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MUSIC SCENE IN MUSCAT - a round up |
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Asianet, the popular Malayalam channel is slowly spreading its wings across the globe. They recently completed a successful year of operations in Oman, and to celebrate their first anniversary, what better way than organizing a music festival in Muscat? Melody Music Centre, a music school in Oman which imparts music training in both Arabic and International music to students, was the concessionaire of this festival. The festival started off on March 22, with a series of Carnatic and Hindustani music concerts by artistes from Muscat. Muscat city can boast of quite a few trained singers, violinists, mridangists, khanjira and ghatam artistes. This festival provided a stage to many of these artistes to present their talents to an interested audience. There was also a Jalatarangam concert by Seeta Doraiswamy, the only lady exponent of this dying art, who at age 78 came from Madras and played with an infectious vigour and energy that could put many a modern youngster to shame. The grand finale of the series was a concert on March 30, by Bombay Jayashree, accompanied by R K Sriramkumar on the violin and Sriram Subbaraman (Muscat) on the mridangam and Sasi Menon (Muscat) on the khanjira. She started her concert with Deva Deva (Mayamalavagowla), followed by Teliyaleru Rama (Dhenuka), Sabhapatikku veru deivam (Abhogi), Visalakshi Viswesi (Pantuvarali) and Amba Neelayatakshi (Neelambari). Bombay Jayashree enthralled the audience with her main song O Rangashayi (Kambhoji) and her evergreen numbers like Kanden Kanden (Bagesri), Hari Tumharo a Meera Bhajan, Krishna nee begane baro (Yamankalyani), Ennatavam (Kapi), Srinivasa (Hamsanandi). A Ragam Tanam Pallavi was rendered in Varali, in Chatusra Jhampa Khanda gati, with a string of ragamalika swaras. She concluded her concert with a Tillana by Lalgudi Jayaraman in raga Desh . R K Sriramkumar’s violin playing was a perfect embodiment of smooth and classical bowing and he lent a divine touch to the whole concert with his mellifluous handling of the ragas. Sriram Subbaraman gave excellent mridangam support and played with apt briskness and perfect tonality .He was ably supported on the khanjira by Sasi Menon who kept a good balance of the percussion accompaniment. Captivating concert by U Srinivas:Muscat was witness to a Mandolin concert of internationally acclaimed artiste, U Srinivas on April 3. He was accompanied by Delhi P Sunderrajan, Tanjore Murugabhoopati and S V Ramani. This concert was presented by White Candle Entertainment at the prestigious Oman Auditorium, a world-class auditorium in the Al Bustan Palace Hotel. The concert was organised in aid of the Oman Association for the Disabled. There was not a dull moment in the concert. Srinivas played swift and brisk swara passages and kept the audience enthralled and glued to their seats. He started his concert with the lilting Nalinakanti varnam by Lalgudi Jayaraman, followed by Mahaganapatim (Nata), Vidajaladura (Janaranjani), Paramapurusham (Lalitapanchamam), Sabapatikku (Abhogi). A captivating Simhendramadhyamam was chosen for the RTP in Adi tala with a string of ragamalika swaras. He concluded his concert with Subramanya Bharati's Vellai tamarai, two songs in Sindhubhairavi - Venkatachala Nilayam and Chandrasekhara Eesha - and two Sai Bhajans. Delhi P Sunderrajan, with his dexterous fingers and bowing, answered every single phrase by Srinivas. He did a commendable task of providing unhindered support to the main artiste and yet glorified the concert with his majestic and classical playing approach. Tanjore Murugabhoopati on the mridangam and S V Ramani on the ghatam were perfect embodiments of how to subtly and melodiously keep rhythm and support the main artiste. Delhi Sunderrajan's majestic performance:Delhi P Sunderrajan, a reputed violinist, proved his mettle as a soloist on April 5, at the Indian School in Al Ghubra (Muscat). He was accompanied by Tanjore Murugabhoopati and S V Ramani. Delhi Sunder, started with the Abhogi varnam Evaribodhana, followed by Swaminatha (Nata), Bagayanayya (Chandrajyoti). He played Tyagaraja’s Sriraga Pancharatnam, Endaro Mahanubhavulu, bringing forth its grand majesty. Seshachala nayakam (Varali) was rendered with absolute classicism, and was succeeded by a brisk Niravadhisukhada (Ravichandrika). He rendered an RTP in Keeravani, doing full justice to all the aspects of raga and tanam playing, as also the laya intricacies, thus providing a feast to the connoisseur and a detailed learning ground to even a lay listener. He played Chinanchiru Kiliye, a Magudi, a tillana in Dhanasri and a sloka on Lord Ayyappa. Tanjore Murugabhoopati and S V Ramani played wonderfully to bring out all the laya aspects of the concerts. Sivapriya Krishnan |
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Posted on April 26, 2003 |