Special Benefit Concert for Pediatric Aids : AISHU-M.NARMADHA-VINOD IN PERFORMANCE

[cacm]

[cacm]

[quote="cacm"]
Our own "ASTHANA VIDWAN"-VIDHUSHI?- AISHU VENKATARAMAN, M.NARMADHA AND VINOD VENKATARAMAN, ALL rasikas.org members will present a UNIQUE concert on March 21st, 2015 in Cullen Auditorium, Baylor College of Medicine, HOUSTON,TX. DETAILS ARE GIVEN ABOVE. Tickets can be purchased at:

http://divinestrings-bipai.eventbrite.com

AISHU, the prodigy is well known to members of our Forum and is currently studying at Baylor College of Medicine after graduating from Stanford with a Bachelors degree in Bio-Physics. EVERY YEAR she performs two benefit concerts to raise money for worthy causes. Last year one was for Doctors without Borders and this year she is collaborating with Narmadha for AIDS. As I had written before not only in music but in terms of concern & generosity she is following in the footsteps of M.S.S. & M.M.I. DR.M.NARMADHA will be touring USA performing in Cleveland Aradhana and TOUR USA CELEBRATING THE MEMORY OF HER ILLUSTRIOUS FATHER M.S.G. VINOD is both a creative artist in various genres and is a student of PALGHAT RAGHU who is also a Mathematics Professor who came to accompany K.V.N.(the last person BOB. BROWN invited) to Sandiego. The three played together in CHENNAI during the season for Sancara an organisation Narmadha has founded to further the Parur Tradition. It was critically acclaimed.
It is indeed a rare opportunity to hear OUR Music in all its glory&splendour as well as purity with these highly creative artists. I URGE everyone who can make it in HOUSTON & surrounding areas like Dallas, Austin and other places to attend& enjoy this special presentation. GOOD LUCK TO THE THREE ARTISTS. VKV

[rshankar]

Aishu, Dr. Narmada, and Vinod,
Best wishes for a fantastic concert! A worthy cause....

[Nick H]

The three played together in CHENNAI during the season for Sancara an organisation Narmadha has founded to further the Parur Tradition.

Indeed, and very good it was too

Glad to know that they are playing together again in USA.

[VK RAMAN]

Worthy cause and Best wishes for successful concert.

[appu]

Best wishes on this TNK-MSG like combo. Any chance you guys plan to visit Nova Scotia on this tour.

[Rsachi]

Best wishes for your success and fund raising!

[rajeshnat]

For one of the previous benefit concert, I remember aishu either in the website or made a post here mentioning precisely the collection in US Dollars. Liked the transparency. The door opens at 05:30 pm and the concert starts at 6 pm, I would be delighted to hear if the concert ends at 9pm with a 15 to 20 minute speech break to highlight the event. It should be easy as two of you are sharing the stage.

Best wishes to Aishu and Narmada Madam

[PUNARVASU]

A great initiative! Best wishes.

[bombal]

best wishes Vinod Narmadha and Aishu...

[rajeshnat]

best wishes Vinod Narmadha and Aishu...

Only another mrudangam artist always remembers to surely wish mrudangam artist . Oops sorry to miss out Vinod Venkatraman.Best wishes.

[arasi]

Rajesh,
Yes, even others are proud of a mrudangam artiste/father/rasika like Vinod An all star Rasikas.org team, coming together for a very good cause

And a prelude to the grand Cleveland Festival!

[cienu]

A music concert for a noble cause.
Congratulations to Dr Narmadha, Aishu and VRV.

[VRV]

best wishes Vinod Narmadha and Aishu...

Only another mrudangam artist always remembers to surely wish mrudangam artist . Oops sorry to miss out Vinod Venkatraman.Best wishes.

Rajesh,

Bombay Balaji and I learnt from the same guru Tiruchy S Raghava Iyer. It was a memorable childhood in Mumbai. I had lost touch with Balaji for some time when I moved to the US and reconnected when he came on his first US concert tour with Hyderabad brothers.

Thank you Rajesh, Cienu, Nick, Arasi, and rshankar, punarvasu and of course Balaji for the best wishes.

Regards,

Vinod Venkataraman

[PUNARVASU]

Bombay Balaji, he used to stay in CHEMBUR. I have heard him as a youngster . Then he shifted to chennai. Some times I see some old videos of his in podigai TV.

