Cleveland Aradhana 2016 (March 23, 2016 to April 3, 2016)

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 02 Apr 2016, 22:42

Sundara Rajan wrote:CIENU: To satisfy my curiosity, I went to my reference library and did find in the list of JayachAmaraja Wodyar's compositions one mAyAmAlava kriti in dhruva tAla with starting word "KsheerAsagara". I have no recourse to the lyrics to be sure we are talking about the same one ! FYI

One big clue that this was a composition of the Maharaja Of Mysuru (in addition to his mudra - 'Sri vidyA' rasAvAdinIm) is the treatment of lakshmi and pArvati as one - the Maharaja, as a true advaitin, did not differentiate between the three dEvis - lakshmi/sarasvati/pArvati.

In this kRti he starts with descriptors of lakshmi (kshIra sAgara Sayana vakshasthala vihAriNI = one who resides in the chest of the lord that reclines on the milky ocean (vishNu); smara janani = mother of manmatha etc.) and moves on to pArvati (mEcakAngI = blue complexioned one; Siva mOdini = one who delights Siva; kanjadalAyatAkshI kAmAkshI etc.)

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 03 Apr 2016, 00:34

I tried to hear Sriranjani Santhanagopalan concert. I heard her sing Nattai, but the streaming was giving me trouble. I could hear a few words then it will be gone. For a while it did this and I don't know how many songs I missed. Now it is coming good. I heard her sing Thyagaraja's Chandrajyothi song 'BAgAya Nayya. I like this song and she did do justice to this song. Then she sang ' Nija Marmamulnu in ragam UmAbharanam. Now I hear a very beautiful Karaharapriya raga AlApana with beautiful bowing of the violin by Kamalakiran. I hope and pray she doesn't sing Pakkala . Thankfully she started Nadachi nadachi

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 03 Apr 2016, 01:07

Her niraval swaram was followed by a super Thani by Mannargudi Easwaran on the Mridangam and Gopalakrishnan on the Kanjira. She is singing a viruttam on Muruga.- Chintakulam Teerthu in Behag followed by Saveri and Kapi followed by the song 'Sodanai sumaikku veru'.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 03 Apr 2016, 01:23

The last one Was a Papanasam Sivan song.

meenaakshi · Post by **meenaakshi** » 03 Apr 2016, 02:16

Deleted.

meenaakshi · Post by **meenaakshi** » 03 Apr 2016, 02:19

Bushany Kalyanaraman's was one of a kind concert.

.......

arasi, after that I left as we have a HM concert in South Bend.
It was a flying, I mean driving

visit

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 03 Apr 2016, 02:20

rshankar wrote:
Sundara Rajan wrote:CIENU: To satisfy my curiosity, I went to my reference library and did find in the list of JayachAmaraja Wodyar's compositions one mAyAmAlava kriti in dhruva tAla with starting word "KsheerAsagara". I have no recourse to the lyrics to be sure we are talking about the same one ! FYI
One big clue that this was a composition of the Maharaja Of Mysuru (in addition to his mudra - 'Sri vidyA' rasAvAdinIm) is the treatment of lakshmi and pArvati as one - the Maharaja, as a true advaitin, did not differentiate between the three dEvis - lakshmi/sarasvati/pArvati.

In this kRti he starts with descriptors of lakshmi (kshIra sAgara Sayana vakshasthala vihAriNI = one who resides in the chest of the lord that reclines on the milky ocean (vishNu); smara janani = mother of manmatha etc.) and moves on to pArvati (mEcakAngI = blue complexioned one; Siva mOdini = one who delights Siva; kanjadalAyatAkshI kAmAkshI etc.)

