Anandam Isai Vizha - 15/2/13

Anandam is a free home for senior citizens, located at Kallikuppam in Ambattur.
They celebrated their tenth anniversary and had many concerts on this occasion.

Mysore Srikanth and B.Sivaraman performed with me at this concert.









 



The entire complex is a very nice one, with a library, common lounge, physiotherapy room and many such facilities.
   
Anandam provides free accommodation for these seniors with comforts like cots, mattresses, fans, solar water heaters, refrigerators, color television and much more. Regular medical check-ups are done and the elderly people are taken care of in a wonderful manner.


It was an extremely enjoyable experience to sing for the senior citizens, who had assembled in large numbers in the prayer hall. The love and affection shown by each and every inmate of the home was very touching.

Some of the inmates who couldn't even walk up to the prayer hall, were seated in the lounge and library and witnessed the concert through the huge LCD screens installed there.

We were all treated with immense warmth by the senior citizens. A very memorable experience.... And an evening filled with affection from every direction....What more does one need?

  

Myriad Forms Of Lord Siva (Episode 1) - 10/2/2013

"Myriad Forms of Lord Siva" is a thematic presentation and on 10th Feb was the first concert of this series. There will be 11 more presentations on the same topic, one every month.

This thematic production is supported by the Ministry Of Culture, Govt.Of India.

The concert presentation deals with the Forms of Lord Siva based on the compositions of Muttusvami Dikshitar and other well-known composers.

Venue : Ragasudha Hall, Luz.

Co-artistes:
V.Sanjeev - Violin
Poongulam Subramaniam - Mridangam
P.V.Ramana - Flute






Sangeetha Siromani, Vidwan Prof.S.R.Janakiraman inaugurated this series. Renowned Bharatanatyam Exponent and Expert Member, Ministry Of Culture, Smt. Nandini Ramani felicitated.

The thematic concert also included a multimedia presentation.

After giving an introduction to the theme and a brief outline about my approach for the next 11 episodes,  the following Kritis were rendered along with explanation on the temple iconography, Purana references, references in Sastras etc.

1. hastivadanAya - navroj- misra cApu
2. tEvaram- keeravANi(virutham)-tirunaavukkarasar (kAlasamhAra mUrthy)
3. sankaramabhirAmi manOharam-kamalAmanOhari - tisra Ekam (kAlasamhAra mUrthy)
4. kaala bhairavam - bhairavam - Adi (kAlabhairavar)
5. srI vatukanAtha - dEvakriyA - misra cApu (vatukabhairavar)
6. swarNa kAla bhairavam- kalyANi - sankeerNa triputa  (swarna vEnkatEsa dIkshitar's composition on swarna Akarshana bhairavar)

This program was very well received by Rasikas and the response was heartening.

Oscar Nomination for Bombay Jayashri

85th Annual Academy Awards : Carnatic Vocalist and playback singer Bombay Jayashri has been nominated in the "Best Original Song Category" for the lyrics of the lullaby that she has penned in the movie "Life of Pi". The song is in Tamizh and has been beautifully sung by Jayashri.

We are indeed proud that one of our colleagues has been nominated for such a prestigious award.

Lets keep our fingers crossed and wait for the results to be announced on February 25th, 2013 !

Nadhasudha, Velachery - 3/1/2013

Venue: Poojyasree Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Ashram,Velachery

Co-artistes:
M.R.Gopinath - Violin
Poongulam Subramanian - Mridangam
N.Guruprasad - Ghatam











Song List: (R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. dEva dEva - mAyAmAlavagowLa - rUpakam - mahArAja swAti tirunAL (S)
2. needAn mechikolla - sriranjani - Adi - UthukAdu vEnkatasubbier
3. hiranmayeem lakshmIm - lalitA - rUpakam - muttuswAmi dIkshitar (R,N,S)
4. kalyANarAma - hamsanAdham - Adi - UthukAdu vEnkatasubbier (R,S)
5. saravanabhava - pasupatipriyA - Adi - harikEsanallur muthiah bhAgavatar
6. innamum sandEha - keeravANi - misra cApu - gOpAlakrishna bhArati (R,N,S,T)
7. srI mAdhava - bEhAg -  Adi - pApanAsam sivan
8. needhAn thuNai - rAgamAlikA - misra cApu - N.S.Chidambaram
9. kanaka saila - punnAgavarALi - Adi - syAmA sAstri
10. mangaLam   

