Season 2011 twitter - concert attendance

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 11 Dec 2011, 23:28

Don't we usually have a thread of this sort to cover our concert experiences every season--to speak of the concerts which don't get reviewed,
food in the canteen and so on?
I will speak of my day tomorrow (need some rest for now).
Want to hear from others, meanwhile...

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 12 Dec 2011, 06:57

arasi, go on! Waiting to hear the ramblings(rumblings).

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 15 Dec 2011, 14:41

I'll be in town from tomorrow and have a question for the veterans:

I'm interested in attending Vijay Siva's program tomorrow at Kalarasana, but will be attending Nirmala Rajasekhar's recital earlier in the afternoon. Can I just buy tickets at the door for VS's concert or would it be sold out by then? I would like a good seat - I had a really horrible experience at Kalarasana last year. How early should I buy the ticket?

Also, hope to meet other rasikas during concerts! Let's use this thread as a twitter like we've had over the years.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 15 Dec 2011, 15:36

I had to be out early this morning to do the sort of bureaucratic stuff foreigners are bound to do from time to time. I'd planned not to drive, but to take a cab. Due to rains, no cab was available. Driving to Haddows Rd and back was not fun. I do not want to take the car out again today.

Smt Vedavalli opens the Music Academy season tonight. I've booked a cab

Yesterday, Rama Varma.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Dec 2011, 16:50

Mods,
Could you please change the title of this thread to Season Twitter (thanks Bilahari) so that others who are familiar with it will join in?

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Dec 2011, 22:14

Thanks mods for changing the thread title to Season 2011!

Remember our wanting more nAdaswaram and vINA concerts? Guess what. There are more this season. Did anyone go to the MA this evening to hear injikkuDi? Missed it, but will be there tomorrow morning for Sheik and Khalisa Mehboob's concert.
Have a look at our own J&J's vINA concert schedule and about Ramki's playing at SRJ's lec-dems.
I went to Jayalakshmi Sekhar's concert at Shastry Hall and it was a very good one.

I was at Gayathri Girish's concert this evening at BVB. The schedule said 5-30. What a shame! The concert had begun at 5-00 ;( As a result, I missed the beginning and a very good alApanA of gAna murthE. Mysore Srikanth's reply to it was very good. A majestic khambOdi AlApana and Sri SubrahmanyAya namastE, mannu pugazh kOsalai in nIlAmbari, tIrAda viLAiyATTup piLLai and basO mere nainan mE nandlAl were full of bhAvam. Here's a very intelligent singer who pays attention to the lyrics. Will try to hear her again if time permits...

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 15 Dec 2011, 22:58

Just noticed this thread--have been here in Chennai off and on since end of November started the season with Sikil G @ venus Colony--attended MSS/Radha function .Saw arasi but,she was in the VIP rows!!!Afternoon due to my own ineptness missed Aish's KGS concert- shuttling between wrong venues in mMylapore except the right one in Mambalam--understand the loss was mine!!.Caught Lalgudi duet followed by TMK@venus Colony Alawpet---both were good- list of songs --nothing new--too lazy to write a review--am sure would have been covered in the reviews section by other rasikas.just returned from Prasann venkatramn's concert in Nada Inbam--first time hearing him--mightily impressed--varadarajan on the violin--melody personified--TVM Balaji(did not stay for Thani) gave good unintrusive support.
Missed the inaugural of the MA-missed Tricy Sankaran's speech etc--how can one be in 2 places at the same time--some rasikas seem to manage--would like to know how--despite being "armed" with Nalli's comprehensive schedule guide--incidentally I carry it more diligently than folks carry their cell-phones!!! Oh the woes of old age and short attention spans!!!
Still trying to figure out the program tomorrow-Gayathri V@ Brahma Gana sabha OR R and G @ Partha--have not come cross any forumites yet.
looking forward to meeting some of you on 18th @ Nageswaran's house.

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 15 Dec 2011, 23:04

Over the last three days, I was happy to hear a good deal of SuruTTi and madhyamAvati, other than as a customary last song or a mere humming that barely lasts seconds at the end of the concert.