Agreed, rshankar. No contest ! I said that I had no access to the lyrics that she sang so I could be sure. I did not recollect the lyrics exactly. Thank youfor the information.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 03 Apr 2016, 03:50

I heard a little of Thiruvarur S. Girish. accompanied by Sri Nagai Muralidharan on the violin, Thiruvaroor Vaidhyanathan on Mridangam and Papanasam Sethuraman on Kanjira. He started with a Bhairavi alapana , Ponnia Pillai's song 'Mohamana en Meedil'. Then I heard Devagandhari alapana with Tulasamma . After that I got busy, and did not hear anything. When I came back it was Mahathi Singing. I don't know how long she has been singing. I heard Denuka raga alapana and the Thyagaraja song 'Telialeru Rama'. She sang swarams.
She sang a beautiful SuddhaSaveri alapana followed by TAye Tripurasundari. I think it is composed by PeriasAmy Tooran. This had chittaswarams which she sang very well.
A very melodious alapana in Sunadavinodhini was followed by Tanam. She sang the Pallavi 'Sunadavinodini' with swarams. I think she sings very well. I remember hearing her as a young girl singing ' Swathi Tirunal's Ramachandra Prabho in Sindhubhairavi many years ago. She has matured into a very good artist. Then she added Gangeyabhushani.

maduraimini · Post by **maduraimini** » 03 Apr 2016, 04:56

The last I heard was 'Eppo Varuvaro'

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 03 Apr 2016, 05:16

Sundara Rajan wrote:I enjoyed Brinda ManickavAsagam's last song this morning " manamalar aLithu maiyal kondEn" in suruti rAga. Whose composition is this ?

thanjavur sankara iyer

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 03 Apr 2016, 05:19

Ramasubramanian M.K wrote: Late night I had posted a small piece of my reflections on the Aradhana--which I now note has vanished into cyberspace--now it is going to be very difficult to simulate another "masterpiece"!!! Forgive me for my modesty(?). many people have asked me whether the initial M in my name stands for modesty. Modestly I agreed!!!

Will try to resurrect my fading memories later!!!

HOw sad so many times I have told you and many to type in notepad and save it . Then copy and paste it in forum. Resurrect once more with no loss, M stands for Meendum in thamizh (once more)

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 03 Apr 2016, 05:42

Rajesh: You are TOO KIND!!! You cannot teach an old dog like myself new tricks!! I will try!!

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 03 Apr 2016, 07:31

Listening to Visakha Hari explain the significance of sangatis in brova bharama and chakkaniraja (as taught by LGJ), I wonder whether the contention by someone that even the composer had only music and not meaning in composing has any basis. What a talented person with command over English as smooth as in Tamizh!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 03 Apr 2016, 20:02

I could hear part of Vishaka Hari's program (haven't seen her live). She is live wire, smart, has a lovely voice replete with brighAs. She gives vocal concerts too.

I guess the youngster by her side who chanted is her child or kin. Didn't hear Vishaka's announcement. He got a bit thirsty, hungry as well (?) tired (yawned), and when she finished, nestled on her lap as Sundaram was speaking! After praising the performance, he announced that it was sleeting outside, the weather was treacherous, and seniors better take the shuttle to Comfort Inn, to avoid slipping on ice...

I woke up this morning to the same weather here on the east coast. The spring flowers covered in snow, cold wind blowing in as I went out to get the newspaper. When it's spring, the sun (shining now), it will melt it in no time. For those from Chennai who wanted to see a snowfall--the ice would have bothered them, but if it had turned into snow in the morning there too, they would have been happy!

Saw part of the Nauka Charithram. Guru Rhadha's oeuvres are one of a kind. Not at all familiar with the science or the fine details of bharathanatyam, I cannot comment intelligently on it.

But for a lay rasikA, a fan of Rhadha's productions (and her own performances), I was delighted to have glimpses of her production today. Will see it again when 'On Demand' streaming starts.

Subhashree Srivatsan's music was soothing (the school!) and yet attention grabbing. Her gliding from rAgA to rAgA was so pleasing to hear. The violin, flute and mridangam were just as pleasing.

The dancers were delightful to watch too. And little Krishna! How agile and appealing! Was pleased to know that she's a student of Sunanda Narayanan (a senior student of Rhadha from Boston).

Radha's commanding naTTuvAngam is a known fact. The way they danced to all her jathis!

Ravi, comme d'habitude, I miss your presence...

