I, well trained in Ulsavaprabhandam taught other musicians like Palakkad K V Narayana Swami, who later popularized this precious work of the Maharaja. In fact it was Amma Maharani who took the initiative to do so” reminisced T P Mani Iyer and added “on the day of Swargavathil Ekadesi we render Bhaktaparayana in Sankarabharanam at 8.30 pm.”
During ulsavam these musicians follow the vahanams, rendering ulsava prabhandam to the accompaniment of violin and mrudangam even today.
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AJOY CHAKRABORTHI --(HINDUSTHANI VOCALIST)
Pandit Ajoy Chakraborthi is one of the brightest gems that adorn the crown of Indian music. He is popular among the music lovers of Thiruvananthapuram.
My parents say I started singing before I could talk. My father Ajit Chakraborthi was a great connoisseur of music, and initiated me into this field-said Ajoy who is the first Indian classical singer to perform in Pakistan.
He was trained under great musicians like Kaniadas Bairagi, Pt. Jnan Prakash Ghosh and Munawar Ali Khan.
The first recipient of the National Award for the best musician instituted in the name of Kumar Gandarva. Ajoy has won the National Award for the best play back singer in 1990 besides many state awards.
He took his BA and MA with record marks from Rabindra Bharathi University. Since 1981 he has been performing in Europe and America. I was recognized as the honorary citizen of the New Orleans USA, and offered the key of the city, during one of my visits.
Ajoy has rendered songs for the two popular films namely Lagaan and Hey Ram. For him music is life. “According to me, adhering to a Gharana means confinement. In our country music is taught practiced and spread from the Guru to the pupils by singing together. After 10 or 12 years the pupil is sure to imitate his master though not deliberately. Once, he is convinced that a strong foundation had been laid he can learn from any musician and should develop his own style.”
“The world of music is as vast as this universe. The more you search the more you get and the more enriched you will be. Our country has the richest heritage. But the process of learning and training is weak. The guru forces the student to perform the way he likes or wants. To a certain extent it is essential. In the process the student’s inner creativity is snubbed. The masters should keep an open mind and they should respect the instinct of his pupils” he opined.
A special feature of Ajoy’s rendition is his free movement through all the three saptakas. “All vocalists should practice breathing exercise. Singing is nothing but painting in air in al hues and shades. You need absolute concentration and the knowledge of the correct swara. You have to be rhythm conscious and capable of bringing out the right emotions” he explained.
Apart from khayal, thumri, and tappa, Ajoy is proficient in Pallavi, drupad tillana and tarana. He like to be known as an Indian musician. He is the student of Dr. Balamuralikrishna.
What prompted him to establish Shrutinandan?
“My aim is to impart practical knowledge on the basis of all forms of Indian vocal music to the musically inclined younger generation.”
“It would help them to realize their potentials as worthy artistes thus perpetuating the musical tradition of India. We have nearly 800 students and it has no elite bias” he said.
Ajoy has to his credit 50 albums and considerable number of CDs most of them are Bengali Songs. Live in Pakistan, 5 volumes, Tagore’s compositions, songs of Kazi Nazrul Islam on 300 years of Calcutta, besides elaborate rendition of ragas.
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UMAYALPURAM SIVARAMAN - (MRUDANGIST)
Can a mrudangam sing?
Yes it can, if it is in the blessed hands of Umayalpuram Sivaraman.
Excerpts from the interview:
Born in 1935 Sivaraman had his debut performance at the age of 10. In an illustrious career spanning 55 years, he lent his mrudangam magic to great maestros like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar,Musiri Subramania Iyer, Palladam Sanjeeva Rao, Chowdiah, Rajamanickam Pilai, Dwaram Venkitaswami Naidu, GNB, Madurai Mani Iyer, Chembai, Semmangudi, and Balamuralikrishna.He has performed jugalbandi with Pt.Kishn Maharaj, Ustad Allah Rakka, Zakir Hussein. To Sivaraman goes the credit of introducing fiber glass mrudangam.
My father Dr. P. Kasiviswanatha Iyer was an accomplished musician. I used to play on whatever objects I touched upon, producing diverse talas.
My father noticed it and initiated into mrudangam. I mastered it under the guidance of Arupathi Natesa Iyer, Tanjore Viadyanatha Iyer, Palakkad Mani Iyer and Kumbhakonam Rangu Iyengar.
It is a pleasure listening to Umayalpuram Sivaraman as he explains his concept of music. One is instantly reminded of Umayalpuram Baani. AS far as classical music is concerned we have no gharanas. Our system is so comprehensive that we do not need one. It gives tremendous scope and freedom for creating ones own baani.
