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What is the Musiri bani? Listen to what his star sishya Suguna Purushottaman had to say about him during Musiri Margam, an illuminating tribute she paid to his memory—during the late evening of her own life.
We, in Columbus, Ohio, have been in the isolating grip of a viral pandemic for three months now. Social interactions have been impacted in ways one could never have imagined […]
It is with deep sadness and anguish that we have all been observing the events surrounding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Our emotions are also mixed with the knowledge that the circumstances and behavior which led to his death are all too common.
Since early March, Dhvani Music School has been proactively taking steps to promote the safety of all our students, teachers, members and participants, We proactively moved to online instruction and other virtual platforms for all our classes, events and activities.
For this musicologist and author, there are good reasons to believe that Carnatic music matters, perhaps more than ever and almost anywhere in the world. So why not perform and teach […]
What would you like to do this Friday?” my husband asks. As I peruse the listings for concerts, I am amazed to see how many youngsters are performing Indian classical music. This is true not just in India but also in the US. From Boston to San Diego, classical music and dance schools are flourishing. And this isn’t a phenomenon limited just to big cities.
“Siddheshwari Devi, the doyen of Hindustani music is sitting on a chair, with a japa mala in her hand. Seated in front of her, are M.S.Subbulakshmi and her daughter Radha Viswanathan.” R.K.Shriram Kumar, well-known carnatic violinist brings the scene from Kalki Gardens, MS’ home alive to the audience. In an intimate lecture-demonstration, from his unique vantage point as her accompanist and disciple, Shriram Kumar spoke of what made MS (whom he refers to as Amma) a truly special musician.
The Indian Fine Arts Society of San Diego is having a concert by Vidhushi Trivandrum Seethalakshmi. The concert is in memory of of S.A. Ramaswami Iyer (1855 -1936) the principal disciple of Walajapet Krishnaswamy Bhagavatar who was the son and disciple of Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar .
The eminent Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, composer and teacher Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar shared his memories as we were seated at the Kalakshetra auditorium with his dancer wife Jaya, waiting to watch the program of the evening. “You know I am 70 years old, don’t you,” he says with a wide smile and a chuckle.
Dikshitar’s songs bring in a mood of meditative devotion of sublime nature which transcends words and feelings. Dikshitar was probably the most complete classical composer and one of the most versatile men world has ever seen. He was a man who had early and purposeful exposure to Carnatic, Western, Persian, Arabic and Hindustani styles of music. Dikshitar had proficiency in different languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, English and different branches of academics such as History, Mythology and Science, not to mention proficiency in numerous musical instruments.
South India comprises a geographical area as large as that of Western Europe where four major languages (Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam) are spoken. Although there are two metropolises (Madras, now known as Chennai, and Bangalore), and a few other important cities, most people still live in villages and small towns. This explains the great diversity of traditional South Indian music.
As a Westerner interested in Carnatic music, I am frequently asked to explain my interest and to articulate what makes South Indian music special. Both Indians and Westerners ask the same questions. Since I did not grow up with it, but rather chose it for myself from among a broad range of world traditions, Carnatic music is special indeed. There is always a sense in which cross-cultural interactions serve not only to broaden one’s horizons, but also to set one’s own cultural identity more strongly in relief.
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