S.Aishwarya – MSS Centenary Concert, KALOTSAV, 4th March 2016

[s.harinie]

4TH March 2016
Odakathur Mutt

Kumari S.Aishwarya – Vocal
Sri R K Shriramkumar – Violin
Sri H S Sudhindhra – Mridangam
Sri Phanindra Bhaskar – Ghatam

Song List
Dhyana shlokam – Adi Shankara
Viriboni – Ata – Bhairavi – Pachamiriyam Adiyappa
Kara Charanam Kritam Vaa – Bowli – Adi Shankara (Virutham)
Sambho Mahadeva –Rupakam – Bowli – Neelakanta Sivan
Intha Sowkhya Manine – Adi – Kapi – Thyagaraja (RS)
Ninuvina Namadendu – Rupakam – Navarasakanada – Thyagaraja
Kalyani Kamaneeya – Kalyani – Amba Pancha Rathnam (Virutham)
Bhajare Chitta Balambika – Kalyani – Misra Chapu – Dikshitar (RNST)
Gopiyaruli – Desh – (Virutham)
Yaduvamsha Tilaka – Desh - Misra Chapu – D V Gundappa
Petra Thai Thanai – Nadhanamakriya - Ramalingaswamy – Virutham
Arar Asai Padar – Nadhanamakriya – Misra Chapu – Muthu Tandavar
Dhano Dhanya – Dwijendralal Roy
Jagadhodharana – Adi – Kapi - Purandradasa
Kurai Onrum Illai
Maithreem Bhajatha
Mangalam

Concert began 30 minutes late as the previous dance program time was extended. There was a
garlanding of portrait of Smt M S Subbulakshmi . Then came the prayer Bhaja Govindam sung
by 2 ladies of the Bhajana Samajam. Mr Subramaniam President of the Sabha spoke on MS Amma
and said that she was a Jeevan Mukhta. He thanked Sri Shriramkumar for coming all the way
from Chennai and how correct it was that someone who played for MSS was now playing for her
great grand daughter. The hall was full to the brim as the kutcheri started.

It was an electrifying concert. Right from the word go, Aishwarya was in top form. Viriboni was
handled with a self assuring confidence. Tisram was done effortlessly and the 2nd speed in the
last Charanam was breathtaking.

Sambho Mahadeva and Namadendu Ninuvina was sung at MS level of perfection with Aishwarya
executing the trademark brigas at Kanulakuni Sogasento perfectly.
Kapi Ragam was elaborated by Aishwarya wonderfully. Her manodharma was in full flow and a
pleasure to hear. Sri RKSKS played a glorious ragam reply.

Kalyani Ragam was just awesome. Aishwarya’s voice was in fine fettle. Sangati after sangati
flowed effortlessly like a cascading waterfall. Sri RKSK ragam was superb and MS like in the
structuring.

Sri H S Sudhindra gave fantastic support and the tani with Sri Phanindra was greeted with loud
applause from the audience.
The tail end section had a few audience requests. Petra Thai, Dhano Dhanya, Jagadhodharana
and Bare Panduranga were all rendered exactly the way MSS would have.

The strong grounding given by Aishwarya’s grandmother was clearly evident.

The President of the Sabha thanked Aishwarya for the concert. He said that the hall mark of MSS
and Radha’s music was perfection in Sruthi and Aishwarya has inherited this. He wished the
youngster all success for her forthcoming US tour and said she is destined for greatness.
Sri Shriramkumar summed up the entire concert succintly with the words ‘Ammakalama Paditey
Aishwarya’

[cienu]

Dear Harinie
Thank you for your post.
Kindly find below picture of Sri Shriram Kumar while playing the raga alapanai.
Aishwarya , Sri H S Sudhindhra and Sri Phanindra hearing with concentration.
Sri Manjunatha P and Sri Sripada Rao were on Tambura.

[arasi]

Had it not been for the distance, I would have been there, not having heard Aishwarya
in Chennai this season. Wanted to catch up with her advancement but wading through the traffic to a distant place kept my enthusiasm in check.

Glad to hear that it was a very good concert--a warm up for her extensive tour of north America.

[Nischith Iyengar h.n]

It was an amazing evening to sit through out the concert and listen to the great grand daughter of my most favorite
Legendary, bharat ratna m.s.subbulakshmi.
The concert had already began before I reached.
The beautiful intha sowkyamani was going on,
I could feel the kaapi filling the whole auditorium,
Next was an amazing ninnu vina in navarasa kaanada,
While rendering this krithi, i was feeling as if m.s.subbulakshmi amma and radha vishwanathan amma were singing where I felt the vocalist was emulating m.s.s and the violinist was taking the role of radha amma. This was followed by bhajare rechitha in kalyani (to mention - vasudevayani was running in my mind and i could draw a parallel between both the compositions). Next comes the thani avarthanam which was awesome and sudhindra sir played it with lots and lots of enthusiasm, ghatam was played by phanindra sir. The katcheri followed by a few virutams and comes the part which i enjoy the most (which usually people address to as thukdas), my most favorite compositions popularized by m.s.subbulakshmi amma and radha vishwanathan amma, for example - Dhana dhanya in Bengali (a Patriotic song), Jagadodarana in kaapi, kurai ondrum illai and maithreem bhajata.
The concert ended with nee nama rupamunaku. Not to deny the fact that the enthusiasm level of the people in the auditorium dint reduce even a %

[cienu]

A review of the concert in today's "Deccan Herald" by Sri Mysore V Subramanya.