Avani Shankara Matha Concert

Date: 30^th October, 2009

Violin: Sri Mathur Srinidhi

Mridangam: Sri V Krishna

Ghatam: Sri Shrishyla

1. Vanajakshi – Kalyani – ata tala varnam – pallavi gopalayyar (version as in the SSP)

2. Sugunamule – chakravaka – rupaka – thyagaraja (S)

3. Darini telusukonti – shudha saveri – adi – thyagaraja (R)

4. Sri kamalambikayam – sahana – triputa – Dikshitar

5. Sarasa sama dana – kapi narayani – adi – thyagaraja

6. Naa moralagimpa – devagandhari – rupaka – thyagaraja (R)

7. Bhogindra shayinam – kuntala varali – khanda chapu – swati tirunal (S)

8. Durusuga – saveri – adi – shyama shastry (R,N,S) at ‘narayani shyama Krishna nutha’…

9. Miscellaneous Tukkudas

I had not sung the deva gandhari kriti “naa moralagimpavemi” in a concert – so managed to sing it in this one. Connoisseurs loved it because it is an old-time hit – popularized by Musuri Subramanya Iyer.

Navaratri 2009

As always, the Navaratri experience was both exhilarating and at times daunting.

I had four concerts back to back in various parts of Kerala and the travel back and forth can be tiring at times.

But once you get on stage and have the pulse of the audience…out goes the fatigue!!!

The audience in most parts of Kerala is considerably different from other parts of South India.

For starters, they don’t applaud in a pre-programmed manner after every item – be it a warm-up varnam or a mangalam!!!

You get a nice round of applause sometimes for just one half avarthanam swaram, sometimes for a round of neraval or sometimes for some sangathi.

The other great thing is their choice of ragas – owing to their Kathakali background, in most parts of Kerala, they love it when you sing Mukhari, Kedaragowla, Kambhoji and other such quintessential Carnatic ragas.

This Navaratri I tried out one new thing from my side – I sang thaanam in every concert, for the main item. Worked out well.

I also sang several kritis that I had not sung in concerts before, e.g.: Sri Sathyanarayanam (Shubha pantuvarali), Pahi Janani (Natakuranji), etc.

The response was very encouraging everywhere.

I got to sing with some really experienced mridangam vidwans from Kerala such as Prof. Dinesh Kumar and Palakkad Mahesh Kumar.

An enriching Navaratri comes to an end….

Concerts at Mumbai

The Mumbai trip was eventful - two concerts at Vashi Fine Arts and Rasika Ranjani Sabha (Ghatkopar) respectively. Made it a point to sing something which I have not sung before in each of those concerts.

For the Vashi Fine Arts concert, I elaborated Janaranjani and sang one of my favorite kritis 'Naadaadina Maata' - this kriti I learnt from my guru Sri RK Srikantan sir many years ago. I can not forget the way he sang neraval for the line 'thalaku vachchina baadha' in class back then!! It had Musuri Subramanya Iyer stamped all over it!!!! So I sang this for the first time in a concert with raagam, neraval and swarams. Came off decently well. I also began the concert with a kriti which I had learnt years ago but had never sung in a concert - viz. - Bhavanutha.

For the Ghatkopar kutcheri, I elaborated, among other ragas, Abhogi - I have told myself so many times on the way to concerts to take up Abhogi but invariably would end up choosing its cousine Sri Ranjini due to various reasons...this time Abhogi it was!!! The kriti was again a first time for me as far as singing it in concerts is concerned - Sri Lakshmi Varaham - a beautiful kriti attributed to Muthuswami Dikshitar. It is most probably not a Dikshitar kriti as the raaga Abhogi does not exist in the Venkatamakhin Sampradaya.

The complete song lists of both concerts follows. I will post concert clippings soon.

