Aishu Venkataraman for RadioWeb, Bengaluru, Jan 3, 2015

[Kurunji]

Aishu Venkataraman (Violin Solo)
Venue: Ashraya, Bengaluru
Date: Jan 3, 2015 (6:30 to 9:00 PM)
Organizer: RadioWeb.

Vinod Venkataraman (Mridangam Accompanimet)

Hello All,

This is my first visit to this wonderful website. It is a wealth of knowledge and information. I must thank Smt Kalpana K sitting besides me at the concert for introducing me to this site.

I have never written a review before and have been reading various reviews on Rasikas to see if there is a format. Other than the song list and my personal impressions, I would not call this a review.

Nattakurunji Varnam
Vathapi Ganapathim (Hamsadwani)
Karunil Chutakini (Sindhu Mandhari)
Evarura Ninnuvinna (Mohanam)
Ragam, Tanam, Kirtanam Kharaharapriya
RamaNi SamanaMevaru Kirtanam
Raghuvamshasudha Kathanakuthuhalam
Gunijanaba, Gurjari Ragam
Bhagyada Lakshmi Bharamma

This was unlike any kutcheri, I have attended in the last 50 years. This was very interactive and informative with audience participation and question and answer sessions.

Aishu Venkataraman a very mature violinist opened by saying she would highlight 3 aspects of her musical education,
1. Her Guru’s namely Shri TNK and Shri SRJ
2. Her instrument (Making Bowing, tonality, strings etc)
3. I cannot remember what else she wanted to discuss

She started with Nattakurunji Varnam in two speeds with a beautiful round of swarams. This was followed by MD immortal Vathapi Ganapathim with about 15 minutes of kalpana swarams in two speeds, Vathapi had all the sowkyam one could imagine with absolute control over the bow. This was followed by a brisk Sindhu mandhari. Kirtanam

Here Aishu highlighted her education with both her gurus and how TNK mama started her learning experience with Ninnukori varnam when she had barely held a violin in her hand.

This led to the selection of an elaborate Mohana ragam followed by Evarura Ninnuvina in Misra Chapu with wonderful Kalpana swarams. She went on to talk about her association with Shri SRJ since early 2008. She mentioned that a library may run out of books, but not so with SRJ mama’s knowledge and vidwat. What caught my attention was how the guru’s have shared their life stories, their associations with Tiger, MDR Musiri etc and made Karnataka Sangeetam a very educative and enjoyable experience for this young lady.

Post Mohanam came an elaborate Kharaharapriya ragam with tanam. Aishu was getting ready to deliver a Pallavi, when her father interjected and asked her to play Ramani Samana Mevaru. After the concert when I asked him, he mentioned something that rings very true in our music. A student has to be challenged on stage to deliver the best. So following instructions from his late guru Palghat Raghu, Shri Vinod invariably puts the artist in a spot on stage hoping to bring out the best under stress. This according to him is a very important education for every artist. This in his words throws them of their game and forces them to deliver.

An audience member asked Aishu to discuss something unique and rare about her education with SRJ Sir. Aishu in response discussed ragam Gurjari and sang the chittaswaram impeccably highlighting how the swaras shifts with each note. She mentioned it was a difficult task for vocalist to render this song as they are thinking Sa but having to say Ri. I am unable to articulate as well as she did. I hope someone else who attended could do justice.

She then played the song and concluded the concert with Raghuvamshasudha and BhagyaDa Lakshmi. Their were about 100 people in attendance and and almost everyone stayed till the end.

Once again at age 68, I must say my New Year began extremely well.

[rshankar]

Kurunji - welcome - thank you for that lovely report of your experience - and please continue to share your personal views of all the concerts you attend!

[kvchellappa]

Hope at least some part of it is made available on web. A nice review of a charming artist, with divine commitment to whatever she is doing.

[HarishankarK]

Must be the first Vatapi of the season.

[Kurunji]

Organizers of this concert,

I saw someone take some recording of this concert. Any chance we can relive this experience with some sound bytes or video of the concert. Of course with permission from the artist.

Kurunji