The SuruTTis - three of them - happened on the same day on Tuesday. You guessed it right, the kriti was angArakam AshrayAmyaham on all the occasions...it happened as the ending piece in Radha Parthasarathi's concert as part of the lecdem on Yoga & Carnatic Music by Dr. Narasimhan and Yessel Narasimhan at Krishna Gana Sabha. (By the way it was such a fine effort by the Narasimhan duo & the singer)....a couple of hours or so later, at the same venue, R. Raghavendra took up the same kriti right after the varnam. Later at Mudhra that evening, the same kriti was taken up at one down by TNS Krishna. Both Raghavendra and Krishna treated the rasikas to excellent aalaapanas before commencing the kriti.

Heard two excellent Madhyamavati mains too - pAlincu kAmAkshi by TNS Krishna today and rAma kathA sudhA earlier. Krishna did an elaborate neraval at "kAntamagu ... kAruNya mUrtivai jagamu" and passed it on to Shri Srimushnam Raja Rao for the tani but Rajarao sir insisted that swarams be sung, which was so nice to see.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 16 Dec 2011, 02:00

I think Smt. Gayatri Girish's pronunciation of lyrics is one of the best, if not the best!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Dec 2011, 13:40

Ravi,
Spot on!

MKR,
I was not in the VIP section, but just behind it. You speak of age and memory, but you stand (sit?) tall

With my height, even if I sit in the second row, there is the danger of my view being obscured. Hope to see you soon!

Heard the Mehboobs on nAdasvaram at the Academy this morning. Loved their vAchaspati, khAmbOdi. Khalisha's kApi was endearing. Mand was another pleasing number...
Did not come across any forumite this morning. Spent some very pleasant time with sridhar_rang at KGS canteen before Sandeep's energetic concert yesterday.

Fellow forumite Sandeep Narayanan (deepsand) is gifted with an appealing voice. I hear him after a spell. His capacity for brighAs has strengthened since then. However, in a short concert, he could have curtailed them a bit to emote on the lines a little more. Such a promising young musician he is. Another feather in the crown of the imported variety of CM musicians. Bravo, Sandeep! Accompanists Ananthapadmanabha, Sankara Narayanan and Purushottam added sparks to the concert .

A few days ago, Jayamangala Krishnamani's concert in Shastry HAll was an impressive one (she is a mrudangist and a dancer, an added strength for her in layam).

Arundhati Krishnan at Mylapore Fine Arts (a masters student at IIT) has finesse in her singing (student of Sundara Krishnan). She delivers the rAgams and lyrics gently and with care.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Dec 2011, 14:15

Heard the censored word on nAdasvaram at the Academy this morning.

The mind boggles!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Dec 2011, 15:11

No comprende

You were at the Academy and I missed you! Were you and others in the canteen?I stayed for the entire concert and was in the lobby for a few minutes.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 16 Dec 2011, 16:29

It is the censored word that is boggling my mind: the peculiar things this forum software dos with ordinary English!

No, I was not there, or anywhere else: I am having an at-home day today.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 16 Dec 2011, 22:03

Heading to MA tomorrow morning for TNK's lecture. Anyone else going to be there?

Heard Nirmala Rajasekar this afternoon for the first time. She was OK. Then I listened to B Balasubramaniam, who was also OK.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 17 Dec 2011, 00:21

Ragha Sudha Hall for me, Sat 17th, morning and evening. Possibly afternoon too, though three concerts in a day is a bit too much for me

Rasikas meet on Sunday

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 17 Dec 2011, 12:10

Fantabulous TNK lecdem this morning at MA. More later. Apparently TNK has a concert this evening at the Raintree Hotel, but I can't find details about it. If I can't attend that, will head to Ramani-MC concert this evening.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 17 Dec 2011, 16:26

Bilahari,
I was looking for you. Yes, fabulous recollections from Master Krishnan.
How many times do you practice your ga ri sA-s?

