An annual musical offering
The Percussive Arts Centre, now led by the talented young mridanga player V. Krishna, held a five-day music festival at Sri Jayaramaseva Mandali, Jayanagar as part of Krishnashatami celebrations.
The 11th music festival was inaugurated by senior violinist H.K. Venkataram. The formal inauguration was followed by a veena recital by Jayanthi Kumaresh. Ably accompanied by A. Kumar (mridanga) and Srishyla (ghata), she started the concert with a famous Khamach daru varna. She demonstrated restraint in negotiating the nuances of the demanding Mukhari raga. The Thyagaraja krithi "Entha ninne" was highlighted by appropriate raga and sahitya bhava. Kalpanaswaras could have made the listening experience wholesome, though. Treatment to Begade raga was impressive. Jayanthi displayed remarkable hold over her medium and mode. A rarely heard krithi "Shankari neeve" was embellished by chittai swaras and swara vinyasa.
Harmonium treat
It is very difficult to play Carnatic music on a reed instrument like the harmonium. Only with hard work and extraordinary felicity can the gamakas be produced on the harmonium. This feat was achieved by the late S. Bheemarao. He had carved a niche for himself within and outside the State.
It was befitting that his equally qualified and talented son B. Raghuram has floated a trust in his father's name. S. Shankar as President. The trust was launched by musicologist S. Krishnamurthy at Sri Devagiri Sangeetha Sabha. The event was followed by a neat vocal recital by Shankar's son S. Ramani.
One could see the imprint of Shankar in Ramani: in diction, concert craft and the style of presentation. With support by R. Achyutha (violin), R. Adamya (mridanga) and Phanindra Bhaskar (ghata), Ramani stuck to his form right from the beginning with a varna in Sri raga.
With more refinement and voice culture, he is sure to hit the headlines.
M. SURYA PRASAD
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