She was accompanied on the violin by Sri B Raghavendra Rao, on mridangam by Sri Tiruvarur Vaidyanathan and on the mohrsing by Sri Raman.
The concert began 5 mins in advance. It was actually a good thing. Generally in Hyderabad, concerts start half an hour past the schedule time. All the concert in SICA's music festival go on for two and a half hours and this one went for three hours.
It was one of the finest concerts I heard off time and I was immensely satisfied. The song list,
1.Panthuvarali Varnam
2.Ekadantam-Bilahari-Dikshitar[S]
3.Mariyadagadayya-Bhairavam-Thyagaraja
4.Meenalochana-Dhanyasi-Syama Sastry[R,N,S]
5.Paal Vadiyum-Natakurinji-Oothukadu
6.Sadasraye Abhayambike-Shanmukhapriya-Dikshitar[R,N,S,T]
7.Marugelara-Jayanthasri-Thyagaraja
8.RTP-Khamboji,Mohana,Brindavana Saranga
"Bhooloka Vaikunta pathe, Mohana Muralidhara, Brindavanasarangendra"
9.Vadavaraiyai-Ragamalika-Ilango Adigal
10.Ugabogam followed by Harismarane-Yamankalyani-Purandaradasa
11.Bho Shambho-Revathi-Dayananda Saraswathi
12.Pavamana-Sowrastram-Thyagaraja
The concert began with a rendition of Panthuvarali varnam which was sung in two speeds. It was followed by the Bilahari piece. The krithi was rendered well and there was a brisk round of swarams at the pallavi. Then she sang the composition in Bhairavam. I always noticed the clarity in the sahithyam while she sings this krithi. The bhaavam in the song is catered well and there are certain beautiful sangathis which I enjoyed a lot. The alapana of Dhanyasi started next. I kept reading her reviews online and I noticed her singing Dhanyasi many at times. So before the concert I was hoping she'd take dhanyasi. Dhanyasi is not often heard here. Last time I heard Dhanyasi was back in 2006 from Nithyasree. It was a wonderful alapana. Then she took up the Syama sastry krithi, "Meena Lochana Brova Yochana." The neraval was done at "Samaja gamana" and there were rounds of swarakalpana in both the kaalams. Then came the filler in Natakurinji. The main piece was Shanmukhapriya. I was just hoping she'd sing something apart from the regular "Marivere dikkevarayya" or "Saravana bhava ennum" which she sings often. She did sing the Abhayambha vibhakthi krithi. I enjoyed this rendition thoroughly. She sang a detailed neraval at the lines "Chidhaasraye Chidambara Chandrike" followed by a detailed swarakalpana. I liked both the main and the submain having neraval. The patterns she incorporated were superb. I heard her Shanmukhapriya quite a few times and always it wins my heart. The thaniavarthanam was scintillating. I always wanted to listen to tiruvaru Vaidyanathan sir play the mridangam here. This was the first time I heard him live and he was fantastic. Sri Raman was amazing as usual. At this point of time, the governor of the state walked in. He's regular at almost all the concerts these days. But there were no irritating speeches or long felicitation ceremonies. The felicitation was brief. Then she took up the Jayanthasri composition. This being a popular number, there was a synchronized "Ahaa" from the audience the moment she started the krithi! She then moved to Khamboji alapana. I really wanted an RTP and there it was! Off time, every concert in Hyderabad I attended had an RTP! Relief that is!


I enjoyed the concert thoroughly. I also attended concerts of sri Shashank and sri TNS. Will give the reviews shortly. Every concert in Hyderabad in 2011 have not failed to win the hearts! Now comes the long break. Probably the next music festival will be in November or so! Will miss live concerts till then!
