Sydney music festival 2007 - Stars bring musical storm to th

niranjana · Post by **niranjana** » 22 Jun 2007, 20:30

Sydney saw a spectacular issai vizha, which featured a galaxy of star performers and also featured a competition to encourage local artists. The festival was a grand success despite torrential rain.
Kudos to Swaralaya for bringing such a wonderful festival featuring so many reputed artists from India and also featuring some new talents.

The grand event held between 8 th - 10th June had competitions for budding artists who were judged by stalwarts like Kadri Gopalnath and Kanyakumari.
9 th June began with the rendition of the traditional Tyagayya's pancaratnam led by Padmabhushan T.N. Seshagopalan. Smt. Bombay Jaishri, Priya Sisters, Kanyakumari, O.S. Arun, Kadri Gopalnath and Carnatica brothers took part. Sri. Murugaboopati and J. Vaidyanathan led the percussion team. The local artists were happy to join. This was followed by individual singing by various artists.

The afternoon began with a relatively unknown artist Manimaaran who was part of the Jaya TV crew which was there to the cover the event. He did a good job in a short one hr concert. His pantuvarali alapana was the best in his presentation. He is endowed with a good voice though at times he shows lack of confidence.
This was followed by Kadri Goplnath's recital which I could not stay back to enjoy. That was followed by Priya sisters who presented a very good concert. Their Todi alapana was stricking followed by a majestic rendition of Emi Jesithe. Their presentation otherwise was neat though not impressive.
Then came an award presentation ceremony to Sangita Kalanidhi Sri. T.N. Seshagopalan. He was heaped with appreciation by a music fan Mr. Raman and by th popular Bombay Jaishri and the Young rising star Sasikiran.
The function also featured an acceptance talk by the artist who took a dig at the other musicians of today for diluting the standards.
This was followed by largely awaited concert by Sri. T.N. Seshagopalan, who was inconsistent through out. Though there were sparks of his masterly touches every now and then. He chose a composition in Brindavani for main piece , after an elaborate alapana which was disappointing, since he spoke that the artists of today took to other means. His tried to be flashy without hitting the pitch accurately whereas the day saw a dignified attempt of classical efforts
by Priya sisters and Manimaaran. H.N.Bhaskar and Murugaboopathi and Sri. S.V.Ramani did their roles ably.
it was all the more disappointing because he was the choice artist for the day for most of the listeners and it was probably not his best day.No offence meant to his capabilities though. However, he presented a great harikatha concert in a special program organised the following weekend by Senior Citizens group at a different venue in Sydney.
The 11th morning began with a Violin recital by Kanyakumari supported by Raghavendra Rao, Tanjavur Murugaboopathi and S.V. Ramani. The concert was glitzy. Manamuleda in hamirkalyani was well rendered. The Karnaranjani and Revathi pallavi was noisy, though she showed her command on the instrument.
This was followed by individual singing by the local artists.
The delayed start of the afternoon did not stop Carnatica brothers present an electrifying concert which had verve and energy through out their presentation. The brothers were very well received.Their concert started with a breezy natakurinji varnam and was followed by Deva deva mayamalavagowla with crisp niraval and swaras. However, their presentation of janani in ritigowla preceded by a short yet sweet alapana, was a classic. Sarasa Saamadaana with its sarvalaghu swaras were lilting. The shanmukhapriya choice for main looked tailor made for the audience present which was a packed auditorium. The alapana was unique and well executed. The rendition of Parvati nayakane was bhava oriented followed by technically competent swara. J. Vaidyanathan was slendid in his support. H.N. Bhaskar was aesthetic. However the later part of the concert was packed with popular pieces like Venkata chala nilayam, Kandanaal mudhalaay and so on which was laped up by the audience though I would have like them to sing a padam or Javali. However, I should say they are endowed with good voices and blend well and they were instantly popular. They also engaged the audience with an inpromptu quiz for the rasikas which was really well appreciated in their efforts to popularise
carnatic music in this part of the World.
The next concert was by a popular star in sydney O.S. Arun , who catered to his listeners well. Though I was disappointed with his rendition of Akhilandeswari and niravadhi Sukhada in particular sounded like a rock concert piece. He however presented the bhajans with his usual flair.
This was followed by a memorable and a soulful concert by Bombai Jaishri, who presented every single composition with poise and bhava. It was nice to see her use a traditional tambura played by her. She started with Deva Deva Jagadeeswara in Purvikalyani with short swaras. The song set the tone for a great concert to follow.
This was followed by Karunanidhiye in Bauli which was rendered brightly with its beautiful madhyamakala sahityam. The best though was her rendition of Varali. The alapana was rendered in a classical bani and the tempo for maamava minakshi made it extremely soothing. the Niraval was neatly done. Kharaharapriya alapana and samanamevaru was very well rendered. She looked inspired by the presenc of Vid. Sri. T.N Seshagoplan who was sitted in the first row. However, it was sad that the programmes were all too short in duration and most of them turned out to be less than 2 hrs, since so much was cramped into one day I suppose.
This was followed by a bharatanatyam recital by Film artist Swarnamalya, who performed the Sriranjani pada varnam of Papanasam Sivan and varugalaamo with bhava. It was interesting to see her include two pieces from her production Silappadikaaram for which the music by K.N. Sasikiran was very appealing. Since, she did not have a live orchestra the total charm of a traditional Bharatanatyam concert was lost and being the last performer, she did not get the same support that she normally would have got with her media fame I guess.
However, the festival was memorable and colorful for the Sydney music lovers, who turned in large numbers despite heavy showers. Hope this festival would become a yearly event. One request to the organisers is to reduce the number of concerts in one day and give more time to the artists from India to present a non - compromised version of their music. The highlights of the festival to me and some of my friends were the performances of Smt. Bombay Jaishri, who I am hoping to listen to in Canberra tomorrow , and Carnatica bros, who are scheduled to give two more performances in Sydney the coming week.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 22 Jun 2007, 20:52

