Amrutha Venkatesh at Ganapathi Sachidhanandha Ashram, Velachery

[Rasikapriya2013]

Date : 30th December 2014
Venue : Nadasudha, Ganapathi Sachidhanandha Ashram, Velachery

Amrutha Venkatesh with Sri M. Rajeev on the Violin and Sri Arjun Ganesh on the Mridhangam

Another power packed concert with very nice song selection.

Sobillu Saptha swara - Jaganmohini - Roopakam - Tyagarajar krithi

Bajare re mAnasa - Aberi - Adi - Mysore VasudEvaacharya

Ninne nera namminanura - Pantuvarali - Roopakam - Tyagarajar Krithi

Bogeendra shayeenam - Kunthalavarali - Khanda Chapu - Swathi Tirunal Krithi

Main for the evening was Mohanam: One of the best Mohanam I have ever heard in recent times. This is a raga where you feel happy listening to it just like that. But Amrutha elaborated the raga with such ease, nidhanam, confidence, and with such sensitivity bringing to us the sweetness of this raga. She was playful at times, very melodious all through, adhering to sampradhaya all the same. An artiste who has her own individuality and not afraid of experimenting. M. Rajeev was too quick to grasp her mind and reply with equal fervour. We listeners got to see two young and talented musicians perform with so much joy and involvement. I would have been most happy just to listen to her sing Mohanam for two hours.

Following the Alapana, she sang 'Kapali' a song by Sri. Papanasam Sivan.
Set to Adi thala the composer makes it clear that he too is convinced of the Lord's beauty by setting the song in the mangalagaramana Mohana ragam.
Kalpanaswaram at Kapali, her brilliance, humour, creativeness, aesthetic sense showed in each swara she sang gifting herself and the audience a very rich and soulful music that day.
Arjun Ganesh Thani was brilliant and energetic .He enriched the beauty of the song and the concert on the whole.

Irakkam Varamal ponadhen Swamikku - Behag - Roopakam - Gopalakrishna Bharathi

Hindholam Thillana - Sri Balamuralikrishna

I would say this was one of her best concert for the season. I loved the way she approached every song. Starting from Jaganmohini. I liked the way she used new sangathis at "Dara rutsa" making it a feast to the listener right from the beginning. Her Aaberi rendition was mesmerizing, the kalpanaswaram for "Bajere re manasa" complimenting to the meaning of the song so beautifully, her short and very dynamic rendition of Bogeendra shayeenam, absolutey soul melting Behag alapana, I could go on.... The whole concert was presented with an attitude of just celebrating and surrendering to the Divine music herself.

[Purist]

It is 'Dhara Rik Sama dulalo' (in Shobillu ). MMI has done a beautiful nereval at this.