Seetha Rajan, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur

Seetha Rajan - Embar S Kannan - Patri Satish Kumar - B S Purushottaman

Thyagaraja Aradhanai Festival
Amarabharathi, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur
17 Feb 09. 6:30 pm

ADamODi galadE - chArukEsi - Adi (short sketch)
nannu brOva - AbhOgi - Adi (short sketch)
sudhA mAdhurya bhAshaNa - sindhu rAmakriyA - Adi
ElA teliyalErO - darbAr - misra cApu (R)
nE pogaDakuNTE - varALi - kaNDa cApu (RNS)
paluku kaNDa cakkeranu - navarasa kannaDa - Adi (short sketch)
aDigi sukhamu - madhyamAvati - misra cApu (RS)
enthukO nI manasu - kalyANi - Adi (RNS)
tani
tsallarE rAmachandruni - Ahiri - misra cApu
nApAli srI rAmA - navarOj - Adi
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi

It was a wonderful concert. With such an unconventional start, and with so many many not-so-often heard kritis, with 4 heavy rAgams elaborated with full justice, with classical music at its pristine pure form, with absolutely matching accompanists, it was a concert to not forget for a long time to come. Each kriti was rendered with absolute bhavam and with all those beautiful sangatis. Each rAga AlApanai was just to the right proportion and filled with the right phrases at the right places. The neraval and svarams were all the way they should have been. The accompanists played as they should have. Giving the perfect accompaniment and replies in their solo versions.

Great Concert.

Chingleput Ranganathan, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur

Chingleput Ranganathan - M A Sundareswaran - R Ramesh

Thyagaraja Aradhanai Festival
Amarabharathi, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur
16 Feb 09. 6:30 pm

ninnukOri - mOhanam - Adi - RSI (S)
jagadAnandakArakA - nATTai - Adi - T
brOcEvArevarE - srI ranjani - Adi - T (S)
sAmajavaragamanA - hindOLam - Adi - T (RS)
amba paradEvatE - rudrapriyA - kaNDa cApu - Krishnaswamy Ayya (RS)
bhAvayE paramagurum - hamsAnandi - Adi - Meesu Krishna Iyer
tsakkani rAja mArgamu - kharaharapriyA - Adi - T (RS)
tani
paniyin tuLi - harikAmbhOji - kaNDa dhruva
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi - T

It was a totally fulfilling concert. All the kritis were rendered with a lot of weight. All the classical sangatis were rendered effortlessly. The manOdarmam was exceptional. The AlApanais were totally inspiring. The svarams, both kaNakku and sarvalaghu styles, were rendered amazingly. The concert on the whole was peep in to what classical music was in those days. The accompanists couldnt get better. Their accompanying and solo versions were all awesome and in perfect match with the main artist.

Rama Ravi, Ramana Kendram

Rama Ravi, Nandita Ravi - Usha Rajagopalan - Thanjavur Kumar

Sri Ananthaswamy Birthday Remembrance day. Programme on the 'Bani of Jayamma, Bala, Brinda, Mukta, Viswa'. Ramana Kendram
14 Feb 09. 6:15 pm

ekkAlatilum maravEnE - nATTaikuranji - tisra Ekam - Ramaswamy Sivan
srI venkaTEsa - phalamanjari - Adi - T
paripUrNa kAmA - pUrikalyANi - rUpakam - T (RS)
tani
rAma rAma prANa sakhi - bhairavi - Adi
paripOvalarA - bilahari - rUpakam
valapu dAsa - varALi - misra cApu
ErAtagu naDarA - kEdAragauLa - Adi - DS
bAla vinavE - kAmbhOji - tisra tripuTa
meragAdulEcci rA rA - aTANA - Adi
payyada - nAdanAmakriyA - tisra tripuTa
smara sundarAnguni - paraju - Adi - DS

It was a grand treat of padams and javalis that one got to hear at this programme. The evening began with Sri A Boothalingam giving some introduction about Ramana Kendram and his father. A couple of others spoke.