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 03 Apr 2016, 22:17

Arasi - I have a DVD of Smt. Rhadha's choreography of nauka caritamu - (with your nieces in it) so I can imagine how nice it must have been. They must have recreated rEpaLLi on the stage.
It is certainly very interesting to see the 'gEya nATakamu' (an opera would be the best way to translate that, I guess) conceived and composed by the Saint visually as nATyam (dRshya kAvyam).

vanajan · Post by **vanajan** » 04 Apr 2016, 02:44

maduraimini wrote:I tried to hear Sriranjani Santhanagopalan concert. ... Then she sang ' Nija Marmamulnu in ragam UmAbharanam. Now I hear a very beautiful Karaharapriya raga AlApana with beautiful bowing of the violin by Kamalakiran.

Sahana Vasudevan played the violin for Sriranjani. Thanks for your kind words of encouragement.

Kamalakiran is a great kid and a very talented musician. I enjoyed his Bahudari, Saveri and Thodi immensely in two different concerts. It was wonderful to see him accompany one of my favorite musicians, Smt. Rama Ravi.

Vanaja

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 04 Apr 2016, 08:22

All that music at Cleveland coming to an end! Well, all good things are worth waiting for. One more year--and the fortieth year of the festival is promised to be even better.

The withdrawal symptoms are appeased by the all dance (hey, with music!) day like today, and I could watch a bit of it during the day. They are all danced so well, in all age groups. Some were really excellent.

I was waiting to hear the judges and their impressions--and to hear the announcement of the results. The video stopped after Rhadha had spoken, before Braga could finish. Couldn't hear Sujatha Vijayaraghavan at all, nor the results

Hope I get to see the last moments of the festival in the "On Demand streaming...

icarnatic had some glitches. Yet, they worked hard on addressing the problems. There is no profit for them in this. They donate it all to the festival. That's more the reason why more of us should be watching next year

That way, more can share their experience of it too.

There were hundred and four (?) programs, Sundaram said. Just think--if you watched fifty of them, each of them would have cost you two dollars?

Now Meenaakshi, waiting for your pictures tomorrow. We know it's not easy when you folks do all that crazy 'commuting'...

Ramanathan and others...hope you have some picture to share...

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 04 Apr 2016, 13:05

Sri V V Sundaram excelled in his post-concert comments. It is amazing how he remembered about each artist so many anecdotes, their background, etc. and shared them interestingly. Normally such speeches come as an anti-climax, but his comments enhanced the effect of the concert experience.

Rsachi · Post by **Rsachi** » 04 Apr 2016, 14:16

RShankar,
From my reading of the sahitya, Maharaja refers to the 36 tattvas of Shakti worship in anupallavi and also refers to Kanchi devi in the charana whereas the pallavi is about Lakshmi.
This is not an indication of Advaita but Srividya Shakti worship where the cosmic principle is taken to be manifested as Devi or Shakti who overlords all creation and even Brahma Vishnu Shiva etc. She is Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvathi and all else.
The same idea pervades Lalithasahasranama.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 04 Apr 2016, 18:12

Sachi - thank you! It was not advaita...my mistake - funny how background thoughts leak into speech and text unless one is very vigilant!

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 06 Apr 2016, 17:10

Now that the showers from Cleveland (of the musical variety, of course) have come to an end, I want to thank Arasi, Sundara Rajan, and Maduraimini (in no particular order) for bringing it to us by tirelessly writing about their experiences.
Thank you!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 06 Apr 2016, 17:28

In reverse alphabetical order Sundara Rajan,madurai mini and arasi (madurai major)- your enthusiasm has happened for two years in succession with your reports of cleveland aradhana . With each of you having spent atleast thrice your time away from india in usa ,It looks as and when you grow older ,you feel like only loving more and more Carnatic music . CM has and is truly getting global in the last 6 to 7 decades - it is only because of rasikas like you(just named three as an illustration , there are obviously many more whom I missed mentioning ).