[appu]

VKV or Vinod Sir,

Will this concert be streamed or a recording uploaded for rasikas to enjoy.

[S.NAGESWARAN]

Best wishes to Dr.Narmada and Aishu for concert for a noble cause.
I fondly remember the Rasikas meet 2014 at my home where in Aishu played Ragamalika in Violin.
S.NAGESWARAN.
08.03.2015.

[VRV]

VKV or Vinod Sir,

Will this concert be streamed or a recording uploaded for rasikas to enjoy.

I will definitely try to video tape the concert and upload it here for all to enjoy. I of course will have to request permission from Narmadha too. Do not anticipate a problem though.

Vinod Venkataraman

[VRV]

Dear Friends,

Please enjoy this essay written by Aishu about her music, medicine and philanthrophy.

http://momentumblog.bcm.edu/2015/03/13/ ... nitiative/

Thanks everyone for the support.

VRV

[cacm]

AISHU, What an inspiration YOU are NOT JUST for today's younger generation but for old foggies like me in their eighties!
GOOD LUCK IN EVERY VENTURE OF YOURS. VKV

[appu]

Hello everyone

Just checked my email folder and found an email from Music Circle LA saying they had to cancel Narmadha Gopalakrishnan, solo concert due to a visa related issue. That is very sad and disappointing.

Aishu, how does this effect your upcoming concert this Saturday. An update will be appreciated.

VKV Sir. Does this affect the Cleveland Aradhana schedule. Have other artists received visa or is this an ongoing problem.

[cacm]

SATURDAY CONCERT IS NOT AFFECTED, NEITHER IS CLEVELAND.. IT IS VERY MUCH ON. PLEASE FILL THE HALL FOR A NOBLE CAUSE & A GREAT CAUSE. VKV
REGARDING CLEVELAND ARADHANA AGAIN NOTHING IS AFFECTED. IT WILL GO IN ITS USUAL GLORY! VKV

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Hi Dr.Narmadha,Aishu and Vinod" Just saw the info--BEST WISHES FOR THE CONCERT!!! As VKV says Aishu is a trail blazer amongst the youngsters and Dr.Narmada,in her own right has lent support to good causes.Vinod the tireless Rasika deserves praise for his untiring efforts to nurture Aishu's creativity.
Having just come to know of the concert I am making phone calls to my friends in Houston(I am sure this has gotten good publicity in Houston) to attend the concert and aid a good cause!!!

I wish I could attend the concert!! But then "IF WISHES WERE HORSES BEGGARS WOULD RIDE"!!!!

[cacm]

Herewith a REVIEW OF THE CONCERT:
http://www.indoamerican-news.com/?p=32605

EXCELLENT REVIEW OF APPARENTLY A GREAT CONCERT. HOPEFULLY DR. VINOD will let us hear if not see the concert soon. VKV
CONGRAGULATIONS TO THE TRIO FOR A GREAT CONCERT FOR A NOBLE CAUSE. VKV

[vichu1947]

I dont know what is so excellent about this review. It is Aishu centric, not a balanced review.

[kvchellappa]

Perhaps one should give his different views about a concert or review in concrete terms rather than questioning another's appreciation of it. If the posts tend that way, we will have less value here.

[kvchellappa]

The review does talk of Narmadaji's playing also amply.

[cacm]

I dont know what is so excellent about this review. It is Aishu centric, not a balanced review.

NARMADHA DOES NOT NEED THIS REVIEWER TO PRAISE OR EVALUATE HER ABILITIES OR GREATNESS. IT IS OBVIOUS & WELL KNOWN TO ANY ONE WHO KNOWS & APPRECIATES A GENIUS. Still she has great difficulty in getting SOLOS & is accompanying MEDIOCRE VOCALISTS most of the time....On the other hand AISHU needs all the recognition from the S.Indian Classical Community for her to BLOSSOM as a TWENTY FIRST CENTURY MUSICIAN who is equal to ANY of the GREATS with respect to PRACTISING all the good qualities that the greats like GNB, MMI & MSS HAD . Indeed she is a BEACON to what a leader should be NOT JUST A MUSICIAN....VKV

[appu]

I dont know what is so excellent about this review. It is Aishu centric, not a balanced review.

