Concert Series @ South India Fine Arts - San Jose

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 06 Apr 2009, 11:37

South India Fine Arts (SIFA), San Jose celebrated it's 30th anniversary with a 2 day music festival. Here is a listing of the parts I attended - Items may be out of order):

April 4th:

Smt Suguna Varadachari accompanied by Jayashankar Balan on violin and Madarimangalan Sri Swaminathan on mridanga

1.viribonoNi - bhairavi aTa tALa varNa
2. paramESvara - nATa - ? - MD (s)
3. mEru samAna - mAyAmAlava gouLa - tyAgarAja (n,s)
4. nADADina mATa - janaranjani - tyAgarAja (r,s)
5. maravakavE- sAma - Patnam(?) (r,s)
6. SrI krishnam - tODi - MD (r,n,s)
7. Ragamalika vrtta (...kOvalanai?)
8. tillAna in gambhIr vAni (composition of TKG)
9. mangala in suruti

This was the first concert of Smt Suguna I attended. I had never heard the sAma kriti, the tillAna and the vrtta before. I liked the brisk janaranjani, sAma, and tODi renditions.

Violin Trio - Sri MSG, Dr Narmadha, Sri G Suresh ; Madarimangalam Sri Swaminathan on Mridanga

1. viribONi - bhairavi aTa tALa varNa
2. gajAnanayutam - chakravAka - Adi - MD
2. nijamarmamulanu - umAbharaNa - Adi -tyAgarAja
3. nAdasudhArasambilanu - (r,s) - Arabhi -rUpaka - tyAgarAja
4. janani ninu vinA - rItigouLa - m.chApu - Subbaraya Sastry
5. raghuvamSa - kadanakutUhala - Adi - Patnam
6. nAdalOludai - kalyANavasanta - rUpaka - tyAgarAja (r.s)
7. bhavanuta - mOhana - tyAgarAja
....

This was the 3rd concert beginning with viribOni in 2 weeks! But it gave a very good start, and there were a lot more sangatis, than are normally sung. Kalyanavasanta Alapane (Narmadha) was excellent and so was Mohana (MSG), with characteristic Shuddha kalyAN touch. However I had to leave as the kriti was starting.

April 5th - Vocal - Smt Gayatri Venkataraghavan - Smt Ranjani Arun on Violin & Sri Vinod Seetaraman on Mridanga

I walked in as a wonderful varALi was shaping up. It was followed by karuna jUDavamma (SS) which was given an elaborate treatment. Following this was vidajAladurA (janaranjani); Then came Alapane of Sri, and MD's TyagarAja mahAdhwajArOha. Evari mATa (kAmboji) was the main. Alapane was very nice, as well as the kriti elaboration. Then there were couple of short compositions and murugA murugA (sAvEri - audience request) followed by mangaLa. A really enjoyable concert. Violin support was great too.

-Ramakriya

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 06 Apr 2009, 12:51

Thanks for the reviews Ramakriya...looks like there is a lot of action in the US leading upto the Cleveland Aradhana. Look forward to more reporting from there!

sridhar_ranga · Post by **sridhar_ranga** » 06 Apr 2009, 14:25

ramakriya wrote: 7. Ragamalika vrtta (...kOvalanai?)

-Ramakriya

Was it the verse from amalanaadipiraan "konDal vaNNanai kOvalanAi veNNai unDa vAyan en uLLam kavarndAnai..."?

ramakriya · Post by **ramakriya** » 06 Apr 2009, 21:23

sridhar_rang wrote:
ramakriya wrote: 7. Ragamalika vrtta (...kOvalanai?)

-Ramakriya
Was it the verse from amalanaadipiraan "konDal vaNNanai kOvalanAi veNNai unDa vAyan en uLLam kavarndAnai..."?

IIRC, yes

bilahari · Post by **bilahari** » 07 Apr 2009, 02:46

Aha, so it's not just San Diego suffering from an RTP famine. Thank you for your reports, ramakriya.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 08 Apr 2009, 08:35

Ramakriya,
Yes, Ramakriya. More reviews please. With so many concerts (with RTPs too!) and reviews, Bangalore has found competition in California when it comes to seasonal goodies.

Gobilalitha,
They obviously have food here in CA too. Otherwise, one of the reviewers would not have had a cat nap during a concert...

raj-123 · Post by **raj-123** » 09 Apr 2009, 07:19

Sri Ramakriya,
Are you planning to attend TMK condert coming sunday at Stanford. I am planning to attend, do you know how is the parking at the venue. Is it nearby the audorium. If you have attended concerts at this venue, please share..