Dr. Pantula Rama @ The University of Notre Dame

[meenaakshi]

Dr. Pantula Rama
MSN. Murthy
Patri Satish Kumar

After observing a moment of silence to pray for the departed soul of Mandolin Srinivas and to the higher power to give his parents strength as they journey through the grief that violated nature’s order and find renewed sense of meaning in their lives, the team commenced the concert and showed that music can be an antidote to interminable sadness…

nAdha thanumanisham – citta ranjani, Thyagaraja
bAgAyanayya nI mAya lento – chandra jothi, Thyagaraja, R, S
karuNincutakidi samayamayya - sindhumandari, PS
nee daya raadhA – vasanthabhairavi, Thyagaraja, R, S
vara nArada nArAyaNa smaraNA – VijayashrI, Thyagaraja
RTP: hamsadhwani, chatusra triputa
Pallavi:
hamsOham sOham Anandha sAhara parama
Thani
gOvardhana giridhAra – darbari kanada, narayana teertar
dharma shravaNa vidEtake mUrkhage – durga, Purandara dasar
English notes – shankarabharanam, Muthiah bhagavatar
pavamAna with all 5 caraNams – sowrashtram, Thyagaraja

[Lakshman]

The third item should read karuNincutakidi samayamayya in sindhumandari by Patnam Subramania Iyer.

[meenaakshi]

Thanks Lakshmanji for the correction.

[rajeshnat]

At least looking in general the songlist when artists perform in different cities , the songlist is one that suits audience . With hamsadhwani as an rtp and tukkadas that followed in quite a few hindustani ragas , pantula had an eye with a lot of north indians in notre dame. I would love to hear these kind of concerts than a very big 5 raga centered concert. Tx Meenakshi - I am sure your camera works not only in Ohio but also in Indiana.

[arasi]

So well said, Rajesh. 'avaiyaRindu', we say in tamizh--knowing the audience (avai=sabhA, gathering).

Yes, the pictures too--they are eagerly awaited...

[meenaakshi]

There were a number of requests including the RTP.
On the vocal front, Dr. Rama’s voice has built in melody with dreamlike airiness and perfect diction and she wields her voice to slice through the rhythmic accents of Patri to alluring effect and with MSN Murthy in sync with her pulse, I guess no contextual history is required with respect to the lyrics as her music morphs into something greater than the sum of all its parts. Unpretentious virtuosity...And the students and faculty from the Notre Dame department of music sat through the concert taking in every moment. (Quite different from the Chicago audience. People were walking in and out with no regard to the artistes)

A few shots:
https://picasaweb.google.com/Minavg/RamaMurthyAndPatri

Guess who is in the last picture? Our hero with his Mrs :):)




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[arasi]

Simply gorgeous pictures, Meenaakshi (our Karsh of Ottawa, or should I say, Diane Arbus?)!

Your black and whites are always special, and the subject is simply charming, as always. Tambura tuning is so poetic...loved the colorful pictures of the colorful artistes too. Dr. Murthy and Patri (a gent always a dressed up for the stage) add to the beauty of the diva.

Charming rasikA couple too. Good to see her specially, after several years, but her equal half? He doesn't photograph that well, is my view. Some of us don't know how to pose for a picture, I suppose...