Vichu

You are correct. Yes this ARTICLE (I do not think in any way constitutes a review) is just one person's excitement in introducing a new found talent into the Houston community and diaspora.

A review would have to strictly adhere to certain guidelines and would have and I quote "be a critical analysis of the music". The reviewer has not done so and in the process focused on Aishu and her philanthropic attributes. The author has in her subtle ways managed to pull the theme of the evening eloquently and has made it clear that it was magical.

The author also says and I quote

"Dr. Narmadha’s sheer fluidity and ease was perfectly complemented by the crisp notes of Aishu’s creativity. Indeed, it was a true jugalbandhi (duet of two solo musicians)—not just a confluence of north and south, of Hindustani and Carnatic, but also of maturity and youth. It was heartwarming to see Dr. Narmadha’s hearty appreciation and encouragement of Aishu; the younger musician held her own in technique and execution. It was the ultimate jugalbandhi of dexterity, erudition, and above all, of an unconditional love for music."

That right there tells it all. Narmadha's ability to hold her own and her grace and poise to share her artistic prowess with another artist albeit three decades younger. Very few can rise up to the stature of Narmadha in this regard. Hope the team of Aishu and Narmadha flourishes and I hope to see them perform live in Nova Scotia.

[rshankar]

I for one did not feel that it was Aishu-centric in the way that it only talked about Aishu's music. In fact, music was incidental in this review and rightly so. It was, IMO, a beautiful article welcoming and introducing Aishu to the cultural scene in Houston. In doing so, it focused on the organizer/orchestrator of the event (Aishu), the charity of choice (Aishu's), and the person who will be a resident of Houston for at least 4 years (Aishu), and mentioned the music as well (this part of the article was appropriately balanced between Aishu, Dr. Narmadha, and Dr. VRV). So, on the whole, if it came off as Aishu-centric, it was deservedly so, and if it hadn't , it wouldn't have benn fair.
Incidentally, I heard that the event raised nearly $8000.00! CONGRATULATIONS!!!' May you go from success to success.

[Rsachi]

To my mind, such a program would have some dimensions =boundary conditions.
1. Focus on the cause =audience would come to support the cause first, and enjoy the music next (so not a regular kutcheri)
2. Dr Narmadha is highly accomplished and that she went to perform in this context with a junior from another school (TNK) shows her fresh thinking and generosity. The result would only be a happy amalgamation of styles and the repertoire would reflect it.
3. The report was not strictly a review of demonstrated competencies. It was a report with details of the music presented. I would still call it a review, maybe not a critical review.
In such a context, I wouldn't care for a critical review, this report is good for me.

My only little question would be how Keeravani Varnam in five speeds would represent progression of Aids in 5 stages. It is a real stretch of a metaphor. Not one to my liking! How about five aspects of Aids treatment as a metaphor?
(are there five groups of antiretroviral drugs?)

[cacm]

To my mind, such a program would have some dimensions =boundary conditions.

My only little question would be how Keeravani Varnam in five speeds would represent progression of Aids in 5 stages. It is a real stretch of a metaphor. Not one to my liking! How about five aspects of Aids treatment as a metaphor?
(are there five groups of antiretroviral drugs?)

AS USUAL RSachi has raised an interesting "little question" which is a "BIG QUESTION" for me! I hope VINOD READS THIS & ANSWERS. I am still in the India of my days mode where the excuses for not turning in the home work used to be " I have head ache in the stomach or the western mode: Dog ate my homework "...Better still used to be: "this question is "out of syllabus" or the typical American answer "Way over my head". All answers of course are NO ANSWERS AT ALL which is what I am good at!...VKV

[rajeshnat]

VRV
In the review the main raga of rtp is not mentioned . May I know what the raga is?.

While I wait along with sachi on keeravani and connection of AIDS initially I thought It is rare to start with a keeravani varnam. Then bit later I recognized now that I have never attended concert with a keeravani opener varnam. I just googled to find that the keeravani varnam is by Vummidishetty Venkataswami Naidu.Could u confirm on that too?

[Rsachi]

Keeravani is called the Minor scale and is familiar to Western audiences. The bowing technique of Aishu and note and speed perfection of Narmadha would have been showcased.
I attended an Aishu concert in Blr. Something tells me the RTP would have been a medley of ragas listed.