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,…
Giridhar Udupa literally grew up surrounded by percussion as his father Ullur Nagendra Udupa was a mridangist who taught extensively. At age 4, he started learning mridangam and learned that exclusively until the age of 9. Then, at a concert organized by his father, Giridhar was roped in to play…
This episode of Quarantunes features Ghatam exponent Sri. Giridhar Udupa. Sri. Udupa expresses his concern for artistes heavily dependent on concerts for survival. He talks about deciding to broadcast, for a fee, 6 concerts of the Udupa Festival that he curates, proceeds of which would benefit such artistes…. He mentions…
Sri. N Guruprasad is a prolific percussionist, specialising in the ghatam. He is known for his unobtrusive but highly supportive playing that accents the overall music on stage. He had his initial training under his father Sri. K Nagaraja Rao, and later from Shri T.H. Vinayakram. He received subsequent training…
“As an excellent vocalist himself, he knows to emote according to the raga and to highlight the kriti, neraval and swaram uniquely too,” say senior musician RK Shriramkumar and senior ghatam artiste N Guruprasad. Sangita Kalanidhi designate Dr. S Sowmya adds, “As a result, he does not look at percussion…