Niranjana,
Thank you for a balanced, unbiased review of the music festival.
Balanced because you covered all the events, big and small. You covered performances by stars and others alike. Unbiased because you are not being lop sided about a particular performer.
You covered it all, and we can visualize Sydney's unabating rains competing with gAna mazhai (it was raining music in Sydney, of course). Hope you and others too, give us reviews of the various concerts which follow...

niranjana · Post by **niranjana** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:27

Dear Arasi,
I read all your posts and your passion. An ardent music buff, We don't get so much music as much as in India or US. Yet we are connected to Carnatic music community thanks to the rasikas forum and music review team here who are awesome. I had to miss Bombay Jaishri's Canberra concert due to some to domestic commitments. But heard Smt.Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam for the first time who performed here on the same day. She was impresive given the circumstances. Local accompanists were modest but could not lift the concert to greater heights.
She sang a very neat version of Kaapali in Mohanam. Her malayamarutam was crisp too. Endowed with a clear voice, her tukkadas and bhajans were appealing to the small gathering present.
The next day I heard Carnatica brothers yet again. They again produced a high quality concert. Though I was sceptical that it might be more only a semi classical concert, since it was advertised as a listener's choice concert, I was more than happy that they balanced the concert well and also included a beautiful version of the Subbaraya Shastri's Begada masterpiece, shankari nee and a OVK's piece Brindavana nilaye. Their rendition of Teliyaleru rama with swaras were emotive. The Dandapani Desikar's piece in Saramati ....arula.. something couldn't catch the words were really good. Bhogindrasayinam added tempo. They asked the listener's for requests and rendered most of them which included a RTP in Subhapantuvarali. The alapana's by both the brothers were very impressive. Ganesh doing the Begada and Sashikiran Subhapantuvarali. The tanam was done in tandem with ragamalika. i guess they were Devagandhari and Ahiri. the pallavi kalpanaswaras were interesting followed by impressive ragamalika. Had to leave after this. They were supported by Mohan ayyar on the Keyboard who did his part well by not disturbing the flow of the singers. Keyboard is in my opinion not the right choice for a Carnatic concert but Mohan also played a good tanam. More so he was playing his role as a pakkavadyam artist only and we are happy to have him in Sydney. Tanjavur murugaboopathi was very soothing and blended well with the vocalists and he also took Kishan another localite, who played tabla along. Kishan on his part did not divert the audience attention and was only like a upapakkavadyam. Hope to hear more news on the other great concerts around the world from our experts in the forum. Would also like to hear recordings of Ramnad Krishnan, and the Tanjavur Sankar Iyer's memorable Chennai concert held recently.

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:55

Shri Dandapani Desikar's composition in Saramathi you are referring to is most likely to be Arulavendum Thaye. Heard a nice rendition by Smt Gayathri Girish just about 15 days back.
Sathej

Sathej · Post by **Sathej** » 25 Jun 2007, 08:56

Keyboard and tabla for Carnatic vocal! Would have sounded different!
Sathej

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 25 Jun 2007, 09:22

Niranjana,
Thanks again for a wide coverage of what is happening there in the outback. Reminds me of the US scene in the early years: informal conecerts in small living rooms and basements was the way it was. A concert in a university here and there, until the temples started coming up and became venues. We had potluck dinners, shared food with the performers. It is possible that such a thing exists even today, in some remote regions. I don't know.
The Carnatica Bros 'Ap kI pasand' concert is something many of us would have loved to have attended. No such luxuries here or in India, I'm afraid!

aruLa vENDum thAYE is the Dandapani Desikar song in saramati according to Lakshman's index.

sankirnam · Post by **sankirnam** » 25 Jun 2007, 10:11

Any input from Mohan on this thread/topic?

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 25 Jun 2007, 10:32

Yes Sankiranam - I went to most of the festival concerts but didn't take any notes. I agree- it would have been better to have fewer artistes so that the concerts could have been longer.

Enjoyed playing for Carnatica Brothers - who were very encouraging.