N.K.T Music Festival - 2/1/2013

Venue: N.K.T Hall, Triplicane

Co-Artistes:
B.Ananthakrishnan - Violin
B.Ganapathiraman - Mridangam









Song List : (R-Raga Alapana,N-Neraval,S-Kalpanaswaram,T-Tani Avarthanam)

1. varNam - sAvEri - Adi (S)
2. swAgatam krishnA - mOhanam - Adi(tisra) - oothukAdu vEnkatakavi
3. marivErE - Anandabhairavi - misra cApu - syAmA sAstri (R,S)
4. nambikettavar - hindOLam - Adi - pApanAsam sivan
5. Anandanatam AduvAr - pUrvikalyANi - rUpakam - neelakanta sivan (R,S)
6. EdayyA gati - chalanAta - Adi - kOteeswara iyer
7. pakkala nilabadi - kharaharapriyA - misra cApu - tyAgarAjA (R,N,S,T)
8. virutham, pArthasArati - sumanEsaranjani -Adi  - Dr.Rukmini Ramani
9. irakkam varAmal - bEhAg - rUpakam - gOpAlakrishna bhArati
10. mangaLam

Music Academy - 30/12/12

I sang this concert in place of my good friend Smt.Nithyashree Mahadevan, who couldn't perform due to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances.

Co-Artistes for this concert:

B.V.Raghavendra Rao - Violin
Neyveli Skandasubramanian - Mridangam
A.S.Krishnan - Morsing

Song List:

1. Varnam- nAtakurinji - Adi - Rangaswami Nattuvanar
2. sri vallI dEvasEnapatE - natabhairavi - Adi - pApanAsam sivan
3. bhuvanEshwariyA - mOhanakalyANi - Adi - harikEsanallUr muthiah bhAgavatar (R,S)
4. ambA neelAyatAkshI - neelAmbari - Adi - muttuswAmi dIkshitar
5. rAma kathA sudhA- madhyamAvati - Adi - tyAgarAjar (R,N,S,T)
6. chalamElarA - mArgahindOLam - Adi - tyAgarAjar
7. RTP - simhEndramadhyamam - Adi (Kanta nadai), misra Jhampa(catusra nadai) and kanta cApu
8. akhiyAn hari darsan - bEhAg - Eka - sUrdAs
9. nAgEndra hArAya - rAgamAlikA - kanta cApu

Abhishek Raghuram at Narada Gana Sabha - 31.12.2012

[Even though I am writing about yesterday's concert, since this post comes past midnight, I would first like to wish one and all a very Happy 2013 :-)]

What a wonderful way to end the year 2012 !!

Abhishek gave a wonderful concert at Narada Gana Sabha on the 31st of December 2012 (last evening) and the Sindhubhairavi that I heard from him just 3 hours ago is still ringing in my ears.

His co-artistes for the evening were Mysore Srikanth on the violin and Anantha.R.Krishnan on the Mridangam.

He began with a sedate rendering of Alarulu Guriyaga (Shankarabharanam), a composition of Annamacharya and straightaway embarked into a beautiful Alapana of Bhairavi. Wonderful phrases, kaarvais and a nice tempo for the Kriti Janani Mamava of Maharaja Swati Tirunal. Then came the wonderful neraval for this Kriti and I immensely liked Srikanth's playing of the neraval.  The thing I like most about Anantha.R.Krishnan's playing is that he gives a lot of variety in his playing.

The understanding on stage between Abhishek and Anantha.R.Krishnan is always a treat to watch :-)
 
After the Tani, Abhishek sang a beautiful, crisp Alapana of Naganandini. How easily and effortlessly he glides over the swaras in each Ragam that he takes up !

Another thing that I like about Abhishek's music is that it has a lot of freshness in it and ideas keep gushing out from his heart. He has a very different approach and this is an aspect that I personally like a lot. A gifted and extremely creative artist indeed...

 After Sattaleni in Naganandini came the leisurely exposition of Sindubhairavi. Enjoyed every bit of it, be it the alapana, tanam or pallavi.  Difficult for me to write more, I would rather just sit in silence and enjoy the concert experience that is still fresh in my mind.

Thanks to Abhishek for the wonderful concert. May God Almighty bless him with many more wonderful years of music, good health and cheer.