Geetha Raja is an accomplished exponent of Carnatic (South Indian) music,
with post graduate degrees in Music and English Literature. She is one of
the vocalists who has established herself in the Carnatic style as a result
of firm conviction in tradition coupled with an aptitude for absorbing novel
and interesting aspects of music and integrating these in her concerts.
Geetha's repertoire includes a wide variety of classical and light classical
compositions - Krithis of Tyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastri,
Tamil Krithis, padams, javalis, abhangs, bhajans and devarnamas.
Geetha Raja has been a performing artiste since 1975 and has presented concerts
at many important centres and prestigious venues thoughout the country.
She has received training under Sangita Kala Acharya Bombay Shri. S. Ramachandran
and Sangita Kalanidhi
Smt. T. Brinda. She has been under the tutelage of violin maestro, Padmashri,
Isai Perarignar Dr. Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and since 1998, has participated
in several music productions under his direction. Besides conducting lecture-demonstrations
and workshops in parts of Europe, Geetha has performed at various well-known
centres in Europe and USA.
Geetha Raja, in collaboration with versatile Hindustani vocalist Sandhya
Kathavate, has presented many jugalbandi programmes emphasizing the similarities
and contrasts in the Carnatic and Hindustani styles of music.
An A-grade artiste of All India Radio since 1983, Geetha participated in
the Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan held in 1995. She was awarded the Government
of India fellowship in the field of performing arts, for 1988-89. Geetha
also has teaching assignments to her credit.
She has been a lecturer at the Nalanda Dance Research Centre, affiliated
to Bombay University, 1987-88, as also a visiting lecturer in the music
department of the SNDT Women's University, Bombay, for a year. She has released
many cassette and CD recordings from reputed audio companies.
Geetha is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, the prominent among
these being the 'Sur Mani' title from the Sur Singar Samsad in Bombay (1976),
Sarada Krishna Iyer memorial award, T. S. Sabesa Iyer & Tanjavur K.
Ponniah Pillai award and Dr. S. Pinakapani award for Best raga alapana from
the Music Academy, Madras 1988, 1998 and 2000 respectively, and the 'Asthana
Vidushi' title from Sringeri Mutt, Karnataka (2001). She received the prestigious
title of 'Kalaimamani' from the Govt. of Tamilnadu in 2006.
::
Performances
Select
performances abroad:
:.
Concerts
in U.S.A and Canada
- April and May 2005. -
Cleveland
Tyagaraja Aradhana ; "Inspired by India. "
Festival, Smithsonian Institution, Washington
:. Concerts in U.S.A. April
May 2003 and 2004
:.
Nadatarangini's Festival
of Tyagaraja and Purandaradasa, Sri Murugan Temple of
N. America, Gandhi Memorial Center - Washington ;Learn
quest Academy of Music, Boston (Jugalbandi concert)
; Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh ; Hockessin Lakshmi
Temple, Delaware ; house concerts and teaching
:.
London
(Nehru Centre); New York, Washington - U.S.A. June 1997.
:.
Concerts
at Radio France (Traditional Music Service) Radio France
Auditorium. Interviews with Radio France and Radio Canada;
Hamburg Ethnological Museum; "Bindu" Indo
Austrian Association, Vienna; Sri Siva - Vishnu Temple,
Washington, U.S.A. November 1994.
:.
Concerts
at Brussels, Hamburg, Paris; Nehru Centre (Indian High
Commission), London; London Music Circle; New York,
Boston, Pittsburgh, Washington - U.S.A. (May-June 1993).
:.
Toured
U.S.S.R. (Mowcow, Leningrad, Minsk and other centres)
as part of cultural delegation and rendered abhangs
in the dance production 'Sant Vani' - The Festival of
India - 1987.
Lecture-Demonstrations
/ Workshops conducted in Europe:
:.
Brussels,
Hamburg, Paris - 1993. Workshops on "Raga
and tala in Carnatic music".
:.
Institute
of Carnatic music - "Nadopasana",
Paris - 1994.
:.
Workshop
at Indo - Austrian Assn., Vienna, Austria
- 1994
:.Teaching
of rare compositions and bhajans; Workshop
and demonstration on the Veena - Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, London - 1994, 1997.
Honours
and recognition:
Photo
Gallery:
:.
Selected
by Tamil Nadu State Academy (Iyal Isai Nataka
Manram) to give a series of concerts in
South India - 1977.
:.
'A'
grade artiste of All India Radio (AIR) since
1983. Regularly giving concerts on AIR stations
and television. Telecasts on Doordarshan,
CPC and private channels like Music Asia,
Asianet, Surya TV, Vijay TV and Jaya TV.
:. Specially
sponsored by AIR to give a series of concerts
in Andhra Pradesh before invited audiences
- 1985.
:.
Sung
for an award - winning dance documentary
film entitled "Sanchari", produced
for the Ministry of External Affairs - 1991.
:.
Particiapted
in Akashvani Sangeet Sammelan - 1995.
:.
Presenting
Hindustani / Carnatic jugalbandi concerts
with Hindustani vocalist Sandhya Kathavate
to audiences in Bombay, Madras and other
centres since 1998.
