K L Kaushik, Music Club IIT Madras

K L Kaushik - R Raghul - B Srivatsan

YOUTHFEST.
MUSIC CLUB IITM. DoMS Hall
8th Jan 07. 6:45 pm

Thyagaraja Kritis Concert. Bahula Panchami Day

brOcEvArevarE - sriranjani - Adi (S)
kanakanarUcirA - varALi - Adi (R)
kadalEvADu - nArAyaNagauLa - Adi
aDugArAdani - manOranjani - Adi
giripai nelakOna - sahAnA - Adi (R)
amma rAvamma - kalyANi - kaNDa cApu (NS)
rAnidhi - maNirangu - Adi
rAma bANa - sAvEri - Adi (RNS)
tani
adikAdu bhajana - yadukula kAmbhOji - Adi
Emani vEgintulE - husEni - Adi
tavadAsOham - punnAgavarALi - Adi
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTRam - Adi

The concert started with a brisk rendition of the sriranjani kriti with embellished by a string of short-Avartana swarams. The varALi AlApanai was marked by weighty classicism which is Kaushik forte. The pancaratnam, despite some memory hiccups, was rendered well. It was refreshing to hear the nArAyaNagauLa kriti which has become rarer than Dikshitar's "Sri rAmam". Equally contrasting and appealing was the manOranjani kriti.

The sahAnA AlApanai was sensitive and soothing. The kriti was rendered without any further embellishments and that suited the mood of the concert. Probably aware of the overdose of Kalyani in concerts, particularly the recent 'season' he embarked on the kriti directly. The choice also seemed to satisfy the 'minority quota' for tALas. A spell of niraval and svaras were included. He then chose what could be an appropriate reply for a marketing call from a multi-national bank! "rAnidhirAdu............pOnidhi pOdu" ! It was a neat rendition.

The sAvEri AlApanai was not in the same class as the two earlier ones. However, there was a welcome choice of kriti which received elaborate treatment with neraval and svarams at 'sauryamEmani pOgaDuturA'. This was followed by a sprightly tani by school-boy mridangist Srivatsan.

The post tani session also kept up the classical mood with the inclusion of songs in rAgAs such as huseni and punnAga varALi

In summary, Kaushik is a talented lad with plenty of promise but the flautist in him is distinctly more effective than the vocalist

Raghul on the violin was adequate while Srivatsan lent lively support to the proceedings.