Sikkil Gurucharan @ Rama Rao Hall, 06/01/2012

[musica]

Sikkil C. Gurucharan (Vocal)
Delhi P. Sunderrajan (Violin)
Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman (Mrdangam)
Anirudh Atreya (Kanjeera)

Yet another marvellous performance by Gurucharan and the accompanying artists.

Song list:

1. Valachi vachi (varnam) - Navaragamalika.

2. Paraloka bhayamu - Mandhari.

3. Sabhapathiku - Abhogi. Alapanai with neraval at "orutharam shiva chidambaram enru sonnal pothume".

4. Bhajare bhaja manasa - Kannada.

5. Paradevatha Bruhatkuchamba - Dhanyasi. Alapanai with neraval at "kalA mAlinI kAtyAyanI", which Gurucharan rendered so well, which was ably matched by Delhi Sunderrajan's violin. This was followed by a brilliant Tani Aavartanam by Umayalpuram Sivaraman. I don't know much about Mrdangam but i could enjoy everything that was being played. His perfection and agility is extremely superb. Anirudh at kanjeera was fantastic as well. I must admit, the tani avartanam was an absolute treat!!

6. Thikkutheriyatha kattil - Ragamalika

7. Geethadhunikku (thillana) - dhanashree

8. Mangalam.

A superb concert. Gurucharan's depth, range and perfection is just awesome. His strict adherence to classicism is amazing !!

I was surprised that there weren't many rasikas at the concert (more than half the seats were vacant!!)...i am guessing that many of them were not aware of this concert or is it because everyone is tired after a busy musical december!!

[devan]

people are not tired .they are not intersted.abishek is able to pull crowd wherever he sings.good looks and pedigree can pull you for a while.you should have the quality.even with uks he is able to fill only half the hall.

[nsvignesh]

I am not sure what your definition for quality is. But in my opinion, gurucharan does sing well. I did not attend this concert ,so I have no comments regarding this particular one. But from the review it does seem that he did sing well. If there was a less turnout, its not always the singer who is to blame! And a lesser turnout does never mean a lack of quality! And there is no point in comparing artists! We need to appreciate artists for what they are! A gurucharan cannot do a abhishek and the reverse applies too! In Hindustani music, there are gharanas to explicitly show different styles! but hasn't the carnatic music rasika been intelligent enough to appreciate styles even without gharanas?Where have we lost that suddenly?

[vasanthakokilam]

Well said nsvignesh.

[radha bhaskar]

For your kind information, we had an almost hall-full audience for Gurucharan's concert in Mudhra, accompanioed by Sivaraman Sir- our hall capacity is 750.I think the audience are also particular about the ambience in which they listen to a concert and many have said that Mudhra is one such venue which they find as having good acoustics and a serene atmosphere. Artists who perform here also have expressed that they feel a sense of great enjoyment while singing at our venue as they are able to connect well with teh audience. We have a well lit bright hall. Rama Rao Kala mandap has a drab ambience for Karnatic music and here, we can never connect ourselves with the artists. The lights are dull on the audience end and you can't even sense whether somebody is there, especially in the back half of the auditorium. You feel that the artists are in some space singing to themselves and we are an isolated lot. Somehow, I myself do not like this venue. That could also be a reason. The organisers also do not take much ineterst to give proper publicity to the artists and that is also is quite important.
So let us not pass sweeping judgements!

[musica]

Well said @nsvignesh and radhabhaskar...

i have attended Gurucharan at Bharat Kalachar, Mudhra and Rama Rao hall....both Bharat kalachar and Mudhra were more than half packed...and that itself speaks volumes about the artists...Also i must admit that although the lighting at Rama Rao hall isn't that brilliant, the acoustics and seating arrangement are quite comfortable....anyway, i am sure good music lovers know what a great artist Gurucharan is!!