Take a break and be ready for 2017-cleveland- hatrick.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 06 Apr 2016, 19:59

rshankar and Rajesh: Thank you for your kind words of appreciation for my reporting on Cleveland Aradhana programs 2016. My only purpose was to share the pleasure I enjoyed by watching the program via the internet with those who could not do so. We should also thank "icarnatic" and the Aradhana Committee for live streaming the proceedings, which has been a boon to folks like me who could not be there in Cleveland for various reasons. Look forward to Spring break 2017, God willing.

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 06 Apr 2016, 20:16

Yes. A big thank you and kudos to Arasi, Maduraimini, and Sundara Rajan for your spirited coverage of the Aradhana. Thank you especially for not neglecting the accompanists in your commentary, and for your enthusiasm for our up and comers too. Gave me an opportunity to YouTube the likes of Sahana Samraj.

thanjavooran · Post by **thanjavooran** » 06 Apr 2016, 20:17

At last the Thyagaraja Festival came to an end. Was there any Anjaneya Utsavam with the Geethaarthamu of Suruti at the conclusion by Vidwans and Vidushis. Many thanx for Arasi, Sundara Rajan , Meenakshi , Maduari mini and others for their tireless efforts of minute by minute of updation of the events.
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
06 04 2016

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 07 Apr 2016, 05:19

Thank you all for reading and for being interested in what we enjoyed watching, listening to and were reporting about. Thanks to you all for appreciating our efforts. Now, back to our lives and the demands they make on us

Hoping to hear at least part of the 'on demand' streaming in the coming months.

Rajesh,
Hat trick next year? Surely, this is the fourth year of streaming and reporting, I think. At least, the third year?

Thanjavooran,
I am thankful to you for all the responses of yours--to the poetry and prose I post in other fora. I look forward to your reviews from Chennai as well.

Bilahari,
Thanks. Amid all your studies, you took time to read our posts!

To others too who have written and those who did not write--but were happy to read the 'golden years' team reel off their comments...

icaranatic,
Technical glitches bothered you more this year but you were prompt in addressing them. Hoping for yet another year of musical flow from Cleveland, and thanks that you are there

Hope Ramanathan will bring some of his pics to us.

Meenaakshi, though brief your time was at the festival last saturday, you have a few that you can kindly share with us. Was a pleasure getting a glimpse of you on stage that day

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 08 Apr 2016, 05:01

Folks: Since my return from Cleveland after a satisfying,awesome 8 day stay in Cleveland with my wife and two other music lovers(we drove to Cleveland and back--quite a feat-- a stupid,reckless one at that at my age of course),I have been bursting to write on the forum and kept postponing till I could recoup and recover from the surfeit of music that we enjoyed.I wanted to write a coherent narrative outside of the concert recaps which fellow forumites have adequately and admirably covered--Arasi,Sunderrajan,Maduraimini et al. No point in painting the lily!!!! So I desist from writing about the concerts in specifics.
Warning:like most of my posts this is going to jump all over the place .Bear with me. Now for the chronicle.

Summation: THIS WAS THE BEST FESTIVAL I HAVE ATTENDED IN MY OVER 37 plus years of following the festival. I would venture to add the conduct and management of the whole festival is ideal material for a HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL CASE STUDY.

To run a festival of this magnitude with daunting logistical ,scheduling and financing challenges requires a highly dedicated team,exemplary,unassuming quiet leadership(VVS/VKV/BALU/Roger Nat)),keeping egos of Artistes.Rasikas( who complain about minor things),the parents of participating children(Choirs and the Competitions),in check is a monumental task. (I have witnessed in my lifetime how festivals in Mumbai Shanmukhananda Sabha.the Music Academy,KGS,NGS have been conducted with far less logistical, hospitality demands and yet always accompanied by varying degrees of commotion ,imperiousness of the "leaders" and temper flares,let alone the "jockeying" for influence of the "also-rans"!!).I witnessed none of the distractions that mar festivals of this magnitude.

