Played mrudangam today for the vocal concert of Aditya Venkatesh at Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium, Luz Church Road, Alwarpet. The concert was organized by Brahma Gana Sabha.
Artists:
Vocal: Aditya Venkatesh
Violin: K.P. Haricharan
Mrudangam: R. Ramkumar
List of songs:
1) Era nApai (varnam) – tODi – Adi – paTTaNam subramaNya iyer (O)
2) tuLasi daLa – mAyAmALavagowLa – rUpakam – thyAgarAja (ONS)
3) AnandAmritAkarshiNi – amritavarshiNi – Adi – muthuswAmi dIkSitar (S)
4) singAravElavan vandAn – Anandabhairavi – Adi – pApanAsam sivan (O)
5) bhOgIndra shAyinam – kuntalavarALi – kanDa cApu – svAti tiruNAL
6) bhajana sEya rAdA – dharmavati – rUpakam – mysore vAsudEvAcAr (ANST)
7) mahAdEva shiva shambhO – rEvati – Adi – tanjAvUr shankara iyer
(Key: O=raga outline, A=raga alapana, N=neraval, S=kalpana swaram, T=taniavartanam)
Ramkumar R 
Season opener eh? Conrats. Hope it went well and all the best. I will make sure I catch you in action when I land up in Chennai
Hey Vijay! Waiting for you to land up in Chennai to have the next get together 😉
Same here da – counting days now! Will be there on 20th – unfortunately delayed by a week..
not ready for stage performance!
Truly a great effort for the entire music loving community. All the best for all your future endeavors.
Join competitions where standards are high and judgment unbiassed and is done by able and upright Vidwans (who will not oblige to declare desired candidates as winners by sponsors). Music Academy, Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts Society, Krishna Gana Sabha are some of the institutions which are believed to be tough with their selection of candidates even for joining a competition. They usually consider grade aspiring contestants in terms of rheir ability (singing only songs, or songs plus alaapanas, or songs with alapanas and kalpana, rather than kalpita or learnt, svaras, Raagam-Taanam-Pallavi). In giving marks to rank the competitors after they have sung for competition, some of the more important factors are different weightage to attributes of a musician, like sweetness (melodic quality) of voice with Gaambheerya or boldness with clarity, Bhaava of Raaga and lyrics, lyrical purity and care never to break words at wrong places, Manodhaarma (as required for Aalaapanaa, Kalpana swaras), flashes of creativity in Raaga and Laya, breaking discretely the barriers of what you have learnt from listening to others. Once you get valued prizes, you are probably ready for race to join in the performanc ecircuit for juniors. In Music Academy, there are one hour, 1-1/2 hour cutcheries, to “go through” until you are passed as eligible for the next 2 hour slots (of free cutcheries at M.A. which are, for your information, well attended). Today’s crop of Vidwans and Vidushis have gone through all this arduous process. Once you have been selected to give a public concert at a more renowned Sabha in Chennai, you are now “exposed” to be invited or at least responded to your own suggestion to give a concert at the other Sabhas. The speed at which you climb on the ladder of success in Carnatic music depends on your own mastery of the art, ever adding to your treasure of music, your respectful and humble culture exhibited visavis the Sabha functionaries,and eschewing of any feeling of complacency or worse, arrogance especially if you want the vistas of your success horizon to open up fast. Lastly, Carnatic music has been able to attract huge audiences with sections of quite knowledgeable and critical, too, especially in Chennai and a number of other cities in South India. There are also hundreds of eager listeners coming to attend Cutcheries in the US, UK, and European countries. Do not underestimate the value of listening to other Vidwans and Vidushis, and more importantly, to the old giants whose names you must have learnt by now (Remember all of the old masters grew in the very atmosphere around, that permeated with the scintillating Nagasvaram music of the Immortals.) These greats reared a crop of disciplies some of whom are alive, to transmit the secrets of great music to willing and able learners. Raagam anantam, that is, melodic music knows no limits. You can explore on the infinite ocean of Carnatic music, as it were, provided you develop perseverance and the necessary will. And whether you have the dream to get into big circuit or not, Sangeetham is always the easiest and cost-free method of communing with the Divine, where you feel totally liberated from the mundanities of existence. That is the spirit with which Carnatic music’s creators like the Trinity (Purandaradasa Swamigal, Mutthuswami Deekshitar, Tyagaraja Swamigal, Shyama Shastrigal, Annamacharya, and so on).
Could anyone tell me when the competitions organised by
Music academy, Narada gana Sabha, Mulapore fine arts etc are held?
What is the procedure for participating in competitions conducted by Music academy,Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts,Krishna Gana Sabha etc ? Pls also let me know the timing of such compeptitions.
Jayaram,
I don’t know if these competitions have been announced yet. Will keep you informed if I come to know about them.
Regards,
Ram