Not sure about Rasikas meet tomorrow--even peeking in

Want to hear MRK's mimicry but seems doubtful.
Will certainly be there at MA for Ravikiran...

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 17 Dec 2011, 17:36

Tomorrow NGS mini hall from morning 7-8.30, Should be able to make it to rasikas meet, and @ MA evening 4-9...

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 17 Dec 2011, 18:30

Currently at Rani Seethai hall listening to Sanjay.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 17 Dec 2011, 22:31

Attended a short concert by Ramani this evening. It was pleasant, and I got to see MC in action too. The highlight was a lovely Ananda bhairavi.

Won't be able to make it to the rasikas meet tomorrow either - family obligations. Hopefully will be able to attend a concert in the evening.

Arasi, I didn't know you'd be at MA! My ga ri sa-s haven't been in practice for months now, I'm afraid.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 17 Dec 2011, 22:41

A Raga Sudha Hall Day.

Headed out to see Madirimangalam Swaminathan play mridangam, managing to get there only an hour late. With apologies to K Bhaskaran, Flute, I didn't manage to take much else in.

Managed to catch a quick lunch with my guruji, before heading back to Luz with lots of time on my hands. Strolled around, visited the Crosswords Bookshop, then returned to the car (parked by the park) to drink tea and take a nap.

Went into J B Shrutisagar's concert and was immediately enthralled by his exquisite tone. Flute with vocal support? Sound like a good idea? I wouldn't have thought so, but it actually worked very well indeed. Not sure, wife/sister/just-good-friend/whatever but she sang with the song lines, leaving the rest entirely to J B S. An astonishingly competant violin accompaniment from 14-yr-old Kamalakiran Vinjamuri, and very good mridangam from N C Bharadwaj.

This was a concert I could have gone home from brimming with happiness ... and yet, the artist that I had actually stayed out for, Amrutha Venkatesh, was yet to come. I have to admit to doubts that even a favourite artist of mine could follow that flute performance.

6.14, flute finish: 6.15, vocal begin, was too much for me. I had to go out for the first song to stretch my ears.

I came back in (actually to the third song, I think) and immediately knew that this concert too would hold me spellbound.

This was a storm-force concert, with Amrutha and Hemalatha in high-energy mode. Even so, Amrutha lost none of her accuracy and delicacy, and maintained the beautiful tone of her voice. Chertalai Anandakrishnan and Alathur Rajaganesh were obviously willing and happy to join in the storming. The storm raged and we were all drenched in good music!

A very satisfying, but rather long day. I expect I'll be late for the Rasika's meet. :$

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 17 Dec 2011, 23:44

Nick,
My! You seem to beat me in concert-crawling, at least today! Good reports from you, especially when it concerns Amrutha Venkatesh

I went to a different Amrutha (Murali)'s concert this afternoon at Brahma Gana Sabha. I did not hear her last year. Very appealing music and choice of songs. MAyAmALava GowLai followed by a bahudhAri and kalyani main. This violinist/vocalist sang with elegance. Ranjani Ramakrishnan's violin was very good.

Bilahari,
After the lec-dem--the place was jam packed when I came, and had to sit on a ledge by a row of seats. Couldn't see the 'tall' you. No wonder you couldn't spot 'short' me!
Met a very musical schoolmate there, spent some time in the lobby (Bombay sisters singing inside), found no forum folks, but met with TNK and family who were still there, being detained by rasikas.

Is anyone coming to Ravikiran's concert at the MA? I hope to meet Uday and Emilija there. Nick, are you coming too?

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 17 Dec 2011, 23:53

There is a line from a sit com 'These pretzels are making me thirsty".. Along those lines, 'this thread is making me thirsty' ( for music ), 'this topic is making me jealous'

This is a fun topic to read indeed. Keep going.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 18 Dec 2011, 00:13

My! You seem to beat me in concert-crawling, at least today!

