Mridangam Arangetram of Vivek Ramanan (16 Aug, San Jose, CA)

[rsridhar]

My wife's review:

During the afternoon of August 16th, I had the pleasure of attending the Mridangam Arangetram of Chi. Vivek Ramanan, at the Louis Mayer Theater in Santa Clara University. Vivek is a disciple of Sri. Ramesh Srinivasan, Artistic Director of the Sarvalaghu Percussion Art Center, San Jose. The luminous artist line up on stage included the Carnatica Brothers (Kalaimamani Sri. K N Shashikiran and Sri. P Ganesh--Vocal), Sri. Hemmige V Srivatsan (violin) and Sri. Balaji Chandran (Ghatam). I am very much a lay rasika, and this is only an attempt to express my heartfelt appreciation for the treat the artists of the day provided us, the audience.

From where I sat, Vivek presented a supremely confident and composed visage, and his performance reflected those very qualities. At no time during the four hour concert did we see him slacken or show any uncertainty, especially while accompanying artists who demand immense concentration and coordination on the part of their accompanists.

The Carnatica Brothers seem to have specifically planned a concert that included various taalas, ragas and composers in order to fully showcase Vivek’s abilities. It is no small matter to play for the Carnatica Brothers who are so well versed in the nuances of rhythm. The highlight of the concert was the RTP where the Carnatica Brothers had created a wholly new taalam for this occasion which is a Sarvanga Taalam. It included Taala angas which are not commonly used today, like Guru and Kaakapadam. Apart from the usual trikalam, the artists also changed Gati and Kalai. Vivek very aptly brought out the subtleties of the changing tempos.

Needless to say, Sri. Hemmige Srivatsan’s sensitive and encouraging support on violin, and Sri. Balaji Chandran’s lively, yet subdued support on Ghatam greatly enhanced Vivek’s debut performance.

Sri. Ramesh Srinivasan, a veteran teacher, has developed the highly innovative approach of providing guidance and framework for his students to develop and express themselves, rather than dictating every step. His dedication to his student’s success is highly commendable!

It was great to see Vivek, an accomplished Bharata Natyam dancer, express his creativity, poise and grace in his playing. Congratulations and best wishes to Vivek Ramanan and his family.

- Vaishnavi

[anandg70]

I happened to attend the wonderful Mridangam Arangetram Concert of Chi Vivek Ramanan on Aug 16th afternoon where Carnatica brothers - Sri K.N.Shashikiran and Sri P.Ganesh were on vocal, Sri Hemmige.V.Srivatsan on Violin, Chi Vivek Ramanan –Mridangam and Sri Balaji Chandran- Ghatam

Here is the song list from my notes:

• Kuntalavarali varnam - Sri ranga pura vaasa- was announced as K.N.Shashikiran - Adhi
• Sadhincene O manasa- Tyagaraja - Arabhi - pancaratna Krithi- Adhi
• Paavana Guru- Hamsanandi- RNS - Ragam With slokam by Borthers followed by Srivatsan ji - Lalitha Dasar - Rupakam
• Divakara thanujam- Yadukulakambhodi - ragam outline- Navagraha Krithi - Muthuswami Dikshitar - Eka -2 kalai
• Kamakshi - Bhairavi swarajathi- Syama Sastri- Misra Chapu
• Ragam by Ganesh ji and Srivatsan ji, and Kalpana Swarams for every charanam and followed by the tani by Vivek Ramanan and Balaji Chandran
• Swagatham Krishna- Mohanam - Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi- Adhi Tisra Gathi
• RTP -Priya, Gana Priya, Mridanga Priya- Sarvalaghu guru Rama preceded by Ragam and Tanams by the brothers and Srivatsan ji followed by the Pallavi in Ramapriya Announced by Shashikiran as a tribute to Legend Vellore Ramabhadran sir and also the Sarvalaghu percussion center and set in an Anga talam (32 counts) for the first part and then Adhi 4 kalai and finally 2 kalais.
The different speed variations at each level was executed. .2 Tanis were done by Vivek Ramanan and Balaji Chandran ji
• Ini enna - padam -Sahana - Subbaramaiyer- Rupakam
• Mahadeva Shiva Shambho- Revathi - Thanjavur Sankara Iyer - Adhi
• Rama Rama - Chandra jyothi - Adhi
• Raghavendra song - ragamalika
• 5 raga-Tala malika tillana -Chitravina Ravikiran - Darbari, Bilahari, Kapi, Behag, Madhyamaavathi
• Tiruppugazh - Valachi- Arunagirinathar- Sankirna Chapu

Sarvalaghu percussion arts center with Guru Ramesh Srinivasan has been doing yeoman service to grooming talents in mridangam especially in the bay area and in the last few years have brought to light atleast 6-8 really promising young talents who are all playing at concert level. The commitment and dedication and the innovative teaching approach of the guru Ramesh Ji has to be commended for this. He has also worked on improving their skill set rather than making them merely clones.
And the Arangetram concert of Vivek Ramanan, who just completed is school education proved these aspects even further. The entire concert of the popular duo Carnatica brothers with the senior pro Hemmige Srivatsan on the violin and Balaji Chandran on the ghatam who supported Vivek did not seem like an arangetram concert. It was totally a full fledged concert that a rasika is used to hearing without any compromises.

Shri B.V Jagadeesh (Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, VC and more importantly rasika of Carnatic Music) graced the occasion as Chief Guest and blessed Chi. Vivek.

[rajeshnat]

Best wishes to Vivek Ramanan in pursuing mrudangam in naadabadran sunaadam style . I appreciate the artists singing/playing long hours with complex pallavi that will make it very memorable for young vivek .

[ramananjgd]

thank you all.. Here are the links to some of the songs in the concert..

RTP = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVzkZxZ ... qy&index=8
Kamakshi = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmizGfB ... qy&index=4
Thani = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsM7p5Y ... qy&index=6

thanks for all your blessings for the young artist and to his Guru Ramesh Srinivasan.

Ramanan