Varun Viswanath(San jose CA)-Mridangam Arangetram at Chennai

[seenu38]

Varun Viswanath - Mridangam Arangetram
Jan 3, 2012, Asthika Samajam, Venus colony, Chennai 18

Vocal: Sangeetha Chudamani Sri O S Thiagarajan
Violin: Sri Mullaivasal G Chandramoul
Mridangam: Master Varun Viswanath
Ghatam: Sri Trichy Murali

1. Sarasijanabha – Kambhoji – Ata Thalam – V

2. Vathapi Ganapathim – Hamsadwani – Adi - S

3. Sogasuga – Sriranjani – Adi - R

4. Paritanamichide – Bilahari – Kanda Chapu

5. Etijanma – Varali – Misra Chapu

6. Ethavunara – Kalyani – Adi - RNST

7. SankariSankuru – Saveri – Adi (Tisra Nadai)

8. Murugane Shanmukane – Shanmukapriya – Misra Chapu ( 2 Kalai) - RTP

9. Thirupugazh – Madyamavathi – Eka Thalam ( Tisra Nadai)

10. Bavamana – Mangalam

Master Varun Viswanath’s mridangam arangetram event that took place at Venus colony Asthika Samajam was an eventful and well planned program that enthralled knowledgeable group of more than 250 rasikas and vidwans. The arangetram was graced by carnatic music stalwarts including Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri M.Chandrasekaran, Sri Mannargudi Easwaran, Sri GJR Krishnan, Sri Tirugokaranam Krishnamurthy, Sri Umayalpuram Mali, Smt Jayalakshmi Santhanam and Smt Vijayalakshmi Subramaniam, among others.

The debutant Master Varun Viswanath is a sixth grader in a California school and has been learning mridangam for the last 6 years from Sri Ramesh Srinivasan, a leading disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Vellore G. Ramabhadran. Ramesh, himself an IIT graduate and entrepreneur, is an accomplished Mridangam artiste, running Sarvalaghu Percussion Arts Center at San Jose, CA, USA.

Right from the word go, one could witness and experience the hard work and efforts put by Varun and his guru over the years of training, as the Ata Thalam Varnam in Kambhoji set the tempo of the evening and things to follow. Crisp Tekas, and clipped and polished nadais were put on display by Varun, whose style was both non- intrusive as well as served to highlight the song nuances though the various sollus and nadais – a point well elucidated later in the appreciative remarks of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Vellore Ramabhadran.

Vatapi Ganapathim and a bouquet of swaras that followed were handled by Varun with ease and with anticipation. There was a short prelude raga in Sriranjani, followed by Sogasuga mrudanga thalamu, where the composer St Thyagaraja himself highlights the beauty and importance of Mridangam accompaniment. Varun showed ability and promise during the swara session in being able to understand both the vocalist as well as the modifications introduced by the violinist in the final korvai.
Varali – followed by Eti Janma in Misra Chapu and then Paridana in Bilahari set to Kanda Chapu also showcased Varun’s “Ever readiness” – the words publicly expressed by Sri OST. As Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Vellore Ramabhadran pointed out at the end he fulfilled the basic requirements of an accompanying artist excellently – the ability to pick up the correct tempo – kalapramanam and the ability to adjust his playing to suit the needs of the various thalams.

With Etavunara in Kalyani Adi thalam, the stage was laid for expansive raga development by Sri OST as well as Sri Chandramouli and the weighty sangathis of Etavunara rolled across the musical landscape … enhanced by Varun and Sri Trichy Murali with the Sarvalghu pani of Sri Vellore Ramabhadran. This substantiated the statement that Sri Ramabhadran made in his speech that if one can master Sarvalghu style as he has done for many decades successfully, he can accompany for all singers and instrumentalists with ease. Niraval and swaras and the kuraippu patterns introduced by Sri OST were handled by Varun with the ease of a professional mridangam artist.

Thani avarthanam by Varun and Sri Trichy Murali featured two individual turns in Tisra nadai, with some of the korvais and abhiprayams reflecting Vellore Ramabradran sir’s contribution to the laya world and later a kuraippu in kanda nadai too – very creditable for a debut performance, given that these involve lots of tight rope walking. The final mohra and korvai evoked a rain of approbation and encouragement in the claps, appreciative looks and gestures both from the audience as well as the Vidwans who have gathered on that day to enjoy and bless the budding artist. Varun demonstrated his good understanding of the songs, the emotions as it is a very essential quality for any accompanying artist as rightly stressed by Sri Vellore Ramabhadran in his concluding remarks.

After Saveri – Shankari Shamkuru in Tisra nadai Adi thalam, there was a Ragam Tanam Pallavi suite in Shanmukha priya raga, Misra jampa thalam (2 kalai) with the sahithya: Murugane Shanmukhane kumaraguru parane Thirumaal marugane .Varun proved equal to the task of keeping up with the experienced Vidwans in all areas: Tri kala and tisram Vyavaharams, slow and fast niraval and swara prastharas and kurappus and the final thrilling korvai. In turn, in his thani avarthanam, Varun started off with the trikalam and thisram of the basic pallavi structure followed with a sprinkling of misra nadai and a fine mohra and korvai in Gopuccha yati. Varun sparkled, never losing track or composure even for a second.

