Sangita Kalanidhi 2025

[rupavathi]

Academy schedule for Dec 25 is out already

[https://www.musicacademymadras.in/99th- ... erts-2025/]

[Nick H]

99th? Wow, there will be a big thing for 2026 then!

[rajeshnat]

I was assuming atleast 2 big crowd pullers raga sisters and trichur brothers will enter back after their last year stand . Looks they may have to wait atleast one more year

3 promotions to evening 1 and 2 slots from afternoon - vishnudev, nj nandini , kalyanapuram aravind . I have heard the first two in few live concerts and few recording snippets of aravind . surely all three are great singers . Best wishes

The so called morning slot which is for experienced and credible vidwans and vidushis has a wild card entry of Rithvik Raja that appeared bit odd.

Just loooking at few slots, i am able to easily guess Sangeetha kalanidhi of this year 2025. WHy guess now , i will wait?

Many years back they give a lot of openings in morning to exemplary musicians like parasalla ponnammal , i was thinking they will call this extraordinary vidwan Sreevalsan Menon in , but no luck there.

All said Academy does encourage a wide range of artists that too handpicking so many upa pakkavadhyams adds value to long term CM

[kvchellappa]

"I was assuming atleast 2 big crowd pullers raga sisters and trichur brothers will enter back after their last year stand . Looks they may have to wait atleast one more year."
They may not be considered unless they apologise to TMK and Murali.
"a wild card entry of Rithvik Raja"
TMK hand?

[ram1999]

In all likelyhood the SK 2025 will go to a dapankuthu artist as all types of music requires equal recognition and encouragement.

[srutishree91]

MA is probably scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with the most undeserving candidate ever. Won't be surprised if they nominate a DMK functionary, or someone close to the First Family.

[sam]

Why not Sangita kalaanidhi awrd for IiLAYARAAJA.

Saturday Special - On Ilaiyaraaja's second symphony - What you must know

https://swarajyamag.com/culture/ilaiyar ... d-symphony

[Nick H]

MA is probably scraping the bottom of the barrel to come up with the most undeserving candidate ever.

MA is prbably scraping the barrel to come up with the candidate most likely to wind up half a dozen members of rasikas.org so they can have a good laugh for the rest of the year. lol.

Why not Sangita kalaanidhi awrd for IiLAYARAAJA.

Very valid suggestion. I do not follow film music and mostly don't like it, but still, I am aware that he is a giant of music. I know people whose interests in classical music, western as well as Indian, were inspired by him.

[Nick H]

Leaving aside the fun and the not-fun...

My personal wish is for RKSK to become SKRKSK.

[kamalamba]

Love the SKRKSK part @Nick H

[sam]

@Nick H
When shall we stop branding Ilayaraja as just film music director? Ofcourse, he is experimenting with mixing two radically different music systems (ie) Indian Raaga system , common to both CM and HM and western music, both classical and rock.
Hindi film music directors like Naushad, CRamachandra, shankar jaikishan had used western orchestration stunningly but like Lalgudi, they just used western instruments to portray indian melody system. S.V.Venkataraman is said to have used an ensemble of hundreds of instruments for his film Meera in 1945.
.
Salil chaudry it was who used instruments for folk tunes too.
It may be that Ilayaraja is the pioneering indian music composer, outside the film industry, to attempt a fusion of Indian melody system and western orchestration, classical, folksy, pop and undefinable.

How many of the classical/filmy composers and performers are capable of creating a genuine symphony ?
The article cited says that his latest symphony is true WCM without any trace of filmy melody.
Should not the music academy honour him for his attempt and achievement ?
.
Excerpts from swarajya article follow.

[sam]

In continuation of previous post.
EXCERPTS FROM SWARAJYA ARTICLE.
...

Raja's previous standalone offerings away from films, though high on symphonic ambitions, were still meant to satisfy the archetypal musical appetite of an Indian fan. '
How to Name It?' was his first stab at fusion in 1986 --- the time of his peak and prolific film days. He followed it with Nothing But Wind in 1988 that had the great Hariprasad Chaurasia accompany him.
The albums, one with 10 and another with 5 different tracks, established Raja's fascination for Bach, Mozart, and the baroque and classical styles in general.
I Met Bach In My House and Mozart I Love You clearly indicated the highly specific direction of his inspiration.
.
In the first album, the tracks were mostly Carnatic ragas over baroque harmonies and structure played by a string orchestra with occasional Carnatic percussion. ‘
How To Name It?’ album was musically more consistent than ‘Nothing But Wind’ that was patchy if you were analysing it from the western classical music perspective.