What was an eye-opener to me is the fact the PRINCIPALS(VVS.BALU and Toronto V) have gotten their children(Sankar,Gopi,Radhika and Karthik) fully and enthusiastically involved in every facet of the operations. Each one of them had their assignments cut out and despite the various demands imposed on them by the tightness of the schedules,requiring efficient stage management techniques,the special individualized demands of the artistes for their acoustic preferences,getting the various stages ready at the appropriate times. There were 18 locations to accommodate the Competitions alone and the rehearsals for the different choir groups-- Ravi Kiran/Santhanagopalan/Ashok Ramani,Shashi Kiran(ranging from 100 to 250 students each). The concert and special events were held at the Univ campus and the Comfort Inn Hotel Ball Room(where all the artistes were housed). The Ball room also served as the Lunch/Dinner space which had to be cleared promptly to facilitate the conduct of the 10 P.M. events--symposiums, mini concerts of talented young artistes ( who could not be accommodated in the 10- day 100 plus concert/dance schedules-). Balu and Karthi--Venkatraman's son also had to play Kanjira for the artistes in between. The children in the Choirs performed outstandingly and the leaders led benevolently. It was a pleasure to see how each one of them 'hobnob" with VVS and the other principals--the camaraderie was amazing(Ofcourse I must confess accustomed that I was in my youthful days to being relegated to be the Gofer-boy status for the artistes --in the process receiving more brickbats than bouquets(typical of our male-dominated,authoritarian styles of leadership of those "so-called" erstwhile halcyon days!!!),I was awestruck by the benign leadership of the Principals with nary-- a heated exchange or admonition amongst the "cast"!!!.

I must point out nothing was routine--everyday there was a new challenge--artistes not getting their visas in time, having to find substitutes amongst the artistes-in-town(who had their own engagements to fulfill),artistes delayed because of flight,airport delays and traffic--to the casual visitor none of these were transparent--as I was the resident rasika watching from the sidelines I was privy to all these juggling of events/artistes--no demurrhal from anybody--even behind the scenes--needless to say I acted as the 'fly-in-the wall. One artiste (female--name not disclosed) missed her flight from Chennai--her fault--got the next flight paying the extra fares at great expense,the organizers understanding her plight volunteered to compensate which the artiste gracefully and gratefully refused. None of us-eager-beavers could find out amongst this "swirl" of events/people)" when did the artistes got paid,who had the assignment,what transpired amongst the artistes/principals(it was like planets hurtling in different orbits and schedules)how the legal requirements of the IRS demanding withholding from the artistes remuneration were handled mollifying the artistes as wells complying with IRS. One could say "they have been doing this for over 35 years and so what is the Big Deal". That would not only be cynical but also dismissive of the maze that is unique every year!!

There were over 1500 kids from all over North America(USA/Canada)--almost every state was represented with California leading the pack. This included the 870 plus students who participated in the various Choir performances--the rest were competitors. The assignment of the artistes as Judges(no locals or amateurs in the Judges!!) juxtaposing with their own concert schedules itself was a logistical nightmare!!!
YET not one of the competitions had to be delayed or postponed for some logistical snafu.
The Cleveland City's economic growth was sufficiently enhanced-what with the outstation visitors lodging and boarding contributions.

Inevitable that such a Festival can be mounted only with some commercial activities--the musical companies selling their wares,the Housing Companies hosting stalls etc--none of them were in anyway intrusive or hustling

One of the features I noticed this time(may be this has ben in vogue from previous years) was to let an young local kid(a competitor) perform along with the Senior artistes like Ravi Kiran,Aruna Sai Ram-- these kids did amazingly well. The artistes were equally supportive. Another illuminating feature when the younger artistes performed their 1 to one and a half hour events, they were FORBIDDEN by VVS to look at their notebooks or iPads of the songs they performed. Needless to add the kids rose to the challenges and performed admirably.

More in my next installment--indulging in a little bit of "self-aggrandizement"--the symposium on MSAmma--by myself ,my wife Nirmala and Cheenu moderated by VKV--with some rare pictures spanning 6 decades of our family's association with MSAMMa and also my unsolicited interlude in a symposium by the leading artistes--Nagai Murali,Mannargudi Eswaran,Suguna Varadachari on the subject of Upholding tradition==a nostalgic foray-a subject too good to resist for an interloper like myself!!!

