Yester-year temple dancer P.R. Thilakam was honoured on the occasion of her 80th birthday at an event organised yesterday (Dec.30) at The New Woodlands Hotel, Mylapore.
This was part of a symposium on traditional dance culture hosted by Tapasya Kala Sampradaya and The Mangala Initiative.
For more info, contact: 42019497, 98415-32382.
Double Bill
'Maestros Kunnakudi Vaidhyanathan and Valayapatti Subramaniam teamed up for a concert last evening at the Valayapatti Nadhalaya festival.
The duo have played over 3000 kutcheris together, and got together last evening after a long break...
Nadha hosted a music fest
'London based Universal Fine Arts and Reunion based Nadha hosted a music fest from Dec. 21 to 26, at Asthika Samajam.
At the inauguration, awards were presented to musicians T.V. Sankara Narayanan, M.S. Anantharaman, T.K. Moorthy and Sudha Raghunathan.
Bharathi in Bharatham
'Bharatha Samudayam Vazhgave' staged last evening for Brahma Gana Sabha at MCTM Petachi Hall, looked as fresh it was when it premiered in December 2002 at Bharathiyar's illam, Triplicane.
And the foursome Roja Kannan, Priya Murle, Lavanya Ananth and N. Srikanth have made sure to keep their spirits high in putting this together for the ninth time, in the last three years.
Said Srikanth last evening, "It is easy when an institution stages a show, featuring their students, 50 times or more but very difficult for individual performers of four different schools to come together so often."
Themed on Bharathiyar's compositions, this production set rolling when Natyarangam, the dance wing of Narada Gana Sabha got these four dancers together to work on this, on the occasion of Bharathiyar's birth anniversary three years ago. (Every year Natyarangam gets a group of dancers to present Bharathiyar's compositions at the annual event organised by Vanavil Cultural Centre at Bharatiyar's house in the first week of December).
And this group has managed to repeat this show at various venues. Interestingly choreographed, it had solos by each of the dancers, and concluded with a group presentation of a medley of popular songs of Bharathi.
Says Lavanya Ananth, "I've enjoyed working with this group and we get along well. Guess this has added to the success of our production. And when we do have our 10th show, we plan to do it differently."
Sudha's New gold chain
Carnatic vocalist Sudha Raghunathan was awarded the 'Naada Kovida' title at the inauguration of Nadhabrahmam's fest, last evening on Dec. 26 at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's auditorium.
Kutcheris are on here till New Year's day.
Fest opens at Tamil Isai Sangam
Tamil Isai Sangam opened its 63rd annual Tamil Isai festival on Dec. 21, at Rajah Annamalai Hall. The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Surjit Singh Barnala inaugurated the fest and conferred the title of 'Isai Peraringnar' on Thiruvidaimaruthur P.S.V. Raja. Tamil Isai Sangam's website was also launched on this occasion.
The 56th 'Pan' reaserch conference is being held at 10 am from Dec. 22 to 25, 2005.
E-music fest
Reliance Infocomm hosted an E-Music festival for the December Season. At a five-day fest, a video conferencing facility 'simulcasted' kutcheris of young musicians, across the Reliance WebWorld outlets in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, 'R World' gives the background and history on the music season and updates on the programmes for each day.
RIM also offers ringtones based on Carnatic music, wall paper and video bytes of popular artistes.
For more info, contact 09382327800.
T.V. Sankaranarayanan honoured
'The Indian Fine Arts Society hosts its 73rd South Indian music conference and concerts at Balamandir German Hall, T. Nagar, Chennai.
Leading Carnatic vocalist T.V. Sankaranarayanan was conferred the title of 'Sangeetha Kalashikamani'. The fest was inaugurated by violin maestro T.N. Krishnan.
Dance and music at Kapaleeswarar Temple
Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, is hosting a music and dance festival for the December Season. This evening features Carnatic vocalist Gayathri Venkataraghavan.
Well known artistes who performed here include Bharatanatyam dancers Priya Murle, Meenakshi Srinivasan, A. Lakshman, Priyadarsini Govind, Urmila Sathyanarayanan and vocalist Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan.
Says Priya Murle who performed here on the opening day, "It was a very different experience to perform at the temple. The whole atmosphere and the ambience was special...".
'Margazhi Utsavam' on Jaya TV
'Margazhi Maha Utsavam', a Carnatic music fest hosted by Maximum Media is being telecast on Jaya T.V, from Dec. 16 to January 4
at 6 pm daily, and a re-telecast the next morning at 6.30 am.
The fest featuring top Carnatic musicians was held from December 1 to 15, at the Chettinad Vidhyasharm auditorium. Directed by
Subhasree Thanikachalam of Maximum Media, the show has an interaction session too, where rasikas pose questions to the artistes on
stage.
For more info, contact: Ph: 2817 3337
Waterpool welcomes rasikas!
A huge pool of water welcomed rasikas at the MCTM school campus for the inauguration of Brahma Gana Sabha's fest on Dec. 3. Huge decorations and coffee stalls were not to be found this time.
The inaugural programme commenced late, thanks to the heavy rains. The Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Ajit Prakash inaugurated
the fest and honoured senior musician M. Balamurali Krishna and theater artiste Radhu with the 'Gana Padmam' and 'Nataka Padmam' titles.
Dance guru Kalanidhi Narayanan, who was to be honoured too, was not present that evening and she will receive her award later.
