JOIN USAppealing music
The Suswaralaya College of Music conducted its annual music festival with concerts and academic sessions, in association with Sri Rama Lalithakala Mandira. As a part of the occasion, the 7th edition of the “Directory of Karnataka Musicians” was also released on Saturday.
T V Ramprasadh, who gave the inaugural concert, is a familiar artiste to Bangalore music lovers. A student of R R Keshava Murthy, he continued his studies under P S Narayanaswamy and S Rajam and is now settled in Chennai, serving both as a vocalist and a teacher. He is also a recipient of few awards and titles, including the “Ganakalashree” from the Karnataka Ganakala Parishat.
In the current concert, a rich voice attended by powerful resonance helped Ramprasadh display his prowess in a varied repertory. “Seetha Nayaka” of Saint Tyagaraja in Reethigowla was quite appealing and it moved to a raga which is not very familiar to connoisseurs.
Rasikapriya, the last Melakartha raga is a melodious raga, mostly popularized by Kotiswara Ayyar. Ayyar’s “Arulseyya Vendum” was presented neatly by Ramprasadh. Shankarabharana, a major raga of Karnatic music received detailed airing, with very brief graha bheda also. The nerval (Saamagana Vinodini) and the swara prasthara was noted for ‘raga bhava’ and elevated the concert. After few devotionals (Jagadoddarana and a verse from Thirukural), he concluded with an interesting thillana in the raga Purvi. Nalina Mohan on the violin, did not have much difficulty in framing the alapana lines and there was enough expressional maturity in her presentation. R Shankaranarayanan was the mridanga accompanist who nursed his role competently. Senior percussionist B N Chandramouli on Khanjari accompanied with good understanding.
Nrithyollasa
There were three dance recitals in “Nruthyollasa-23” held under the auspices of the Ananya, last week.
Aparna Shastry, a disciple of Radha Sridhar, holds a masters degree in Bharathanatya. She has performed in many leading organisations and has toured China, Indonesia and Russia. After the kruthi “Aadenamma” (Pharz), she chose a sloka on Devi, from Soundarya Lahari. Though she performed with ease and confidence, a seasoned connoisseur felt that her abhinaya of ‘Navarasa’ is yet to be matured.
Aparna concluded her dance recital with a Ootukadu Venkata Subba Iyer composition, in which Krishna is described as a ‘Nanda Kumara’ and ‘Navaneetha Chora’.
Graceful dance
The second dancer Sirisha is a student of Rasika Academy of Kirans. She, a BE graduate, has performed in many festivals and teaches at the Nataraja Arts Academy. Sirisha opened her dance programme with Mallari in the raga Gambheeranaata.
It was followed by a dignified varna (Latangi) in which the devotee pleads for Shanmukha to come and bless. She performed gracefully and can improve her Nritha with some more training.
Her abhinaya came to fore in the Pada (Panthuvarali, Sarangapani).
Great lineage
Smt Nrithya Pillai is a scion of Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai and S K Rajaratnam Pillai. Presently, she is the director of Rajarathnalaya Bharatha Kalai Koodam and has performed widely and has received the award from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha. Naturally, dance is in the very blood of young Nrithya.
Nrithya Pillai directly opened her programme with the celebrated varna “Swamiye”. It had the typical Vazhuvoor School touch, though not with the inner feeling as much required. She depicted the mood behind the Tamil pada pleasantly.