Sruti Magazine articles reproduced with permission. All rights reserved. www.sruti.com

Ganesh-Kumaresh

Ganesh and Kumaresh - a quest for 'pure' music

When Ganesh (born 1964) and Kumaresh (born 1967) ascended the Carnatic concert stage in 1972, the image of the violin as an accompanying instrument in Carnatic vocal concerts had been well-etched in the minds of audiences and musicians alike.
Leveraging social media as a platform for Carnatic music

LOCKDOWN EVENTS - Leveraging social media as a platform for Carnatic music

Music has got an ethereal quality to heal the disturbed mind and provide solace. The impact of Covid-19 and the stress of confinement within one’s home have been multiplied by the disturbing news flashing across media - both visual and social.
Cyber sabhas and concerts during lockdown

Cyber sabhas and concerts during lockdown

Perhaps there will be a cyber sabha not too far in the future, fully equipped with the musicians and the enrapt audience, a virtual reality et al. — This was the concluding line of one of my articles on music published in December 2000.…
T. Rukmini: a radiant soul (1936-2020)

T. Rukmini: a radiant soul (1936-2020)

Beauty is skin deep; it is oft said. In rare cases it permeates the whole being—inside, outside, and in the body, mind and soul. Vidushi T. Rukmini, who performed the “mangalam” to her sojourn on this earth recently, was one such.
Neyyattinkara Vasudevan

Neyyattinkara Vasudevan (1940-2008)

Neyyatinkara Vasudevan shone like a meteor in the field of Carnatic music. Hailing from a humble background, he attained success as a vocalist and teacher against heavy odds, facing many rough patches along the way. Born on 24 August 1940, as the son of a Dalit woodcutter, in rural Thiruvananthapuram district (Neyyattinkara), Vasudevan went on to become a leading vocalist from Kerala.
Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar

Unpublished varnas of Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar

Ayyampettai, a small village on the banks of the river Kaveri becomes musically active in the month of Masi, to commemorate the birth of Walajapet Venkataramana Bhagavatar, one of the primary disciples of Tyagaraja, known for his devotion to his guru. His jayanti is celebrated every year as a three-day celebration in Ayyampettai coinciding with Moola, his birth star.
Chittoor Revathy Ratnaswamy

Chittoor Revathy Ratnaswamy (1936-2019)

The state of Andhra Pradesh has contributed many musicians of repute to the world of Carnatic music. Revathy Ratnaswamy was one such whose music was steeped in classicism and tradition.
R.A. RAMAMANI

R.A. RAMAMANI - All the world's her stage

R. A. Ramamani is a multifaceted musician. Singing avadhana pallavis, providing dizzying vocals for Indo-Jazz bands, composing for jazz and fusion, running a music school, training scores of students in India and abroad in Carnatic music - she has done it all. This versatile artist turned seventy on 2 March 2020.
Celebrating R.K. Srikantan's memory

Celebrating R.K. Srikantan's memory

The Vidwan R.K. Srikantan Trust celebrated the silver jubilee of its annual Sankranti Music Fest, along with the twin centenaries of Sangita Kalanidhi R.K. Srikantan, and the Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar—famous composer and art patron.
R.S. Jayalakshmi

R.S. Jayalakshmi: a scholar and vainika

Veteran R.S. Jayalakshmi is a respected vainika, teacher and musicologist. She was initiated into music when she was just six years old. Jayalakshmi used to observe her older sister in music class, and had a natural flair for repeating all the lessons that she heard!
M.K. THYAGARAJA BHAGAVATAR

A PEEP INTO THE PAST

In the history of south Indian performing arts, there perhaps exists no parallel to the case of M.K. Thyagaraja Bhagavatar (1910 - 1959) where the tremendous popularity of one facet of an artist is matched by a near oblivion of another.
THE STATE OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

THE STATE OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

Sruti spoke to on music instruments—their history, about the recent trends which several instrumentalists and all of playing styles and pointers on how have had a considerable impact on them consistently expressed the to appreciate instrumental music.