Accompaniment over time

On YouTube is a K.V. Narayanaswamy (KVN) concert, listing co-artistes M. Chandrasekaran, Umayalpuram Sivaraman and G. Harishankar. Presenting ‘vAtApi gaNapatim’ after a shloka, KVN sings a classic sangati at the 2 minute 52 second mark when, suddenly, mid-line, the kanjira comes in – for all of 9-10 aksharam-s – clear,…

Innovations in Musical Instruments

With globalisation, Indian artforms are more widespread. Larger auditoriums, extensive travel and many more concerts have inspired rethinks on the construction of many traditional instruments. Restrictive luggage constraints made portability key. Long tours without access to repair technicians necessitated durability. Such practical needs coupled with a desire for a unique…

Convergence in a Carnatic concert

A recent Carnatic concert presented in the south-eastern city of Atlanta in the United States reflected a beautiful amalgam of cultures, faiths, diasporas and demographics.   The event was organized by Emory University’s Office of Spiritual and Religious Life, and Telugu Studies at Emory. The venue, Cannon Chapel, within Emory’s…

K Arun Prakash

He is perhaps the most polarising mridangists of current times and K Arun Prakash is well aware of it. “What I am doing is unprecedented and anything unprecedented takes time to get accepted,” he says, in the unflustered manner typical of him. One realises very soon that he is a…