But both the albums, meant for Indian audiences whose exposure to western classical music was limited, were popular and still are a talking point in musical forums in these parts.
Raja's next major go at western type orchestration was through his Thiruvasagam, an oratorio rendering of chosen hymns from the Shaivite bhakti poet Manikkavasagar's eponymous work.
The album was often taken, by his fans, to be in lieu of Raja's earlier unreleased symphony.
.
Raja’s sense of history and a rare ability to place things in the larger musical context may have compelled to name his symphony Valiant as it is a determined and courageous musical effort going against the grain of what has been established in this country so far.

....

And he added: "The trouble is that critics are capable of destroying sensitive artists and have done it throughout the history of music. The more one knows a piece of music the more one loves it, and the stupid critics are incapable of judging anything they have never heard before."
.
..
His razor-sharp mind doesn't differentiate between music. It is a strange kind of artistic agnosticism that only the truly great can summon. It is also why he is able to uncannily intersperse his every-day movie songs with eclectic elements of Carnatic, Hindustani, jazz, western classical styles and countless other genres in a way that is otherwise not normally possible.
.
He knows that none of his film musical aesthetics should rear their head in his symphonic offering. Also, he is equally aware that his output should be, while adhering to the pristine traditions of western classical music and its famed forebears, must still sound different and appealing.
.
"I cannot allow room for the complaint that I have used the background score of a film song. The Indian element in me should not be a part of my symphony composing. If these elements are there, some might say that an Indian has composed." That is professionalism for you. And, mind you, he is 84.
Quote ends
...
..
Let me add.
Music academy has honoured HM artistes, harikatha exponents, musicologists, dancers and percussion experts. Ilayaraja may not be a standard vaakgeyakar in the Trinity mode but he has handled CM classical raagas in his own way.
Let the academy recognize him. HIGH TIME.

[sivakami]

So, Nick your guess or wish is right..
RKSK becomes SKRKSK...

[Nick H]

Wonderful. I am so pleased.

I am the least qualified to judge, but in my humble estimation, I cannot think of a better recipient. A wonderful musician, composer, scholar, teacher. A man that just radiates music wherever he goes, he can enhance a concert just by sitting in the audience: I call him "Music On Legs!"

On top of all the musical, academic, artistic and professional qualifications, he is also one of the nicest people.

I'm very happy.

[Nick H]

Love the SKRKSK part @Nick H

So, Nick your guess or wish is right..
RKSK becomes SKRKSK...

I have been wishing it for several years, but we all have our favourites for the award, and we all know that, especially if they are not already old, we might have to wait decades.

[kamalamba]

@Nick H
RKSK is one of the most scholarly performing musicians around and is a terrific choice.
Can't help but the biochemist in me sees a "peptide" of Serine-Lysine-Arginine-Lysine-Serine-Lysine (one letter code SKRKSK)

[rajeshnat]

Usually THe Hindu writeups will give a clue of who the forth coming SK Is . few days back one full first page of Friday Review was written by one vidwan/vidushi about one of the greatest vaggeyakkara that gives the clue to SK . With few metoo booting outs and possibly with last year controversy of atleast one not participating , in 20 seconds i can name next 5 years - 100 percent right , only thing i dont know is the sequence within the next 5 years.

[kamalamba]

Apropos Ilayaraja

of course a musical genius and amongst handful of elite musicians!

But can't picture him chairing 2 academic sessions per day 17 days in a row (i.e. presiding over the entire 2025/26 conference)?

[rajeshnat]

1.I write a lot about Illayaraja that atleast kamalamba and few more forumites i share know . Illayaraja is God of Music , he is already 10 to 20 years late for Bharath Ratna . When Bismillah khan , ravishankar, bhimsen joshi and Lata Mangeshkar can get it , why not Isai Kadavul . ALso S janaki and Yesudas should get it . Spb is dead, but posthumous still applies .

2.I am not faulting why Bharat Ratna is not given to Madurai Mani (as he passed away in 1968) but Semmangudi lived upto 2003 why bharat ratna was not given to Semmangudi who lived till 95 years , simply lack of lobbying as Nehru indira gandhi only listened to MS amma (ofcourse Ms amma deserves Bharat Ratna).

