Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Review the latest concerts you have listened to.
Post Reply
Sundara Rajan
Posts: 1081
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 08:19

Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by Sundara Rajan »

Varsha Naga, daughter of Pediatric Oncologist Dr. Naga Subramanian of Orlando, Florida had her ArangEtram at a local High School auditorium in Oviedo, Florida on September 10, 2022

Vrasha Naga Vocal followed by Flute
Violin Karthik Iyer from Chicago
Mridangam Sai Natarajan from Minneapolis
Ghatam /Kanjira Balaji Chandran from Minnneapolis

1. Varsha started her concert with the NavarAgamAlika varNam "AngayarkkaNNi Devi MeenAkshi" of Lalgudi Jayaraman
2.Next was Abogi rAga "Sree MahAganapathE" by N.S. Ramachandran
3. Dikshitar's "Rangapura VihAra' in BrindAvani
4.Bhairavi rAga AlApana followed by ThyAgarAja's "UpachAramulanu ChEkonavayya"
5. ThyAgarAja's "Vara nArada NArAyaNa" in rAga Vijayasri
6. The Main piece: Dwi rAga RTP in Mohanam with Grahabedham slide into Suddha sAvEri - Pallavi composed specially for the occasionby Dr. Surya PrakAsh.
Varsha did short alApanas and Tanam in both rAgas followed by the pallavi in three speeds and kalpana swarams in rAgamAlika, alternating vocal and flute versions.

Intermission

Flute Recital
1. Started appropriately with the kAmbOdhi composition "kuzhaloodhi manamellam" by OothakkAdu Venkata Kavi.
2. pApanAsam Sivan's "vEnkata rmaNa" in lathAngi rAga.
3. Chinnam Chiru kiLiyE rAga mAlika of mahAkavi BhArathi
4. Lalgudi Jayaraman's thillAna in dEash rAga
5. Saint AruNagiri's Thiruppugazh "Muththaitharu paththi thirunagai" rendered in Shanmukkapriya
6. MangaLam in SowrAshtram

The entire program lasted for four hours including the Intermission, honoring the accompanists and guests of honor, Varsha's Guru Smti. Hema Balasubramanian, speech by "virtual Chief Guest" Dr. Surya Prakash from India and concluded with vote of thanks by Varsha's parents and brother Varun, who was also the M.C. for the function.

Varsha, born and brought up in the U.S., did an exceptionally good performance on her second ArangEtram, after her Bharatha nAtyam ArangEtram six years ago. She has just now graduated as a Valedictorian from her High School.
One has to admire young Varsha's Sruthi and Laya suddham and particularly her "vAkshspashtam" in rendering compositions in Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit, languages that she cannot read! She did it impeccably with only English transliteration. The credit for this goes to her dedication and hard work, her parents and grand parents who speak Tamil at home and also know sanskrit and especially to her Gurus.

Varsha is said to have her initial in person training from local musician Dr. Vasundara Itengar followed by 'on line' coaching by our fellow foramite Surya Prakash and others, culminating with Smti. HemaBalasubramanian in Vocal and Flute.

While Varsha rendered all the songs very well, her Bhairavi song and RTP in two ragas were noteworthy, especially thAnam with percussion accompaniment and alternating between vocal and flute renderings. I was amazed at her perfect pronunciation of 'tongue twister' Thruppugazh, that many native Tamil speakers would find difficult even to read!

Accompanying violin and percussion artists supported Varsha very well in both vocal n flute segments.

arasi
Posts: 16774
Joined: 22 Jun 2006, 09:30

Re: Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by arasi »

Sundara Rajan,
So good to hear from you, that too in detail about the concert of one of our youngsters born here in the US. Needless to say, recent history proves that our kids take to CM like ducks to water. Languages besides other things are no hurdles for them to deal with, as they train in CM. Like many others among our kids, she learns western music too, I guess.

Varsha Naga is doubly trained in music--as a vocalist and a flutist! A number of gurus including Suryaprakash. Of course, the supportive family figures a lot in all this.

Coming from you, her pronunciation must really be good in the languages which she is not familiar with. tamizh would have been a bit easier, parents and grandparents speaking it at home. Still, it' tough. This might inspire youngsters in India too where some of them may not be studying the language at school or speak it at home.

Varsha is also trained in bharathanatyam--a valedictorian at school to boot! All the best to her and to her ilk...:)

Sundara Rajan
Posts: 1081
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 08:19

Re: Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by Sundara Rajan »

Yes, You are right, Arasi. I forgot to mention that Varsha is learning to play western flute too, I understand .

