Ashwin Anand (Veena) - SRLKM - Blr - 4th Jan 2014

[gardabha_gana]

Vid. Ashwin Anand (Veena)
Vid. K.U. Jayachandra Rao (Mridangam)
Vid. Jayachandra Rao (Ghatam)

Date: 4th Jan 2014 (Saturday)
Time: 5:45 PM
Venue: Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira
9th Main Road, Near Devagiri Venkateshwara Temple,
Banashankari 2nd Stage,
Bangalore - 560070,

[Rsachi]

Jayan and others who missed this concert:
Back from a memorable 'gayaki' Veena concert by Ashwin Anand, accompanied very well by KUJayachandra Rao and Dayanad Mohite.
You can catch the entire concert in video by clicking below:


A delightful approach to Veena music from Ashwin, from the word go:
1. Vasantha varna
2. Jaya Jaya, Nata, PD
3. Tulasamma, Devagandhari, T
4. Sukhi Evvaro, Kanada, T - a deeply contemplate raga prelude, without any clichéd phrases
5. Sambho Mahadeva, Kamavardhini, T
6. A rare Srividya Rajagopalam in Jaganmohanam of MD - superb song!
7. A song in Kamalamanohari? Couldn't figure out the song
8. Akshayalinga Vibho, Shanakarabharana, MD, delivered in the grandest style you would expect from ANYONE.
9. A full-blooded Tani by KUJR and Mohite
10. Sarasmukhi, Goudmalhar, HMB
11. A brilliant Shanmukhapriya RTP, with expansive raga, a totally Gayaki (=no tantrakari!) Tanam and a Pallavi in Khanda Triputa. Raga Malika swaras woven seamlessly and elegantly in Mohana, Lalitha, Behag and Surutti.
12. Jagadoddharana, Kapi, PD
13. Dhanashri tillana ST
14. Mangalam
I am big on Veena music, gayaki style and an elegant concert format full of timeless masterpieces. That's what we got from Ashwin today!
He is winning the youth award from SRLKM along with Amrutha Venkatesh to be awarded during their forthcoming Spring festival to be conducted in BGS.
Congrats to two of my favourite musicians!

[gardabha_gana]

It was indeed an excellent concert. Few things to note:
* Very thrilled to see a full hall for Veena
* Excellent organization by SRLKM, Sri. Krishnaprasad and everyone else involved
* Nice to see the program being webcast - hopefully it is not a deterrent for folks to come braving the bangalore traffic
* Vids. Neela Ramgopal, HKV, G. Ravikiran graced the occassion

About the concert:
* Very good Percussion support. I thought Mridangam was quite brilliant actually. Especially in a small hall and a sensitive instrument with sensitive playing by Ashwin. I think Ashwin has probably the most natural sound coming from the Veena that I have heard in a while.
* Excellent song/raga selection. Nice to see Neravals on the Veena - neravals on instruments are becoming very rare.
* Having come back listening to Vid. Vedavalli sing Sukhi Evvaro (MA) and Srividya Rajagopalam (Nada Inbam) - and listening to Ashwin reproduce it faithfully - I just say WOW
* Superb Kaanada, SB and SP RTP.
* Ashwin to be conferred with the title Raga Laya Prabha during SRLKM annual event in February

Complete song list with Neraval lines:
1. Ninne Kori - Vasanta Varnam - Adi
2. Jaya Jaya JanakiKantha - Natai - Khanda Chapu (Sketch, S)
3. Tulasamma - Devagandhari - Adi (Sketch)
4. Sukhi Evvaro - Kaanda - Adi (R, S)
5. Shambo MahaDeva - PantuVarali - Rupakam (N, S)
N @ shambo mahadeva sharanagatha rakshaka
6. Sri VidyaRajagopalam - Jaganmohana - Tisra Eka
7. Devadi Deva Sadashiva - Sinduramakriya - Adi
8. Akshaya Linga Vibho - Sankarabharanam - Misra Chapu (R, N, S, T)
N @ Akshara Swaroopa Amita Pratapa
9. Sarasamukhi - Gowda Malhar - Rupakam
10. RTP - SanmukhaPriya - Khanda Jati Triputa
Pallavi line: Dayanidhe Parthasarathe Parama
Swaras in Mohanam, Lalitha, Behag, Suruti
11. Speech - short and apt as how it should be. Unlike.... (I will get flamed)
12. Jagadodharana - Kapi - Adi
13. Tillana - Dhanasri - Adi
14. Pavamana - Saurashtram/Madhyamavati

[Rsachi]

Doubt #1 if GaGa wasn't there in the concert how did he write the review
Doubt #2 did he read what I wrote in the thread!?

I confused one for the other:

Sindhu Rāmakriya S G3 M1 P D1 N3 S S N3 P M1 G3 R1 G3 S
Kamalā Manohari S G3 M1 P N3 S S N3 D1 P M1 G3 S

[rajeshnat]

* Very thrilled to see a full hall for Veena

GG,
Congrats to Ashwin on the award .When you say full hall , how many roughly , ihave no idea of the hall size as I have not been to SRLKM. You guys in bangalore are giving more time , in chennai many of the veena artists are targeted for 12 hour 30 minutes an artist mela.

[gardabha_gana]

Sachi Sir - I was at the concert, sitting in the 3rd row on the chairs (2nd & 3rd from the wall with my daughter). I would have loved to meet you if I knew you were there.
I did read your thread and tried to complement it. I wish I could annotate your review with the additions
I recognized the song (Devadi Deva) - thanks to MSS version - and I know it to be SinduRamakriya. I hope some day - in this life - I will be able to detect the notes and its difference with Kamalamanohari

rajeshnat - SRLKM is a wonderful organization pioneered by Sri. GV. Krishnaprasad with his sisters GV. Neela and late GV. Ranganayakamma. Take a look at http://www.srlkmandira.org/
They have a small hall with an intimate setting at Banashankari with a following of genuine music lovers. They are very well organized and feature quality music in their Sabhangana as they call it. They also feature up and coming artists and conduct Lec Dems. Musicians such as Vid. Jayanthi, Vid. Neela Ramagopal are regularly featured. They conduct their annual festival in Feb at BGS.
By a full hall, it may be around 60-100 folks including those outside. Note that only passionate music lovers come here. You can say, it is like Nada Inbam & Ragasudha Hall.

[Rsachi]

I was sitting in row 6/7.
I counted around 100 people.

[cienu]

I recognized the song (Devadi Deva) - thanks to MSS version

A video link to the MSS version here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-TxqVyQ4K8
Thanks to Rsachi for the link (and to Rsachi and G_G for the reviews)
Enjoying the excellent Sankarabharanam by Ashwin now.