3.For the record many years back the greatest of greatest musician Taala Raaga Swaroopan was not awarded SK . THey stated his thesis paper was the reason, but you all dont know one important information .Academy gave sangeetha kala acharya to TRS Post his paper say 10 years

4. But if academy gives illayaraja SK , that will be redeem themself from reputation issue that partially dented them last year. After all in the last 18 months Raga , sanjay, gurucharan every one is only praising Illayaraja . Even one of my favourite musicianSuryaprakash in last 2 years dig a rare ragam srothaswani and presented RTP(no one in last 75 years has attempted even minimally srothaswani) , i am assuming all that came from Illayaraja as there is only thamizh film songs . Illayaraja is the nerve center for many musicians who wrre born from 1950 to 1980's period (irrespective of domicile) , some influence is there - he is our issac newton and albert einstein and every one is using him as marketing medium(Raga , sanjay, gurucharan) and/or inspiration medium(srothaswani-suryaprakash) . Period well done musician please do use god of Music

[rajeshnat]

Apropos Ilayaraja

of course a musical genius and amongst handful of elite musicians!

But can't picture him chairing 2 academic sessions per day 17 days in a row (i.e. presiding over the entire 2025/26 conference)?

Chairing is mainly introducing the artist on the dias and appearing to ask few questions relevantly towards the end .No big deal kamalamba . In any case Illayaraja has you and me as rasikas who can take atleast 2 days off 17 days . This chairing is extremely overstated . IN last 15 years i have seen and heard valayapatti and AkC natarajan chairing ..

[shankarank]

I almost guessed it right! RKSK is in some ways logical continuity of last years SK. Even if that is qualitatively different take on tradition! That also rules out some of the Seniors who were possibilities for future years!

So the YACM founder generation is done with this?

[kamalamba]

@rajeshnat
Indeed, you and I will be there likely every day if IR were chairing the sessions!!

[sivakami]

@Nick H
RKSK is one of the most scholarly performing musicians around and is a terrific choice.
Can't help but the biochemist in me sees a "peptide" of Serine-Lysine-Arginine-Lysine-Serine-Lysine (one letter code SKRKSK)

As a peptide Chemist, I too got the same thoughts..

[sivakami]

I almost guessed it right! RKSK is in some ways logical continuity of last years SK. Even if that is qualitatively different take on tradition! That also rules out some of the Seniors who were possibilities for future years!

So the YACM founder generation is done with this?

What about percussion dept...?

[kamalamba]

@sivakami
Great minds thing alike!!

[sam]

Sri.RKSRK is a good choice. His grandfather Sri.Venkatarama Sastry was a regular violin accompanist for Smt.MS. Nice family tradition.
In cultural values and approach to classical music, he is exact opposite of we know who. MA is taking a welcome turn back to orthodoxy and tradition.
Let them keep it up.
Personally, I had great regard for RKSRK and had fervently prayed that he would skip being the accompanist for the fake last year. That would have hugely helped the cause of truth and decency.
.
As for Bharath Rathna award, Ilayaraja is likely to get it soon.,
..

[sam]

வேலியண்ட் – ஐரோப்பிய செவ்வியல் இசையின் புது தொடக்கம்
A report on VALIANT sympjony by Ilayaraja
I Tamil

https://solvanam.com/2025/03/23/%e0%ae% ... %e0%af%8d/

[kunthalavarali]

Look for Arun Prakash next year.

[sivakami]

@sivakami
Great minds thing alike!!

@kamalamba,
Oh, thanks for the compliment..
Just our profession has made our brains to think like this..

[sivakami]

Look for Arun Prakash next year.

That's what I asked above, about percussion dept..
Looks like it's going to happen...

[Nick H]

Look for Arun Prakash next year.

I would be delighted

But if the MA wanted to demonstrate again that it no longer reserves SK for ancients, then my percussion suggestion would be young man Praveen Sparsh. Reality says that that may be another decade or three.

[shankarank]

40s/50s somethings are getting it mainly due to lack of singers born in 50(s) / 60(s) - even those few who started, when they reached prime, musical eco system was in decline. However percussion would require more years to recognize, more impact to be created, as it's appreciation is limited!

[rajeshnat]

Look for Arun Prakash next year.

Then i propose two SK's in that year if indeed that happens - one for his play and other for his well left.

[shankarank]

So you are saying the singers are actually bowling beaten paths, so he could leave them well?