Justice Prakash said that as a youngster, he was part of a Marathi youth theatre troupe and added that a lot of tunes were adopted from
Kritis in carnatic Music in Marathi theater.
With all the VIPs leaving just after the inaugural function, it was saddening to see young dancer Mathura Viswanathan, a student of A.
Lakshman, perform to a thin audience. Besides, a long prayer song that preceded the dance recital, by vocalist Hariprasad made you wonder
on what was to follow - a dance recital or a vocal kutcheri!
Fests
opening this week
Honours for T. N. Krishnan
Narada
Gana Sabha hosts its annual music and dance festival
from December 16, 2005. On the inaugural day, the 'Nadhabrahmam'
title will be conferred on senior violinist T.N. Krishnan.
Inaugural concert features saxophone by Kadri Gopalnath.
Lecture-demonstrations will be held from Dec. 22 to
31, at the mini hall. From January 6 to 8, 2006, the
'Ramayana Bharatham' dance presentations (which showcases
the episodes in Ramayana in different languages) will
be held at the main hall.
Ph: 2499 3201.
Mylapore
Fine Arts' fest
The
Mylapore Fine Arts Club will conduct its 54th art festival
from December 12 to January 15. The inaugural ceremony
is to be held on December 12 at the Club's hall at 45,
Musiri Subramaniam Salai, Mylapore. Mangala Isai nadaswaram
by Mylai Rajendran and party at 4 pm opens the function.
At 5 pm K. Viswanathan, M. D. RmKV Wedding silks inaugurates
and confers the title 'Sangeetha Kala Nipuna' on thavil
maestro Haridwaramangalam A. K. Palanivel.
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and Madurai G. S. Mani felicitate.
At 7 pm Carnatica.Com presents 'Kaatrinile Varum Geetham'
- a documentary film on M. S. Subbulakshmi. A dance
recital by Nithya Venkateswaran follows.
Sri
Kapali Fine Arts
Sri
Kapali Fine Arts will hold its 36th annual Music and
Dance Festival from December 14 to January 4 at R. K.
Swami Aufditorium in Mylapore. On the inaugural day,
senor musician P. S. Narayanaswamy will be awarded the
title 'Sangeethkalajyothi' and dance guru Saroja Vaidhyanathan
will receive the 'Natyaklajyothi' title. For details
contact Sri Kapali Fine Arts, 36/50, Bheemasena Garden
Street, Mylapore. Ph. 24661194, 9840024639
Sruthilaya
Kendra's fest
Mridanga
vidwan Kaaraikudi Mani's Sruthilaya Kendra and Sruthilaya
Kendra Natarajaalaya will hold the 18th winter Music
Festival, 2005 at Asthiga Samajam, Venus Colony, Alwarpet,
from December 15 to 18. Musicians like Sanjay Subramaniam
and Sudha Raghunathan perform. The entry fees (Rs. 15
per day) collected are to be presented to aged senior
musicians.
On December 18, the Guru Surajananda Award will be presented
to P. S. Narayanaswamy and the Gowri Manohari Award
to Dr. Padma Subramaniam at 4 pm by P. Obul Reddy. This
will be followed by a thaniavarthanam concert by T.
V. Gopalakrishnan on the mridangam, and V. Ganesh on
the ghatam.
Ph. 24936650.
Nalinakanti
Fine Arts
Nalinakanti
Fine Arts and Dept. of Natya, MGR Janaki College holds
the 4th Nalinotsavam series at Dr. MGR Janaki College
of Arts for Women, 11, 13, Durgabai Deshmukh Road, R.
A. Puram up to December 20. Some of the musicians who
participate are N. Vijay Siva, Chingleput Ranganathan
and Sumitra Nitin.
Admission to all the concerts is free. For details contact
9840288871
Krishna
Gana Sabha opens fest
Sri
Krishna Gana Sabha hosts its 50th Music and Dance festival
from December 7, 2005 at its auditorium in Maharajapuram
Santhanam Salai, T. Nagar, Chennai.
At the inauguration, the title of 'Nrithya Choodamani'
was conferred on Hyderabad based Bharatanatyam dancer
Rajeswari Sainath and 'Acharya Choodamani' on dance
guru Anitha Guha.
The Natya Kala conference will be held from Dec. 14
to 20.
The Pongal Nagaswara Isai vizha will be held from January
10 to 16, 2005.
Small
guide to music season
S.
Kannan has brought out a comprehensive programme piary,
a pocket guide to the Chennai Music season 2005 -2006.The
handy booklet lists the programme at the various sabhas
date-wise. Flip the book over and the booklet opens
to 'Programme Highlights of Who and Where'.
The guide has been sponsored by Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti.
S. Kannan has been releasing the booklets for the last
few years. Copies may be collected from S. Kannan, 2nd
floor, Sundaram Aapartments, 3, Anandapuram, off, Dr.
Ranga Road, Mylapore, Vitan Super Market, Luz, Mylapore.
Honours
for Balamuralikrishna
Brahma
Gana Sabha inaugurated its annual December Art Festival
from December 3 to 31, 2005, at Sivagami Pethachi auditorium,
in Mylapore Chennai.
Senior Carnatic musician Balamuralikrishna was awarded
the title 'Gaana Padhmam'. Dance guru Kalanidhi Narayanan,
who couldn't be present at the inauguration will receive
the 'Natya Padhmam' title later.
