37th Annual Festival Review

FEAST OF VERITABLE NUANCES OF MUSIC
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EVENT The six-day music festival saw a bouquet of performances

For six evenings, starting from November 25, Kalabharathi witnessed an elate effort expounding veritable nuances of Indian classical music. It was an outcome of the 37th annual festival of music of Visakha Music Academy. It got off to a grand start with the conferment of the title of the Academy Sangeetha Kalaa saagara on noted vocalist Dr. Tadepalli Lokanatha Sarma of Tenali who is also known for his contribution by publishing a number of research articles.

Later, accompanied by N.C. Madhav on violin, V.V. Ramanamurty on mridangam and Nemani Somayajulu on ghatam, Sarma reflecting reminiscences of the leisurely pace of expressive exposition of carnatic music by stalwarts of the yore, rendered an absorbing recital.

The following day being a Sunday, a special session was held in the morning marked by a lecture on ‘Medicinal music’ by Dr. T.V. Sairam (IRS).

In the evening, at a similar function, Sangeetha Kalaasagar was conferred on violin vidwan Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao.

Later, his prime disciple A. Kanyakumari along with her disciple Embar Kannan rendered a scintillating recital on violin in the company of K.V. Prasad on mridangam and B.S. Purushottaman on kanjira.

Making aesthetic use of intricate bowing and fingering techniques with discretion and without ever losing the track of the native charm of either the alien instrument and the sublime classicism ordained in carnatic music, she took everybody into her thrall.

Expansive expatiation of Swararagasudha (Sankarabharanam) concluded with swaram in ragamalika followed by knowledgeable than! was the highlight.
The following evening witnessed a sober treat of some sublime nuances of classicism ordained in carnatic music, thanks to the soulful vocal recital rendered by Manda Sudharani in the company of her guru Sangeetha Kalaasag-ara Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao on violin, K. Sadguru Charan on mridangam, J. Ramadas on ghatam and Mandapaka Ravi on kanjira. Naradamuni.

The next day evening witnessed a thrilling recital on flute by Jayaprada Rama Murty in the company of Ampolu Muralikrishna on violin, M.L.N. Raju on mridangam and young J. Ramadas on ghatam. Jayaprada seemed to be a showcase of youthful vigour couched in ennobling ideas in the expression of manodharma with discernment. Bhajana Seyarada (Dharmavathi) with ragam and swaram and expansive elaboration of O Range Sai (Kambhoji) were the highlights.

The next two evenings had two functions at which the ‘M.S. Subbulakshmi Puraskar’ instituted by the academy was presented to renowned vocalist Bombay Jayashree Ramanath and the Sangeetha Kalaasagara title was conferred on Padmabhushan awardee, Hindustani violinist Dr. N. Rajam.

Vocal recital by Jayashree on the penultimate evening was an elegant and engrossing showcase of an amalgam of haunting melody and exquisite expression of Manodharma.

The appreciative analysis rendered at the end of every concert by Prof. S. Kumara swamy was a special attraction.

- A. RamaLinga Sastry