Probably only today. There were a couple of others I could have included one of. I walked past the place where you were, but, at that point, needed leg stretching more than music.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Dec 2011, 08:56

Spring cuckoo,
You were here last season and we were at a couple of concerts together. Jealousy does not become you--another tip is: don't eat those salty pretzels, either!
I make the most of it because I've no idea how long 'the spring chicken' can wing it

malavi · Post by **malavi** » 18 Dec 2011, 14:28

This is jananee here. Arasi: i should be in MA today evening. So far i have managed only one Malladi Bros and one Sanjay..not to forget Shuba Mudgal.
Bilahari: hope to run into you somewhere.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 18 Dec 2011, 15:14

I have not heard of the cuckoo as being a migratory bird, but just because it is not mandatory does not mean it is not optional. Join us more often, VK!

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 21 Dec 2011, 09:03

At the music academy canteen preceding Trichur Ramachandran

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Dec 2011, 12:22

A couple of days ago at Raga Sudha Hall...

Having other obligations, I didn't take in who was giving the earlier concert, only having Sumithra in my book for the day. I was lucky enough to catch just over half an hour of Ashwin Anand's veena --- first class!

Sumithra's concert was wonderful.

Err... deja-vu feeling: did I post this before? :$

Yesterday I went to see my guruji getting an award, and playing for two young bharatnatyam ladies. One small 10-year-old gave a remarkable performance. My first experience of Govt Music College, Adyar... bad acoustics, bad sound, far too loud (independent, can't blame the college), no water in the taps, even more mosquitoes than my own garden! Not a good experience!

Today, I am going to see Balu Raghuraman accompanying at the Academy. Huge bonus: he is playing for Sumithra!

Somehow I feel overwhelmed by the season this year... can one have too much of a good thing? Well, when the listings are so enormous that one can't even find the good thing, perhaps! But, 'overwhelmed' is a huge improvement on lying in bed with a chest infection, so, for me, 2011 is a heap better than 2010

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Dec 2011, 00:29

No, one cannot have too much of a good thing!

In light of which, I'm going to try to attend four concerts tomorrow. If rasikas see me around, PLEASE come up and say hello! I'm 24 (that wipes out 95% of the audience right there) and have really short hair (other 4.5% gone).

NSG - MA
Iyer Brothers - BGS
V. Shankaranarayanan - BGS

Undecided about evening program - really want to see MSG play, but he comes with Suresh, who is a no-no for me [Valayapatti Trust]. Other options are PP at Kalakshetra (but only 1.5 hour concert) and Hyderabad Brothers at Nungambakkam.

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 22 Dec 2011, 08:24

Parassala Ponnammal is performing a longer concert at 10 am in Musiri House on Christmas morning, so you could attend that.

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 22 Dec 2011, 10:45

Bilhari .. i might be at BGS too but may be late for Iyer brothers

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:04

Bilahari,
Darn it! I don't need any descriptions to spot you, and I've been looking for you this morning too. I was lingering on in front of MA, after our NSG's super concert--hope there's going to be areview. I was talking to Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan and other members of my extended family. Met Sundararajan again, after my CD release. Spotted someone like Vijay at Partha at Narmada's classy concert yesterday (expected you to be there). Had to leave early, so did not meet Vijay.

Janani,
We still haven't met

Mohan,
Haven't met you either.

Nick,
Wish I had made it to the Rasikas meet. Half the morning, I had a commitment and after that Mambalam was too far to reach before the gathering dispersed. So, I took in part of TNS's concert at the MA.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:17

NSG's concert was dripping with sowkhyam! What class! A review will follow at night.

Arasi, I looked for you but couldn't find you. I had to leave right after the concert though. I have scheduled a Narmada solo for next week - don't worry, there is a method to my madness!

Mohan, I have a vague idea what you look like and will look out for you at BGS.

I've decided I cannot pass up a chance to listen to PP, so I'll be heading to Kalakshetra this evening. Will also get an opportunity to see Jayanthi Kumaresh.

Jananee, yes, we should meet. Kamalamba's in town too.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 13:28

But, 'overwhelmed' is a huge improvement on lying in bed with a chest infection, so, for me, 2011 is a heap better than 2010

And the sore throat started yesterday.