Back to the topic, SrI R.K. Sriramkumar is what I would call an inward looking selection! He is one of those who will enunciate a Harikambodhi convincingly, a svarUpam challenged scale. After Vid. Sowmya, tradition is again in the air!

It feels as though T.M.K was awarded just to set the stage for Sriramkumar to get it! T.M.K would also have been an inward looking selection, had it not been for all the paraphernalia!

[Nick H]

Personally, I had great regard for RKSRK and had fervently prayed that he would skip being the accompanist

I believe that they are are old friends, and I know that they have often performed together, making wonderful music, as indeed they did just two days ago.

BTW, I'm an atheist, so not my department, but... shouldn't prayer be kept for something important?

[sam]

Nick
It is standard idiomatic usage. It is very important for people who care for
values besides and beyond music.

[vgovindan]

Nick,
Being an atheist is not any negativity or positivity. The main difference between a theist an atheist is that while the former prays to 'some' outside agency for things beyond his control, the latter depends on himself for any such thing. In fact, an atheist - a skeptic - is much nearer to the Truth, being dependent on himself for everything. Knowers of Truth assert that Truth is within oneself than elsewhere. It is just a matter of turning the page of life.
Kindly do not take this as any 'advice' - just a suggestion, as a friend.

[Nick H]

Yes, thank you, vgovindan: I agree with much of what you say. One reason that I am an atheist is that I see no reason why, even if such things as gods exist, they should take any interest whatsoever in us humans!

(Whilst I am an atheist I am not a materialist: we probably share many non physical/scientific beliefs in principle if not in detail. It is perfectly possible to maintain many metaphysical "beliefs" without including the concept of gods. And where it is hard, one comes to live with contradictions
Many different musics are a part of my spiritual life, but especially carnatic, about which I care very much. )

[sam]

Some excerpts from
https://indianexpress.com/article/expla ... i-9909709/.

Shriramkumar belongs to an illustrious Sankethi Brahmin family of musicians from Rudrapatna, a village on the bank of the Cauvery in Karnataka’s Hassan district, which is known as Sangeet Grama, or Village of Music.

The village and family have produced some of the biggest names in Carnatic music, including the vocalists R K Srikantan and R K Narayanaswamy. Srikantan was awarded the Sangita Kalanidhi in 1995, and Narayanaswamy’s sons R N Thyagarajan and Dr R N Tharanathan sing as the famed Rudrapatnam Brothers.

.Srikantan was Shriramkumar’s grand uncle. His own grandfather was R K Venkatarama Sastry, who learned the violin from veena legend Veena Subanna and violinist Mysore T Chowdiah, after whom Bengaluru’s Chowdiah Memorial Hall is named.

Shriramkumar himself learned the violin in Chennai from Savithri Sathyamurthy, his grandfather Venkatarama Sastry, and V V Subrahmanyam. He learnt to sing from the vocalist D K Jayaraman, who often performed with D K Pattammal, Jayaraman’s renowned older sister.
.

[shankarank]

So this is the second SK for the Rudrapatnam family. They form the Wallajahpet lineage of the Sri tyAgaraja Parampara IIRC.

[sam]

They form the Wallajahpet ...lineage of the Sri tyAgaraja Parampara IIRC

Sir, May not be so. I remember to have read that Thyagaraja himself had a disciple from Haasan / mangalore area. I will try to verify.

[arasi]

Heartfelt congratulations and many good wishes to RKSK

I am mighty pleased that he didn't have to wait THAT long to be awarded the title as Vidwan R.K.Srikantan whose age at the time of his life of getting the award reminded me of the line: full many a gem of purest ray serene--from Gray's poem.

[girish_a]

RKSK should present this wonderful Dhenuka composition in the main concert (with the venerable personage who won it last year watching):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csL2FXaVexY&list

[Nick H]

The two good friends are no strangers to each others' music, on and off stage.

[girish_a]

Well, that composition is by Ravikiran, and it's on a subject that is molten lead to a pacifist's ear (though the pacifist in question has no qualms cavorting on stage in a lungi la-la-la'ing about a maniac who called for the genocide of Brahmins).

The pacifism:
https://x.com/tmkrishna/status/1920112467184922845

The cavorting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9SJawqM6W0

The genocide call by this pacifist's hero:
https://x.com/KasthuriShankar/status/17 ... 7364295007

So, if RKSK were to present Ravikiran's Dhenuka piece which was composed after the recent war, how will his pacifist friend react?

