City youth making a mark in classical music

This ambitious young boy is all set to conquer new heights in Karnatak music without compromising on his studies, writes Gayathri V Raj

Eyes sparkling with a lot of ambition of achieving great heights both in Karnatak music and dreaming of becoming an engineer, this young lad of Mysore is all set to make his mark.

Meet Ashwin K Prabhu, studying I PU in Sadvidya Composite PU College creating a record of sorts by participating in a lot of activities be it music, academics or craft.

While most of the youngsters who are diligent in scaling great heights have a thread of music in their heredity, Ashwin has no such godfathers to support him and has proved his mettle in Karnatak music by his sole interest.

Taking to music at a very young age, he had first participated at a function held at the playhome and then there was no turning back for this young lad.

Ably supported by his parents Mohandas Prabhu and Jyothi M Prabhu he began learning Karnatak vocal under the guidance of Vid Dr C A Sridhar, devotional music under Vid K Guruprasad, Sugama Sangeetha under late Raju Ananthaswamy and Gamaka vocal under Vidushi Shubha Raghavendra.
The excellent leadership skills of this young boy made him adorn several posts at the school and college levels.

Like every youngster who wishes to participate in the television channels, Ashwin had also participated and reached top levels in the music reality shows - Ede thumbi haaduvenu, ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’  and ‘ Little Star singers’.

Explaining it as a memorable journey, Ashwin told City Herald he came to learn a lot by participating in the reality shows and met a lot of other young talents, who dreams of achieving high. There is a stiff competition and pressure to perform well in the programmes he says and said he had followed the advise given by singers S P Balasubramanyam and Rajesh Krishnan. The shows like these builds up the confidence level and helps in honing the skills.

He has also participated in the musical shows ‘Madhura madhura ee manjula Gaana’.
Ashwin has a lot of certificates to his credit that explains the musical journey he has travelled at the young age of 16.

He has been trained in Kannada Bhavageethe under the tutelage of late Raju Ananthswamy for three years and has accompanied him at several Bhavageethe concerts.

Currently Ashwin is being trained in Bhavageethe by Sunitha Ananthswamy, daughter of late Mysooru Ananthswamy, online from Detroit.

He has rendered songs  in ‘Bendre Geethe Yathre’ held at Mysore Kalamandira under the guidance of noted playback / sugama sangeetha exponent, . Sangeetha Katti Kulkarni.