The concert came to an end with a Tiruppugazh in Madhaymavathi, in Eka thalam, tisra nadai “Cleveland” Sundaram, who spoke at the end felicitating the budding mridangam artist, was very appreciative of Varun, saying that Sri OST had been enthused to give off his best seeing the presence of so many musicians and that Varun did a good job in keeping up with the musicians, and also complimented Sri Ramesh Srinivasan on his excellent training. He also echoed the suggestion of Sri Vellore Ramabhadran in emphasizing that Varun would go further in his development by learning vocal music too. Sri Sundaram also pointed out that every musician should have a passion for the art and learning can never stop for any musician. Everyone expressed their hope that Varun grow as per the expectations of the great music stalwarts who attended and blessed the young artist wishing him a bright future. It is important for budding young artists like Varun to translate the successful debut into a successful career in music, as aptly put across by violinist Sri Chandramouli, “Indrumuthal katcheri also Indrya muthal Katcheri”.

Performance of this caliber indicates that achievement is possible if the youngsters are handed over to the right gurus at the right time. To mold the youngster to this level of excellence in any field needs a tremendously talented teacher and supporting Parents. Varun is indeed lucky to have Shri Ramesh Srinivasan as his teacher right from his initiation and also wonderful parents who has supported him all through.

[rajeshnat]

seenu38
Wow wonderful to hear that , lot of weighty ragas and krithis in the concert topped with pallavi. If you could reedit the post and add empty spaces between paras that would be wonderful. If i can add a bit of greedy request, u can post youtube clips too .Congrats to Varunn viswanath, that too we need a great sishya parampara of the nAdabhadran and his extraordinary sarvalaghu

[sudora]

Here are the links of all the songs of the concert, posted on youtube:

Song1: http://youtu.be/TSQoirJNgOM (sarasijanabha varnam, ragam kambhoji, talam khanda ata)
Song2: http://youtu.be/EyBYVSnya-4 (vatapi ganapathim, ragam hamsadhwani, talam adi)
Song3: http://youtu.be/h1ABi9raL2A (sogasuga, ragam sriranjani, talam rupakam)
Song4: http://youtu.be/P5nboJF3u_A (paridanamichide, ragam bilahari, talam kanda chaapu)
Song5 Part1: http://youtu.be/QT4-m26WSYg (etijanmamidhi, ragam varaali, talam misra chaapu)
Song5 Part2: http://youtu.be/QuSxHvgPpm4 (etijanmamidhi)
Song6 Part1: http://youtu.be/PoO5PVB7j-A (etavunara Part 1, ragam kalyani, talam adi 2 kalai)
Song 6 Part2: http://youtu.be/eOo_JMnnILc (etavunara Part 2)
Song 6 Part3: http://youtu.be/nuvp3yT2iEA (etavunara Part 3)
Song 6 Part4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMF7GUDGHQI (etavunara Part 4)
Song 6 Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl9HbLoMlgQ (etavunara Part 5)
Song 7: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niWwdIoPJXU (sankari Sankuru, ragam saveri, talam adi tisra nadai)
Song 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkVpVy0f5qg (Raagam Thanam Pallavi Part 1, ragam shanmughapriya, talam misra jampa 2 kalai (40 counts))
Song 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuxVILOnPGM (Raagam Thanam Pallavi Part 2)
Song 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9ypXBjey6E (Raagam Thanam Pallavi Part 3)
Song 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AORb3Mo2jfE (Raagam Thanam Pallavi Part 4)
Song 9, 10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh7lrBkryNY (Thiruppugazh, ragam madhyamavati, talam adi kanda nadi; Mangalam, ragam saurashtram, talam adi)

[rajeshnat]

sudora
This kid is so young, I did hear the last pallavi part 4 and also sogasuga in shreeranjani, liked the sogasuga a lot. May I also know , if you have already put Shri Ramabadhran speech in one of the clips, if yes can u indicate the url , if not can you also upload that too.

Kudos to varun

[sudora]

Thanks. We are working on uploading the speeches. Will try to get it there in a day or so.

[sudora]

We have just posted the speeches, they can be found at the following links:
Chief Guest, Paramaguru, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Vellore Ramabhadran speech part 1: http://youtu.be/K7X7c5jYr0g
Chief Guest, Paramaguru, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Vellore Ramabhadran speech part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VFSjf3fNuU
Guest of Honor, Sri Cleveland Sundaram speech: http://youtu.be/IlRpv2c01Nc

[rajeshnat]

sudora
Thank u for also posting vellore shri rAmabadran's speech. I have not seen more than two songs but will look at it bit more leisurely.
Best wishes to sarvalaghu music school of Ramesh Srinivasan to bring in more varun's in the future. Varun is just 11 and as years roll on I wish him to get bit more power . Sarvalaghu always fascinates me.

[Ranganayaki]

Thank you for the links, Sudora.. I have just started listening to it, and paying attention to the mridangam.. I don't know the technicalities of talam, but Varun is superb. He plays to the song, he obviously knows them, it sounds wonderful.

[sudora]

We finally got the updated videos of the event from the videographer, especially the first few songs, and have organized the playlist on youtube. Earlier, the first few songs we had posted, the quality was not good. These are much better.

Thank you all so much for your interest. Here is the playlist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1ZJtMyJ ... e=view_all