Music and dance reviews

The Panchamrutha Sugama Sangeetha Academy is conducting music classes in both Sugama Sangeetha and folklore from last two decades under the direction of Gayathri Keshavamurthy.

Apart from monthly programmes (Kavi Dani) it also conducts music festival, every year. The Academy celebrated "Janapada Sampada" with Kannada folk songs. Senior musician Vinutha Budihal was felicitated on the occasion.

Students of the Academy opened the programme with an invocatory song on Ganesha, customarily. 15 young students - all below 12 years - sang boldly with confidence. Thus the song "Ganapathi" gave them a bright start. It was followed by another folk song "Hoguvenu Nagamallige".

Nanjundeswara and Male Mahadeshwara are the subjects of a number of folk songs. So also the next composition "Thinga Thingallige Chanda Nanjanagudu" and "Baagi Baagi Bangara Thugi" - were sung by "Dasha Mahileyaru" - 6 to 60 years old, in unison. Three students of Anitha Cultural Trust narrated "Nimbia Banada Myaga" pleasingly. The "Naada Myalina Naagara Panchami" by the duo Gayathri Keshavamurthy and Sandhyasri was also evocative. Popular artistes Shashidhar Kote (Chellidaru Malligeya) and Vinutha Budihal (Kel Kel Utharahalli Maravva) stole the show by their rich voice and matured presentation.

Especially the Kathana Prasanga attracted with its crisp conversation. Diwakar Kashyap selected a song on Mahadeswaraswamy (Maleya Madayya Swamy Bandavne) and sang neatly.

These young students with some more higher training and stage experience can reach great heights.

A band of experienced instrumentalists - Shivanand Jois on a keyboard, Shashidhar on rhythm pad, Gireesh Kalyadi on tabla habala and S. Ravi (special effects) - shared the honours with the vocalists.

Twinkling stars of the art world

The Smart School of the Sri Vidya Kendra presented a special programme last week. The programme "India and Beyond" was the right theme for the students. Young - rather very young students right from the pre-primary school presented dance and dance dramas like Harvest season, invoking Ganesha's Blessings, Dandia Bihu dance, Garbha dance, Kindarajogi, English tunes, Spanish rhythms etc. with colourful dress and costumes, shining jewels and little steps with twinkling bells danced to the background of melodious and inspiring music. Kudos to the Smart School for nurturing and encouraging these tiny tots.

Mysore V Subramanya- MYSORE V. SUBRAMANYA