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 08 Apr 2016, 22:17

THANKS ON BEHALF OF THE ARADHANA COMMITTEE, THE NUMBER OF ARTISTS-WHICH WAS NOT BASED ON THEIR AGE OR EXPERIENCE-, AND THE COUNTLESS NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS NOT TO MENTION THE AUDIENCES WHICH MADE IT A HAPPENING FOR THE AGES......PL write YOUR & NIRMALA'S experiences in detail. VKV

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 10 Apr 2016, 00:12

VKV: Thanks. I will followup with our narrative on the MSS Symposium.

Can you give me VVS's e-mail OR even better can you forward my post #327 to him directly. or if you can forward it to Balu,Venkatraman and Roger Nat

Thanks.

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 11 Apr 2016, 20:30

That's a beautiful write up, RMK Sir!

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 11 Apr 2016, 22:56

Thank you Sivaramakrishnan. I would urge every one of our forumites--if they get an opportunity--to visit the Festival once in a lifetime.

I ALSO HAVE TO APOLOGISE FOR AN EGREGIOUS ERROR IN MY EARLIER REPORT--NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE SPOUSES OF THE PRINCIPALS-. GOMATHY(VVS)-- ALTHOUGH WAS IN CHENNAI (DUE TO FAMILY OBLIGATIONS OF TAKING CARE OF ELDERS) WAS HOSTESS TO THE INNUMERABLE PRELIMINARY PREPS--THE SAMPARADAYA EVENTS ETC AND HAS BEEN A DYNAMIC INFLUENCE IN ENCOURAGING THEIR KIDS TO PLAY ACTIVE ROLES IN THE FESTIVAL. LIKE WISE GOMATHY(BALU) WAS IN CHARGE OF THE CATERING AND WHATEVER ROLES ASSIGNED TO HER. HER DAUGHTER RADHIKA DESPITE A HEAVY PROFESSIONAL SCHEDULE WAS THERE THROUGOUT THE FESTIVAL AS SHE HAS BEEN FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE SINCE SHE CAME OF AGE!!
VENKATRAMAN'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW LAVANYA WAS CHARGED WITH THE LODGING LOGISTICS TO ACCOMMODATE THE 100-PLUS ARTISTES WHO PERFORMED AT THE FESTIVAL. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER SHE GOT A CHANCE TO WITNESS THE CONCERTS AND OTHER PROCEEDINGS, EVERYTIME I FOUND HER POUNDING AWAY AT HER SPREADSHEETS JUGGLING THE ROOMS ALLOCATIONS TO ACCOMMODATE THE MYRIAD CHANGES IN THE TRAVEL SCHEDULES OF THE VISITING ARTISTES. ONE NEEDED A PH.D IN OPERATIONS RESEARCH TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS!!!.

FORUMITES MIGHT WONDER WHY I AM BELABORING THIS POINT- Unlike in India the organizers do not have the luxury of delegating even menial tasks to volunteers because each one of them carry heavy responsibilities for their part and have to work mostly unaided.

While I have attended several festivals at Cleveland since its inception, I am amazed at how resilient and how adaptive the organizers have been in being innovative and resourceful over the years. Each year is an improvement over the previous year with no reduction of the challenges. This year was no exception.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 12 Apr 2016, 02:29

JAYA NATARAJAN-WIFE OF ROGER NATARAJAN- PLAYS AN IRREPLACEABLE ROLE ALSO. AS THE VOLUNTEER NUMBER IS SO LARGE MAY BE YOU SHD. SETTLE FOR A NUMBER CLOSE TO 200-INCLUDES MOST MUSICANS LIKE SHASHIKIRAN ETC& DANCERS LIKE RADHA ETC- FOR THE VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE THE ARADHANA POSSIBLE. VKV..... WE ARE ALSO VERY VERY PARTICULAR TO INCLUDE THE WIVES AS THEY PLAY AN EVEN LARGER ROLE & WE ACKNOWLEDGED THIS SPECIFICALLY AT THE CHENNAI CLEVELAND FUNCTION FOR MS CENTENARY & TWO WIVES-PERIYA GOMATHI & SELVI SAT ON THE STAGE & I MADE SPL. MENTION OF THEIR ROLES IN MY SPEECH.