[sam]

Disgraceful. Two unbearable k's.
Kh and kr

[uday_shankar]

Heartfelt congratulations to RKSK. This wonderful lec-dem illustrates the exquisite scholarship, humilty and musicality of the SK designate.
https://www.youtube.com/live/nUFVWtaBuL ... owHSounZJP

[sam]

Shriramkumar refers
to Thyagaraja’s illustration of
the nine forms of bhakti
(Nava vidha bhakti) in his kritis:
1
Shravanam –hearing stories of God –
Rama katha sudha -(Madyamavathi)

Bombay sisters
https://youtu.be/b_8VKDpZMQw?si=K3QSHbr-xAmhHO3p

2
Keerthanam –Chanting or singing God’s glories
Intha Saukhyamani -(Kapi)

Madurai MaNi Iyer
https://youtu.be/mvAkAA9wPCs?si=5mj3P20zUl7eVJBL

3
Smaranam –remembering the Lord –
Shripate (Nagasvaravali),

Smarane Sukhamu (Janaranjani)
KV Narayanaswamy-
https://youtu.be/aBUuj7k-xBE?si=zqxPBGekqH__uetb

4
Padasevanam –offering services to holy places/holy work –
Shri Rama Padama (Amritavahini),
Shri Manini (Purnashadjam),

Ni pada pankaja (Begada).
..
R.Vedavalli
https://youtu.be/r0Cip0GP084?si=Tk8HXlo_7TEOzBaA
5
Archanam –Performing puja –
Tulasi bilva (Kedaragoula),
Aragimpave -todi
Koluvamare kadha
Todi
M.S.Subbulakshmi
https://youtu.be/xfdMgE7N-WI?si=L2aZb8QQzIp_QRU2

6
Vandanam –Paying obeisance to God –
Vandanamu (Sahana)
D.K.PattammAL
https://youtu.be/Skl9F8bJ8I4?si=BpHze0BsLlZlLl2d

7
Dasyam –selfless service to the Lord –
Upacharamu jesevaru (Bhairavi),

Tava dasoham (Punnagavarali)
M.S.Subbulakshmi
https://youtu.be/DAw2OmXX8TA?si=p5tIxFnwzAXjJVEM

8
Sakhyam –unconditional friendship with God
– Chelimini jalajakshu..(Yadukula Kambhoji)
S.Ramanathan
https://youtu.be/PmV19wVzyYw?si=DmLw8c4YyJuUQ65s

9
Atma Nivedhanam –complete surrender to God –
Kalaharana (Kedaragoula),
Nivera kula dhanamu (Begada)

Makelara (Ravichandrika),
M.S.Subbulakshmi
https://youtu.be/Bhk-4STka_o?si=bEJp4lN3Kemqwd4M

[shankarank]

Heartfelt congratulations to RKSK. This wonderful lec-dem illustrates the exquisite scholarship, humilty and musicality of the SK designate.
https://www.youtube.com/live/nUFVWtaBuL ... owHSounZJP

SankarabharaNams avarOha - S- P - R - S is explained using jagan mOha. Also there in paND(A)ye kadarA of enduku peddala. It is like falling down after jumping up and down to reach an unreachable fruit

https://thyagaraja-vaibhavam.blogspot.c ... -raga.html

https://youtu.be/nUFVWtaBuLU?t=6911 - this one though for SSI mindset we can understand why that was glossed over. When Alapanists hit low registers , "we all traditional rasikas of SSI mould" would consider it exhibitionistic don't we ?
Adaaan !

But Sriramkumar who enjoins his fellow musicians "pradarshiniya paarkaNUM!" ( must look into pararshini) has to answer who is qualified to do that. If he does it, teaches it to his wards , that becomes authentic! Not otherwise! SSP is only information , not knowledge. Knowledge still comes through parampara.

So what is authenticity?? Needs a debate!

[uday_shankar]

But Sriramkumar who enjoins his fellow musicians "pradarshiniya paarkaNUM!" ( must look into pararshini) has to answer who is qualified to do that. If he does it, teaches it to his wards , that becomes authentic! Not otherwise! SSP is only information , not knowledge. Knowledge still comes through parampara.

So what is authenticity?? Needs a debate!

I don't care about any of this - sampradaya, parampara, authenticity, etc..

I shared the lec-dem for precisely the following reasons - it was refreshing, well researched, very informative, presented with grace, humility and appropriate reverence, and above all of great musical beauty, both in conception and presentation.