Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam celebrates 32nd Festival
Reported by M. K. Sadagopan

Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam (a not for profit organization) will be celebrating its 32nd annual music festival during the Memorial Day weekend (May 24-26, 2008). The Utsavam is in honor of saint Tyagaraja (1767-1847).
CTU is a major event of its kind in the US with ten upscale programs spread over 3 days, including 6 major concerts by artistes from India. An attendance of over 5,000 is expected.
Local participation is the soul of CTU. The Pancharatna Kritis group comprising 80 people has meticulously rehearsed the songs in no less than ten practice sessions. In what promises to be a nice chorus, 104 children have been trained since January to perform several Utsava Sampradaya Kritis. Over 250 are to participate in homage to Tyagaraja in the amateurs program.

In the Western orchestra, students play Tyagaraja Kritis using Western music notation. Another part of our fine tradition is the popular CTU feast (on May 24), which features home cooked, authentic, South Indian vegetarian dishes.
Food is provided during all three days so patrons do not have to rush out between programmes to eat. The Utsavam offers more than fine music – it has been a long standing venue for friends and relatives to re-unite and refresh old memories while enjoying the ambience.
These programmes are very attractively priced. This is made possible by corporate and private donations, including a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency
The venue will be the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, 10915 Lemont Road, Illinois 60439. Ticketing and other information are at: www.tyagaraja-chicago.org Phone: 630 833 2756.

The Utsavam program is as follows.
Saturday May 24, 2008
8:00 am Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram group
9:00 am Pancharatna Kritis group
11:00 am Homage to Tyagaraja – Amateurs Program (till 6 pm)
7:00 pm Sreekala Bharat and party: Annamayya Bhakti Manjari - Bharatanatyam Dance Drama.

Sunday May 25, 2008
8:30 am Concert by advanced music students with accompaniments (Gupta Hall)
9:00 am Adults' Orchestra (Rathi Auditorium)
10:30 am Western Orchestra by Children
2:00 pm T. M. Krishna (Vocal) (Dr. V. K. Venkataraman Memorial Concert)
6:30 pm Aruna Sairam (Vocal)

Monday May 26, 2008
8:30 am Utsava Sampradaya Kritis by children in a procession led by Nadaswaram duet of Shubhan Kasim & Shubhan Babu.
9:00 am Utsava Sampradaya Kritis – Children’s Chorus
12 noon Gundecha Brothers (Bhajans) Shastriya Sangeet
3:00 pm Maharajapuram Srinivasan (Vocal)
6:00 pm M. S. Sheela (Vocal)
9:00 pm Geetarthamu – Children’s Group