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by rajeshnat »

I dont know if it is just a first occurence ever that has happened . It has just created a thought about a rare coincidence

#1# Musicians indeed have taken up vocal and violin , for eg raga sisters at a young age. i am not sure if there is a combo where vocal and flute is taken together where both have reached the proficiency of performance.

#2# To sing in one arangetram both vocal and flute requires a lot of musical expertise . I am assuming that say veena/violin with vocal is not a noticeable miracle as the voice is in rest for violin or veena and lung is recouping.

#3A# To take up say Lalgudi detailed varnam in navaragamaliga , follow up with two huge lung sucking numbers say Ranga Pura vihara in brindavanasaranga of MD and then Upachuramulanu in bhariavi of T with a filler like a varanarada in vijayashri then a RTP in mohanam suddasaveri.

#3B# Then also following with kuzhaloodi manamellam in stormbodhi with a lathangi venkataramana which partially sucks the air in the lungs. Also ending up with LGJ Desh thillana that was first bought in by one and only Taala Raaga Swaroopan

#3C# with 3A and 3B , it feels like it is just not another typical challenge but indeed a very unique arangetram concert , in general in the last 20 years in forums and 40 years of listening , i have not seen such a coincidence , Over and above that she has also done a bharatanatyam arangetram

#4# Best wishes to Varsha Naga . Kudos to both Gurus , i did not know Hema Subramaniam , i googled to find she is flutist based out of Mumbai . The other guru Suryaprakash is coming from MMI school. Also kudos to her first guru Dr. Vasundara

#5# I have no idea about Varsha naga till this review . Kudos to their parents and all the supporting community within USA. I have lot of hope that Suryaprakash is marching towards the carnatic vocal trinity of MMI-SSI -GNB . Among this three vocal trinity disciples ,i always use to wonder in few concerts that i heard in 1990s how MLV amma the prime disciple of GNB sang with such power and swiftness. I once heard a part of 4 hour concert in delhi RK Puram Malai temple when i went on vacation when MLV sang . Who knows with #3A# and #3B , i am wondering if Varsha Naga is turning out to have that much stamina and pouring ideas like MLV amma.

#6# All i can say Varsha is blessed with two great gurus particularly with Suryaprakash let her anchor more and push herself to be a concert musician . She can take up the role models like say Sandeep Narayan , RK Murthy or may be more appropriate this young musician can also sing like another usa based vidushi Kruthi Bhat , I hope she gets into the groove to think that she is going to take music full time.

#7# Best wishes to her and other teams. A near 4 hour arangetram with a combo of vocal and flute. Is that got to do.with the florida tropicana orange juice with lots of pulp or did her secretive Dr Appa gave some kayakalpam dose.

#8# Best wishes for Varsha Naga to take full time music. MMI School needs continuity and also Flute Mali school (I dont know the school of Hema)needs the same continuity .She being a vidushi this continuity will be more special. From arangetram to recurring performance is key.
Last edited by rajeshnat on 15 Sep 2022, 09:41, edited 3 times in total.

rajeshnat
Posts: 9907
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04

Re: Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by rajeshnat »

Sundara Rajan wrote: 13 Sep 2022, 19:36 Ghatam /Kanjira Balaji Chandran from Minnneapolis

6. The Main piece: Dwi rAga RTP in Mohanam with Grahabedham slide into Suddha sAvEri - Pallavi composed specially for the occasionby Dr. Surya PrakAsh.
Varsha did short alApanas and Tanam in both rAgas followed by the pallavi in three speeds and kalpana swarams in rAgamAlika, alternating vocal and flute versions.
Sundararajan sir,
Have you by mistake put Ghatam/kanjira for balaji chandran or did he play both. Just crosschecking
May I know the mohanam suddha saveri pallavi lines . What about the Ragamaliga swara raganames .
Can you squeeze your memory sir , Thanks for attending Sundararajan Sir . Your age and super seniority must have doubly blessed Varsha. Glad you sat for 4 hours. The review is great do pass the pallavi line and ragamalika swaras if there was any.

Sundara Rajan
Posts: 1081
Joined: 08 Apr 2007, 08:19

Re: Varsha Naga's Vocal cum Flute concert

Post by Sundara Rajan »

Sorry for the belated response, Rajeash. Yes, he played Ghatam mostly, but did play Kanjira for one song.

The pallavi line was "Sundari-maNAlanE Sri kapAli". Unfortunately, I do not recollect the kalpana swara rAgas.

Post Reply