The promising artist, winner of the Carnatic Music Idol Reality Show in Jaya TV gave a vocal performance in KGS accompanied by M.Rajeev on the vioin, Uzhavoor P.K.Babu on the Mridangam, and G.Harihara Sarma on the Kanjira.
The list of songs
1.Vathapi
2.Sidhivinayakam-Chamaram
3.Samiki sari evvare-Kedaragowla
4.Bhogeendrasaayinam
5.Kaligiyuntegada-Keeravani
6.Thillana-Khamas
Bharat Sundar has got good voice and imagination. His style, voice, mannerisms reminded me of Sanjay Subramaniam. I do not know if he is Sanjay's disciple. The swaras for Vathapi were very elaborate and enjoyable.
Being the day of Vinayaka Chathurthi, one more song on Vinayaka was taken up. The alapana for Chamaram was short but sweet.. He took the lines Paasankusadharam Chatracharamapariveerjitham for neraval. The neraval was very lengthy, high voltage, in the pattern of TM Krishna and he did not sing swaras at that. I cannot relish this pattern as I feel somebody has dragged me out while having a sumptous feast. He should not emolute this particular idea of TMK. The neraval was also repetitive in many places.
Kederagowla alapana was very good and the song selection was also good. This song is not heard often in the concerts. He started from the anupallavi Syamasundaran. No swaras.
After a brisk Bhogeendrasayinam, Keeravani was taken up for elaboration. The alapana was good with lot of sancharas around the jeevaswaras. lot of briga laden passages. The alapana took 20 minutes and had many repetitions. The alapana should have been pruned to 10-12 minutes. Here also neraval was rendered in the style of TMK, lengthy, high voltage. The thani lasted for about 15 minutes. The concert ended with a thillana in Khamas.
M.Rajeev gave good violin support. His alapanas of the ragas were classic. The percussion artists gave good support. But mridangam was slightly louder.
For a concert which lasted 2 hours and 10 minutes, swaras were sung only for two songs. Bharat Sundar should plan in a better manner. The time tested format is the safe bet. Innovations can come a litte later. By cutting down length of alapana, he could have done swara for one more song.
He has good potential and he can become one of our stars in the future. Except for the above observations, the concert was good