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 15 Apr 2016, 03:16

Folks: I am attaching a video of the MSS Symposum that VKV moderated and myself and my wife Nirmala took part. There were pics on the computer that we could not project for lack of a screen at the Comfort Inn. I shall post them separately.
here is the video link:

Symposium on M.S. Subbulakshmi led by Sri. VKV
Krishnan Subramaniam
Krishnan Subramaniam

Ramasubramanian M.K · Post by **Ramasubramanian M.K** » 15 Apr 2016, 03:18

Sorry folks!! I goofed!! I will try again. But you can access on the You Tube with the heading Symposium on M.S,Subbulakshmi!!
With apologies from a digital neanderthal!!!!

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 15 Apr 2016, 06:53

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOnvTKuYwA4

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Apr 2016, 10:02

Chellappa,
Thanks for giving us the youtube link.

Ramesh (MKR),
Since the meet went on for more than an hour, I saw it in three segments. It was several things at once--Recollections on a legendary couple, of a phenomenon in the music world who endeared herself from the humblest of folks to leading figures of the world in her life time. There was so much going on, all fascinating details about MS, her music, her family and friends.

A vast subject--difficult to encapsulate in a mere hour and a half, no doubt. You know how much we relish your sporadic posts and how we treasure them--with a lot of questions, urging you to continue writing!

It was great seeing you folks and listening to the ever-fascinating couple of our times. Music apart, their charity, hospitality and humanity.

Some impressions of mine...

I wish our legendary timekeeper VKV had managed time as effectively as he's known to at this event. The material is so rich, those who spoke had so many of their experiences to share, to interact a bit with the audience (we did not see them at all

).

Nirmala,
Those of us who were there at the Rasikas.org meet at Nageswarans' (how many years ago?)
were piqued with interest in what you both had to say. Now, you elaborated on it, and with such zeal too, along with Ramesh, which was great. We could see how emotionally wrapped up you were in recalling and sharing your memories.

Wish we had heard a bit more from Cienu. The memories of the older generation woven together with the younger would have given an extra dimension to the symposium (it was rather like a family gathering where we are all excited to share memories, vying with each other to communicate). And this happens to be no ordinary family! So, there!

VKV,
I am glad you were wise in not asking me and Pasupathy to join in as you originally proposed to

It would have made it far more difficult to 'time keep'!

This of course comes with a big hint to MKR (and Nirmala) to continue the memoir. Nothing like personal histories to enrich us--and in this case, it happens to be the story of a woman who became a legend, yes, but a better human being in that she kept growing--in her music, family sense, sharing and in her spiritual being...

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 15 Apr 2016, 11:53

It will indeed be a treat if the team can post as much info as possible and also the clips that were shown or promised in the meet.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Apr 2016, 16:51

Instead of clicking on the 'thumbs up' icon on post # 337, I inadvertently clicked on my own post #336

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 15 Apr 2016, 21:51

Dear Arasi,
I wish our legendary timekeeper VKV had managed time as effectively as he's known to at this event. The material is so rich, those who spoke had so many of their experiences to share, to interact a bit with the audience (we did not see them at all .....
UNFORTUNATELY WE HAD TO VACATE THE BALL ROOM PER HOTEL REGULATIONS. We broke into 4 major groups & the VIDEO SET UP COULD NOT BE MOVED...THE EXCHANGES WENT ON IN THE HOTEL LOBBY WELL PAST MIDNIGHT...MAYBE PEOPLE CAN START A SUB-SECTION IN RASIKAS?

Wish we had heard a bit more from Cienu. The memories of the older generation woven together with the younger would have given an extra dimension to the symposium (it was rather like a family gathering where we are all excited to share memories, vying with each other to communicate). And this happens to be no ordinary family! So, there! .....ITS THE SPEAKER'S CHOICE TO SAY WHAT THEY WANTED IN 10 MINUTES
VKV,
I am glad you were wise in not asking me and Pasupathy to join in as you originally proposed to

It would have made it far more difficult to 'time keep'!
UNFORTUNATELY HE COULD NOT COME.