Sumithra's concert was stately and beautiful. I am sorry not to have been able to go to Suryaprakash's concert in the evening, as I took my sore throat home.

So much social life at the Music Academy! So many meetings with friends and strangers!

Today... Ramani at Raga Sudha Hall. Flute concert is specially for my wife, but of course I will enjoy too.

Arasi, where are you!? You will be running away to Bangalore or America or Somewhere soon, and we will not have met except briefly at the function.

Power cut here: 2.5 hours so far. I'm glad it isn't May!

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 22 Dec 2011, 18:12

Accompanied Sangeetha to the tailor this morning and three hours later managed to escape. Hence couldn't make it too BGS. Have come too Abhishek instead at IFA.

Arasi when do you leave for Bangalore?

Bilhari, Sangeetha is singing in Velachery on Monday afternoon if you are around.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 21:52

The evening turned into Christmas shopping instead of concert going.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 22 Dec 2011, 22:34

Mohan, I am around through Jan 1, so I will definitely try to attend Sangeetha's concert. Time and venue, please? Is it under the auspices of Nada Sudha?

I SAW arasi today during Shankaranarayanan's concert, but she came and went over the course of the concert, so I couldn't chat with her.

No more near-misses. Can we all just agree that all roads point to Vedavalli mami's concert tomorrow evening at Naada Inbam?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Dec 2011, 23:00

Mine certainly does

Unless the crowds beat me to it, you can find me somewhere around row four, on the right or near the middle.

CRama · Post by **CRama** » 23 Dec 2011, 09:51

Arasi madam, I am having Mr.Sankaranarayanan's article on Bharathiyar published in Sruti to be given to you. He also wanted to speak to you. But I do not have your phone no. Somehow we have not met in any concert so far. I will be attending RKS concert tomorrow morning in MA and PP concert on Sunday morning at Musiri's house. If you happen to come any of these places please give me a call. so that I may not miss you. I will say hello to you and hand over the same to you.

Guys, any of you coming to either of these concerts. I will be happy to meet you. BUt how to recorgnise. My pic is available in the rasikas meet photo- person with specs in blue kurta.

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 23 Dec 2011, 10:39

Sangeetha Swaminathan singing 8havapriya alapana... Now we know how this raga got its name!

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 23 Dec 2011, 10:56

Sometimes the stars and planets align themselves just right to produce a concert that is bigger and brighter than anyone performing or listening there. This is definitely one!

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 23 Dec 2011, 12:44

Vidya kalyanaraman singing karu baru at the academy... mrudangam at the academy sounds so consistently awesome... Can hear every nuance instead of just general loudness you hear at most places

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 23 Dec 2011, 13:14

Even though the balance was not quite right for Sumithra's concert, the other day, the acoustics and equipment at the MA are superior. Most of all, they seem to have taken on board the purpose of the electronics; to reinforce the music, not to amplify it. Nuances are allowed, rather than crushed!

sureshvv · Post by **sureshvv** » 23 Dec 2011, 14:15

Sandeep narayan at narada mini, Lots of folks from back home

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 24 Dec 2011, 13:19

Two kIravANis in a row! Vedavalli sang a beautiful RTP yesterday and R.K. Srikantan followed that with his own elegant presentation today. Two classy concerts in a row (not happy with the accompaniment for RKS, though).

Caught up with Arvind after the concert (semmu86), and we'll meet again several times I'm sure!

Heading to Vijay Siva this evening at Kalarasana.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 24 Dec 2011, 14:03

Sore chest; sore throat... staying at home today.

Happy Christmas and Happy Concerts to all!

Tomorrow, after family lunch, should be able to get to Raga Sudha Hall for Jayalakshmi Santhanam

semmu86 · Post by **semmu86** » 24 Dec 2011, 16:02

Great ambiance @ today MA's lec-dem. Boy, am seeing the mini hall of the MA first time this season and thought i came to the wrong place.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 24 Dec 2011, 16:12

How did you like the mini-hall new look?

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 24 Dec 2011, 16:33

What new look? Looks the same as last year, or am I oblivious?