Drawing rooms, for the starters!

The 'season' motivates many minds.

When senior and up and coming artistes are having dozens of concerts, accomplished amateurs also feel like performing even if it is in the drawing room of a rasika!

Rasikas who live in bungalows or large apartments do come forward to host these little concerts in December.

Chamber music creates an intimate atmosphere.

So 'Raga Chintamani', formed by dancer Jayanthi and her husband Sundararaman, have plans to create a platform for those musicians who are yet to go on stage.

'It helps these artistes to overcome stage fright and get the feel of singing alongside artistes on the mridangam and the violin. We would like to conduct such concerts every quarter so that this pattern continues and does not stop with one concert,' say Jayanthi and Sundar.

The first of such concerts will be held on Dec. 30 from 4pm to 6pm.

The concert will feature S. Jyothi, G. Ranjani and S. Aditya - one after the other- with violin accompaniment by Sowmyashree, mridangam by S. Anirudh and Neyveli Ganesh and ghatam by V. Subramanian.

Venue: 1-B, Venkatesa Nilayam, 155, St. Mary's Road, Alwarpet.

Like minded people who are interested to have such concerts held their residences can feel free to get in touch with the duo so that the venue can be a different one for future performances.

Call Jayanthi at 2433 1829 or email the duo at ragachintamani@yahoo.com

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Music Tour of Tiruvarur

Mark your dates in March and April

If you are staying back in Tamil Nadu beyond the 'music season' here is an event to check out.

The Kanchi Kamakoti Peeda Karnatka Seva Trust is organising a Music Trinity Festival on the day of thier birth stars in Tiruvarur every year in a grand manner. Dikshitar Jayanthi festival will be held on March 23,2007 in the Tamil month of panguni and his birth star Kaarthikai that falls on this day.

Seetha Rajan and her students will render Navavarana kritis in the morning followed by Navavarana pooja. A special concert is planned for the evening on that day.

Shyma Sastri Day will be observed on April 19, 2007, in the Tamil month of Chithirai and his birthstar Kaarthigai that falls on that day.

There will be a rendering of Swara jathi by Ambujam Vendantham of Trichy followed by a special pooja and a special concert in the evening.

This will be followed by a celebration for four days with concerts by popular musicians and the six-day festival will conclude by observing Thyagaraja Day (Tamil month of Chithirai with birth star Poosam) on April 23, 2007. On that day, eminent musicians will render Pancharatnam in the morning and a grand concert in the evening.

Rasikas can utlise this trip to visit heritage centres and temple towns around Tiruvarur and one should not miss some of the following landmarks - Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur, Keezhvelor, Nagapatnam, Sreevanchiyam, Kuzhikkarai, Sikkil, Ettukudi, Engal,Sapta Linga Sthalangal, Vedaranyam, Nagore, Velankanni, Thirukkanna mangai.

For more details call: 044- 28363456 or Kunchithapadam on 9443767482

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Exhibition of musical instruments

The arts promoters at the C. P. Art Centre, Alwarpet are very thoughtful to put up an exhibition of musical instruments for the 'season'. The Shakuntala Jagannathan museum of Folk arts at Kanchipuram, another arm of C. P. Art Centre has many musical instruments among other collections. When the Centre wanted to organise the exhibition, they thought the rare and unknown instruments of the past would make it more exciting. The collection of such rare pieces at Kanchipuram were just enough to fill half of their Vennirul Art Gallery. They approached the department of Handicrafts of Govt. of India and they were ready to spare a few instruments from their collection.

The ghatam with a string attached to it, called 'thanthi paanai' produces wonderful sound. The villadi vadhyam used in traditional villupaattu has a bow and and a pot. Ravanastharm, one of the earliest bow instruments was on display.

The exhibition is open from 10am to 7pm. If you are lucky, you can catch a representatitve from the department of Handicrafts, who knows to play many of the instruments such as pancha mukha vadhyam and tubophone, who comes every day to the gallery at around 11 am and available for aboutan hour.

The exhibition is on till Dec. 30

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Music Academy Tour

The Music Academy, Madras, is today associated with the building on T. T. K. Road, but in a long and fascinating history beginning in 1927, it has had its programmes at various locations in the city.

For instance did you know:

1. That the Academy was first thought of during an All India Congress Session in 1927?

2. That the first conference was actually held in the dry bed of the Spur Tank in Nungambakkam?

3. That for many years the Academy had its registered office in the residence of a Doctor of George Town?

4. That the doctor demolished a part of his own home to give the Academy a music hall?

5. That for many years the Academy held its conferences at a specially erected pandal behind Ripon Buildings?

6. That among the various Academy venues there is a disused hotel, a political party's headquarters and at least two schools?

Learn all this and more from the Music Academy tour, slated to be conducted on Dec. 17. Kick off at Music Academy premises at 6.00 am. Conducted by music historian, writer V. Sriram. The tour will be by van

Itinerary cum route:

6.15 am - Leave Music Academy - YMCA Hall, Esplanade - Sudarshan Buildings, Thambu Chetty Street - My Ladye's Garden - Senate House - Mani Iyer's Hall, Raja Hanumantha Lala Street - Congress House, General Patters Road - Lodd Govinddoss Garden - Old Woodlands Hotel, Westcott Road - RR Sabha, Sundareswarar Stree t- PS High Schoo l- Music Academy

The tour ends with breakfast at the Music Academy canteen as befits a season event! Duration expected - 2.5 hours

Please wear comfortable shoes and bring water with you. Also caps in case you need to protect yourself from the sun.

Charges - Rs 350 per person

Payable at Charsur Digital Workstation,
No. 75, Bheemana Mudali Street,
Alwarpet, Chennai-600 018. INDIA.
Tel No : 91-44-24994119 / 24987189
Fax : 91-44-24670415

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