The concert started a little late. However, it was announced that the duration of the concert will not be reduced. It was a grand treat of padams and javalis in exquisite style rendered over an hour and quarter. Each piece being a gem of the school and rendered with all the traditional gait giving it all a special glory, it was a programme one was glad to have attended in person.

I would run out of words to describe each piece. I only wished for more after this programme. The artists were in great form and the accompanists matched perfectly.

C Sukanya, Music Club IIT Madras

C Sukanya - Mullaivasal G Chandramouli - J Vaidhyanathan

Music Club IIT Madras
13 Feb 09. 6:45 pm

viribhONi ninnEkOri - bhairavi - aTa - PA
siddhi vinAyakam - cAmaram - rUpakam - MD (S)
OrajUpu chUsEdi - kannaDa gauLa - Adi - T
AnandAmrutakarshiNi - amrutavarshiNi - Adi - MD (RS)
rENukA dEvi - kannaDa bangALa - kaNDa cApu - MD
bhajana sEya rAdhA - dharmavati - rUpakam - MV (RS)
saravaNabhavA samayamitirA - pasupathipriyA - Adi - HMB
visAlAkshIm - kAsirAmakriyA - misracApu - MD (RNST)
vasudEva sutam dEvam - slOkam in danyAsi, kAnaDA, hindOLam, kApi
rAdha mukha kamala - kApi - Adi - PS
gangAdIsvaram - sindhubhairavi - Adi
tillAnA - rEvati - misra cApu
marukkulAviya - pUrvikalyANi - tisra jhampai (tisra naDai) - Thiruppugazh
shAnti nilava vENDum - tilang - Adi
nI nAma rUpamulaku - saurAshTram - Adi - T

A very interesting choice of ragams and kritis. To listen to kAsirAmakriyA (kAmavardini) as main was indeed quite a different experience. All kritis were good. The manOdarmam parts were all good as well. The accompanists were exceptionally good.

Kalyani Ganesan, Music Club IIT Madras

Kalyani Ganesan - Veenai
Karaikkudi Ganesan - Mrudangam
Adambakkam Shankar - Ghatam

Music Club IIT Madras
11 Feb 09. 6:45 pm




Photos courtesy: Akarsh Simha & Prasanna Ramaswamy

karuNimpa idi - sahAnA - Adi (R)
srI mahA gaNapati - gauLa - misra cApu - MD (S)
vENugAna - kEdAragauLa - rUpakam - T (RS)
aparAdamula - latAngi - Adi - PSI (RS)
parama krupa - yadukula kAmbhOji - rUpakam - GNB
eduTa nilicitE - shankarAbaraNam - Adi - T (RtS)
tani
ranjani mrudu pankaja - rAga mAlikA - Adi - TSI
tillAnA - senjuruTTi - Adi - Veena Seshanna
karpagamE - madhyamAvati - Adi - PS

It was a very enjoyable concert. All the kritis were rendered with pristine classicism and deep involvement. The AlApanais were all done with great precision and in the most traditional way. The svarams were all measured and strictly adhered with the kritis that were presented. The Mridangist played well and with great anticipation. The Ghatam artist was good in parts.

A truly enjoyable concert from a traditional artist.

Suguna Purushottaman, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur

Suguna Purushottaman - Usha Rajagopalan - Mannarkoil J Balaji

Thyagaraja Aradhanai Festival
Amarabharathi, Asthika Samajam Thiruvanmiyur
9 Feb 09. 6:30 pm

sItApatE nA manasuna - khamAs - Adi
sObhillu saptasvara - jaganmOhini - rUpakam
jAnakI ramaNa - suddha sImantini - Adi (R)
nIvADAnE gAna - sArangA - kaNDa cApu
nagumOmu ganalEni - karnATaka dEvagAndhAri - Adi (RS)
manasu svAdInamaina - shankarAbaraNam - misra cApu (RNST)
tavadAsOham - punnAgavarALi
nI nAma rUpamulaku

I was late and reached only during the karnATaka dEvagAndhAri AlApanai. Whatever i heard was extremely wonderful and it was all sung in a very moving fashion with a lot of bhavam. The accompanists played well. It was a wonderful concert.