S SOWMYA

68/10, Dev Apts., Gandhinagar III Main Rd.
Adyar, Chennai - 600 020 Tel:+2441 6944




S. Sowmya has inherited the style or bhani of Dr. S. Ramanathan who had a deceptively simple way of rendering kirthanas. The style, on the face of it, looks simple but the musical content makes a profound impact on the listeners.



Sowmya was accompanied by Nalina Mohan on the violin and Neyveli Narayanan on the mridangam. She brought out the beauty of raga Manirangu with ease and comfort, preserving the bhava without encroaching into Madyamavati or Shri. Harikambhoji was given a lengthier treatment, and its purity maintained. Sowmya's stance at Panchama and Dhaivata and the manner in which she handled the sancharis in Harikamboji around them were impressive. There was no unwanted brika and frill for the sake of adding quantity to the raga.



S. Sowmya made up for a disappointing Atana with a brilliant Kalyani in the three-course musical meal she served at the Indian Fine Arts. Following a neat "Sobhillu Saptaswara" (Jaganmohini), which featured swaras at, surprise, "Bhajimpave Manasa," the Atana alapana rambled on with repeated phrases.



Tyagaraja's "Ela Ni Daya Radu" followed, with nereval at "Ra Ra" but the slow pace that was unbecoming of a good Atana killed the charm of the raga. Surprising, because Sowmya is not an artiste who has difficulty with speed.



Even the Kalyani that followed, until half-way through the alapana, was only run-of-the-mill. But as Sowmya developed the raga, it blossomed into something that could be expected of an artiste of her calibre. Patnam Subramanya Iyer's "Nija Dasa Varada" was delightfully rendered, with `teach-you-how' nereval and swaras at "Bhujagadhipa Seyana."

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CARNATIC VOCALISTS PAGE 2

S SOWMYA

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SUDHA RAGHUNATHAN

Flat: I-C, Bhaskarapuram, East Abhiramapuram, Mylapore,
Chennai 600 004. Tel: +24996600.


Sudha Raghunathan is one of the most popular women vocalists of today. Having learnt from the renowned vocalist, Dr. M L Vasantakumari, and provided vocal support for her in several concerts, Sudha's own career really took off in the late 80s and early 90s. Her climb has been sure and steady, and today, she stands on top.



Her bag of awards and accolades are overflowing, yet year after year, she has more to add! This year it was the turn of Nungambakkam Cultural Academy to honour her with the title of Sangeeta Kala Siromani. Carnatica congratulates her on the award and finds out a few of her favorite things ...



When Sudha Raghunathan sings, the emphasis is on the sahitya bhava or the expression of the literary content. And on the second day of the Soorya Dance and Music Festival in Thiruvananthapuram, this recipient of the Padmashri award and disciple of M.L.Vasanthakumari, presented listeners with an enchanting experience.



Sudha Raghunathan, the leading female vocalist of South India, was initially trained by her mother Smt. Choodamani since the age of nine. She continued training under Sri. B.V. Lakshmanan. She then had the good fortune to be trained by the late Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari. Even as a student, Smt. Smt. Sudha Raghunathan received the Central Government Scholarship for Young Artistes for advanced training in Carnatic Music.



Smt. Sudha has represented the Carnatic discipline of music at several International Festivals conducted at various venues. She had the coveted honour of performing to a full house at the Theatre de La Ville, Paris on January 19, 2000. She has the exceptional honour of being the only Indian to perform at the International Festival ECHTERNACH at Luxembourg on June 3, 1995. She also performed at the Alice Tully Hall, New York on September 18, 1998.

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TK Govinda Rao

17, 11th Street, Indira Nagar,
Chennai 600 020. Tel: +44-24413589


Sangitha Kalanidhi T.K.Govinda Rao is a musician's musician and a musicologist. He trained extensively under Musiri Subramania Iyer for about 15 years-- a period he recalls with fondness and gratitude as a 'great boon' in his musical life-- and also under Tirupambaram Sri Swaminatha Pillai, and Brindamma. He is known for his sahitya shuddham, laya gnyaanam and bhaava-pradhaana neraval singing.



He has also had a parallel career working at the Madras Music College as a teacher, at AIR Chennai as a Producer and at AIR Delhi as Chief Producer. He is a veteran teacher and has trained a number of students. His books on the compositions of the Trinity and other Carnatic composers are extremely well regarded. The Carnatic music community eagerly looks forward to his upcoming book, "Varnamanjari", a collection of 400 Tana, Pada, Chauka and Daru Varnams in different Talas.



Veteran musician Shri T K Govinda Rao performed at HTCC Bothell on September 8, 2007. The accompanists were Nishanth Chandran on the violin, Shriram Bhramanandam on the mridangam and Ravi Balasubramanian on the ghatam.



The concert started with the popular varnam (Ninnu kori) in Mohanam. It was amazing to hear Shri Govinda Rao render the pallavi, anupallavi and chittaiswaram in 5 speeds including tisram and mel-tisram! It demonstrated his innate mastery over layam and was flawlessly executed.

Before a detailed alaapana of Kambhoji, Shri TKG presented another rare krithi-- "Ananda saagara", a Thyagaraga composition with a beautiful chittaiswaram, in the ragam Garudadhwani. The krithi chosen for Kambhoji was the Dikshitar masterpiece, "Shree subramanyaya namaste". While I was expecting this to be the main piece of the concert, the song was not elaborated with any neraval or swaras. He then presented "Nagumomu" in Abheri ( immortalized by his guru Musiri Subramanya Iyer) after a short alapana. I was a bit disappointed in not hearing a neraval for "jagamella paramatma", but I understand the artists had to comply with time constraints and close in time for the temple pooja. The concert ended with a Ragamalika piece of Purandaradasar and a Thillana.

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BALAMURALI KRISHNA

DK PATTAMMAL

TK GOVINDA RAO

KJ YESUDAS

S RAJAM

SUDHA RAGHUNATHAN

BOMBAY S JAYSHREE

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M Balamurali Krishna

Balamurali Krishna
3, Kanakasri Nagar, Chennai 600 086.
Tel: 00-91-(0)-44-28110192


M. BALAMURALI KRISHNA, an icon of durability, has held his head high in the ever demanding, swirling, deep waters of the ocean of South Indian music, due to several attributes. In spite of advancing years, the amazing power, fluency and range of the vocal chords, the superb breath control, stellar enunciation and the extraordinary ability to communicate with the audience, bring a touch of the grandiose to his performing calibre.



His concert for the Vijay TV music festival, comprised four songs, three compositions of his own, and an utsava samprayada kriti of Tyagaraja, "Nagumomu" in Madhyamavati.



"Pari pari nee padhame" in Hamsadhvani with Swarakshara poruthams aplenty, and the ingenious permutations and combinations in the kalpanaswaras proved the statement that winners do not do different things, they do things differently



It was a very welcome alapana of Karaharapriya that made the evening for the audience. Strictly conforming to the treasured traditional prayogas of the raga, Balamurali created an environment of outstanding classical excellence.



"Unnai ninaindurugayile" with an unusual structure, in praise of Lord Muruga, the easy swara flow, and the Rishabha Kuraippu with the singer's individual brilliance coming to the fore, were effulgent attempts that left the rasikas enchanted. Raghavendra Rao the violinist has a commendable musical head on his shoulders, and his Karaharapriya expansion and the answering swara statements showed that he is knocking on the doors of recognition assertively.

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