R. Lakshminarayanan, R. Vaidhyanathan, Latha Venkataraman and Kalyani Viswanathan have been on the most prominent of Carnatic concert stages for 15-50 years. Yet, most readers would not know who they are. They are tambura players – unknown, unnoticed and mostly uncredited. Vocalist Nisha Rajagopalan cannot imagine performing on stage without…
Around 1983, vocalist Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan took her friend, composer Ambujam Krishna, to visit vocalist Charumathi Ramachandran. There, they heard Charumathi’s husband, vocalist Trichur V. Ramachandran, sing the Narayaneeyam that he had set to tune. Ambujam found it coincidental as she was leaving for Guruvayur soon after. On her return, Ambujam…
If one has to be recognised in Carnatic music, one just HAS to relocate to Chennai, it is said. There can be no substitute for listening to live concerts is also oft-heard. This respected violinist, however, has put paid to both the above statements. Charulatha Ramanujam is appreciated not only…
A consummate performer rarely makes a good teacher, each requiring different skill sets. Imparting knowledge to those far less conversant requires assessing and customizing instruction for each student, simultaneously motivating and pushing and, above all, zero insecurity to demystify what seems opaque and frequently shrouded. Lalgudi Jayaraman, whose 90th birth…
In this episode of Quarantunes, we hear from young mridangist and percussionist Sri. Sumesh Narayanan. He is known for his vibrant accompaniment in Carnatic concerts where he plays for leading artistes. This podcast is part of the Quarantunes series, featuring Indian Classical Musicians, recorded during the worldwide shutdown resulting…
This year’s Sangita Kalanidhi designate, Dr. S. Sowmya, is a musician’s musician – at 50, the second youngest female recipient evokes the epithets ‘scholarly’, ‘erudite’, ‘cerebral’ etc. among fellow artistes, old or young. Given her long list of award winning academic and musical accomplishments, it is no wonder that many…
Bubbly, enthusiastic, cheerful – these describe multi-faceted Sumesh Seshadri Nath Narayanan to a T. As a vibrant mridangist, he has accompanied Bombay Jayashri, Abhishek Raghuram, S Sowmya, Sikkil Gurucharan and more. A key member of the fusion bands IndoSoul and Sparsh, he has also acted in the recently released movie,…
He is a refreshing presence in the world of Carnatic music, which has its own idiosyncrasies. Prince Aswati Tirunal Rama Varma is a member of the Travancore royal family and a direct descendant of Maharaja Swati Tirunal and Raja Ravi Varma. He is a vocalist, vainika, organiser, musicologist, world traveller,…