5th September 2009 - Vashi Fine Arts,

Violin: Vidwan Sri Shivakumar Anantharaman

Mridangam: Vidwan Sri R Shankaranarayanan

1. era napai - todi varnam - adi - patnam subramanya iyer (S)
2. bhavanutha - mohana - adi - thyagaraja (S)
3. naadaadina maata - janaranjani - misra chapu - thyagaraja (R,N,S) at 'thalaku vachina baadha'
4. atukaaraadani - manoranjani - adi - thyagaraja
5. balagopala - bhairavi - adi - muthuswami dikshitar (R,N,S) at 'drona karna'
6. madhava mamava - neelambari - adi - narayana theertha
7. aghalakillen enru - virutham - ragamalika - nammazhvar pasuram
8. srinivasa thiruvenkata mudaiyan -hamsanandi - adi - papanasam sivan
9. misc. tukkudas

6th September 2009 - Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Ghatkopar,

Violin: Vidwan Sri R Madhavan

Mridangam: Vidwan Sri R Shankaranarayanan
Morsing: Vidwan Sri R Venkatesh

1. vanajaksi - kalyani varnam - khanda ata - pallavi gopalayyar
2. aparadhamulanorva - rasali - adi - thyagaraja (S)
3. sri lakshmi varaham - abhogi - adi - muthuswami dikshitar (R,S) at 'pankajasaana pramukha sevitham'
4. ennaga manasukurani - neelambari - adi - thyagaraja
5. tholi nenu jesina - kokiladhwani - adi - thyagaraja
6. ksheenamai - mukhari - adi - thyagaraja (R,N,S)
7. cheli nenetlu - paras - javali - adi
8. rathnakaroshti sadanam - shloka - ragamalika - adi
9. govardhana giridhara - darbari kanada - adi - narayana theertha
10. misc tukkudas

Photos are courtesy my good friend and veteran rasika Sri Hariharan Sankaran.

Concert at Trivandrum - Sep 2nd, 2009

Just got back from a concert at Trivandrum on the occassion of Onam festivities.
The new thing I tried this concert was to sing two rakthi ragas as main pieces - surutti and mukhari. I have elaborated both these ragas in concerts in the past - however had never tried singing mukhari as the main item which I tried this time.
The response was fabulous and there was an audience of atleast 200+ people in the beautiful Kanakakunnu Palace.
The list:

1. anupama guNambudhi - athAna - khanda chApu - thyAgarAja (S)
2. tera tIyaga rAda - gowLi panthu - Adi - thyAgarAja (S)
3. srI venkata girIsham - surutti - Adi - muthuswAmi dIkshitar (R,N,S at 'alamelu manga')
4. thOli nEnu jesina - kOkiladhwani - Adi - thyAgarAja
5. kshInamai - mukhAri - Adi - thyAgarAja (R,N,S at 'edi jesina...')
6. shloka 'shAnthAkAram bhujagashayanam' in kAmbhoji, varALi and hamsAnandi
7. shyAma ghanAbha - hamsAnandi - Adi - thuLasIvanam
8. jagadIsa panchashara sUdana - nAdanAmakriya - Adi - swAti tiruNAL

The kokiladhwani piece is something I am singing for the first time in a concert - I love the way the great Ariyakudi has rendered this - catchy and lilting!!!

Concerts in September

Concerts in September
· 2nd Sep. 2009 Onam Festival, Tiruvananthapuram, Kerala

· 5th Sep. 2009 Mumbai
Vashi Fine Arts,
Jhulelal Temple , First floor
Behind Vashi Bus Depot, Sector 9 A, Vashi
Contact Mohana +91 93225 96513

· 6th Sep. 2009 Mumbai
Rasika Ranjani Sabha
Agarsen Bhavan
90 Feet Road, Ghatkopar East
Mumbai 400 077
Contact Saroja (022) 2521 8580 or +91 98195 83680

· 12th Sep.2009 Chembai Festival, Sree Varaham Temple, Tiruvanthapuram, Kerala

· 19th Sep. 2009 Navaratri Concert, Udumulapettai

· 20th Sep. 2009 Navaratri Concert, Kollam, Kerala

· 27th Sep. 2009 Navaratri Concert, Kerala

· 28th Sep. 2009 Navaratri Concert, Kerala

· 30th Sep. 2009 Avani Shankara Mutt, Bangalore