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 15 Apr 2016, 21:52

kvchellappa wrote:It will indeed be a treat if the team can post as much info as possible and also the clips that were shown or promised in the meet.

I AGREE. MAY BE YOU CAN START A NEW SECTION ABOUT IT & REQUEST PEOPLE TO SHARE. VKV

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 15 Apr 2016, 23:08

VKV,
There was no mention about the continuation of the session in the lounge until you mentioned it now. Like me, others might have assumed too that it was the end of it. Thanks for clarifying. Now, we can look forward to the rest of it, and yes, we can start another thread if there is a need for it. I look forward to it...

cacm · Post by **cacm** » 16 Apr 2016, 00:57

Dear A, It was just informal....VKV

Pasupathy · Post by **Pasupathy** » 16 Apr 2016, 04:09

Thanks to all the participants of the M.S.Symposium .... a fascinating glimpse into the M.S.Phenonenon.....

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 27 Apr 2016, 18:09

Some pics from Cleveland 2016

sashwatam · Post by **sashwatam** » 01 May 2016, 05:22

maduraimini wrote:Neyveli Sri Santhanagopalan's concert took me back to the olden days when the artist sang to please not just the audience, but the Music Devatha and his own self. Sri Nagai Muralidharan on the violin and Sri Tiruchi Sankaran worked along with him to embellish the concert.
1. He started with the Vasantha varnam 'Ninnu kori'. I was having interruptions with the streaming and I may be wrong, as I caught bits and pieces of the songs.
2. After a short alapana in Sahana he sang 'Ee vasuda of Thyagaraja.
3. The next song, I am not sure- I thought it was Vagadeeshwari and Arasi thinks it may be Nasikabhushani. Somebody, please clear that.
4. Sanatana parama pavana in Phalamanjari.
5. Astounding alapana of the ragam Shankarabharanam followed. He sang a not often heard song of Thyagaraja ' Emi Neramu nannu Brova'. He had a young kid, about 8 or 9 and another young teenager on the stage with him. When he sang the niraval, swaram at 'Deena bandhu' he let those young boys sing swarams on their own and they did a good job. I thought that was very nice of him to give the kids a chance to sing along with him. This encouraging gesture will mean a lot to these young men.
6. He sang a good viruttam in Sindhubhairavi.
7. Muruganin maru peyar of Swami Surajananda in Behag was melodious.
8. Rama namame tuthi in Desh, composition of Tanjore Sankara Iyer was the next one.
9. He sang 'Vinayakuni Valanu brovave' in Madhyamavathi to finish the concert.
All in all it was a soul stirring concert and I enjoyed it.

Sir, a few clarifications:

That third song is a Thirupugazh by Arunagirinathar set to tune by NSG sir himself. He used this piece for the EPIC Choir 2016 that took place the previous day.

And second, the young boy singing on stage
is not 8 or 9, but 13 yrs. old. The teen singing with him is about 16. (Make no mistake, they are very talented kids).

Regards,

sashwatam

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 07 May 2016, 07:42

Ramanathan,
Great pictures!

This thread had disappeared from the view and I just happened to come across it. Within the short period that you were there at the festival, you have captured many moments and have shared them with us. Thanks!

ArAdhanA pancharatnA singing, honoring ceremony, musicians in concert...and many other happy moments registered here! Thanks...

Those of us who commented on the festival went without writing about some of the programs. How many there were! One such event I watched without getting up from my seat was the yaksha gAnA group's sItApaharaNa. Your lovely shots of it brought back the beauty of that presentation. Music, movements, costumes, all adorned with aesthetics--A grand tale told simply, but effectively, charmingly...

ramanathan · Post by **ramanathan** » 07 May 2016, 16:58

Thank you!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 10 Jun 2016, 09:13

Writeup of the aradhana in The Hindu dated June 06.2016
http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday ... 709679.ece