Artistes create with their dynamism, a new tapestry of innovation excellence beauty and aesthetic quality. In my case I had four and I was able to develop my own style which is deeply rooted in tradition yet novel in presentation. It has greatly influenced many artistes, and many drummers in the west.
You have made several innovations in the instrument. Has the music world accepted this?
DR. C V Raman had done yeoman service to the harmonics of true mrudangam. HE DID IT LONG BEFORE DECIDING TO SWITCH OVER TO OPTICS. I have studied the works of Raman and Prof. Ramakrishanan and began the work where they had left. Being a performing artiste of repute, and having traversed the realms of Indian music, I always consider Mrudangam an instrument par excellence. It is a king of percussion and queen of melody. The fundamental note, the overtones, the gamaka aspects and other inherent tones of aesthetic value are the greatest assets of mrudangam.
I have been giving lec-dems for long. I explain the nuances and the greatness of this instrument to the rasikas. When you go deeper, in search of nada, you find something unique, fantastic, unseen and unheard. All these resulted in my introduction of the fiber glass mrudangam.
My greatest contribution to mrudangam playing technique is the approximation to music. I am a strict follower of the gayaki style. If the technical virtuosity and the gayaki style are in a happy wedlock, then the artiste reaches a different plain far away from the mundane and becomes a nadajogi. I have been trying to achieve this goal all throughout my life. I am still trying.
This master has a number of disciples. The method of training is different.
To begin with I train my disciple to play for the taala. Then I train them to play for the music. Finally I train them to play fro a musician. The same musician will perform differently on different occasions.
Accompanying the musician or playing solo which one gives you more satisfaction?
Accompanying. The purpose of the mrudangist is to give full support to the main artiste, heighten the tempo of the concert, sustain the interest of the audience, giving life and energy to the recital and finally play a great taniavartanam.
You can take this cue from me. Do not take this as a hobby. Take it as an education. Kindly dedicate yourself to this divine to this divine thing called music. It would confer the best of gifts to you all.
The cultural climate is excellent.
A Law graduate Sivaraman has played mrudangam in the special feature the DRUMS OF INDIA in the USA. His Garland of Rhythm gave a new dimension to the concept of taniavartanam. He has been conferred the National Citizens Award by the Indian President.
A general tendency today is that they consider the tani avartanam part of a concert, as a time killer.
Some stretch their limbs and many simply sulk. But this is not the norm when Umayalpuram is on the mrudangam. The audience sit in rapt attention as they experience the Sivaraman Effect. They realize that if they fail to pay attention they run the risk of losing the chance of a life time. This is what differentiates this genius from the rest.
(FRIDAY REVIEW-2001)
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sudha reghunadhan-- (carnatic vocalist)
Sudha Regunadhan the popular vocalist has performed many times in Kerala. This interview was done in 2001, when she came to the capital city in connection with a concert organized by the Chembai Trust. :D
Excerpts from the interview:
Could you please explain briefly the initial training in music and how you happened to be the disciple of MLV?
I HAD THE basic lessons in music from my mother. Then I had the fortune to learn music from T V VAISWANATHAN and B V Lakshmanan. I secured the central government and became the disciple of MLV. It is indeed a blessing that I accompany her for many years. She advised me a lot and insisted that I should stick to music, though I had other aspirations.
Has the long association with MLV, influenced your style of rendition?
The most striking aspect of MLV and her guru GNB, is the elaborate rendition of the raga and the cascading flow of kalpanaswarams. IT IS HIGHLY METHODICAL and creative. It is natural that the disciples quickly fall into he line of their gurus. Besides raga alapana and kalpanaswarams I imbibed from her the sense of adventure, inclusion of gamakas, and higher pitch. MLV had cautioned me not to become the replica of the guru. Imitation has a short span of existence. She was very considerate. She gave me opportunities when I accompanied her.
Sudha ahs performed in Los Angeles, Canada, UK, and almost all European countries. “When we render ragas and swaras they listen with awe.” She said.
She had performed fusion concert of World Music. There were artistes from Hungary, Male, Switzerland, USA, Madagascar, besides myself representing India.
Initially I was worried. How can carnatic music merge with a variety of western music?
I decided to go ahead. We all had to sing bits of each others music like an exchange of music for music.
After a week long rehearsal the concert was held in Germany. The result was unbelievable. It once again proved that music has no barriers.
Sudha’s concert revealed the extent of hard work and perseverance that had gone into her art.
“In fact, I was so involved in classical music that I did not even think of play back singing. You can say, it just did not happen. Classical music requires more depth and the voice is processed for that” she said