For aspiring young musicians, each concert opportunity represents a pivotal moment, a true test of their skills and dedication. When these opportunities come under the prestigious banner of The Music Academy, the stakes are immeasurably higher. Recently, the 34th Spirit of Youth series, dedicated to the memory of Ambujam Krishna, concluded at the Kasturi Srinivasan Hall. This series brought forth an enriching experience for all 10 main artistes and their accompanists, regardless of whether they secured a prize or not.
In a delightful, almost paradoxical twist, the charm of traditional music was a breath of fresh air during Dhanush Anantharaman’s vocal recital. He commenced with a rendition of Tyagaraja’s ‘Tulasee dalamulache’ in Mayamalavagowla. This performance featured elaborate niraval and kalpanaswaras at the customary ‘Saraseeruha punnaaga’, hinting at the musical treats in store.
Dhanush masterfully delivered the Kannada alapana, avoiding repetition of the typical vakra phrases, thereby maintaining the raga’s essence. Following this, he presented Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Sri Mathrubhutam’ with brisk swara sequences at ‘Vaasita nava javanti pushpa’. Swiftly moving on to ‘Varanarada’ in Vijayasri, he plunged into the grandeur of Bhairavi. An elaborate akara and gamaka-filled delineation preceded a soulful rendition of Syama Sastri’s ‘Sari evaramma’. The concert’s highlight was the niraval and swaras at ‘Syamakrishna paripalini’ delivered in dual speeds at an ideal kalapramanam. A delightful touch was added with the use of a phrase from the mudra line of Syama Sastri’s swarajathi in the keezh kaalam.
The concert concluded with ‘Jagathinai kaathidum Janardhana’ by Ambujam Krishna, followed by a Thiruppugazh tuned in Senchurutti and Nadanamakriya. The violinist Naga Sai exemplified sensitivity and support, while Pranav’s enthusiastic percussion and engrossing thani in Khanda Jhampa enriched the performance.
Supriya Raja’s concert opened with a sparkling swara avartanam at the pallavi of ‘Palimparavadelara’, a Pallavi Seshayyar composition in Arabhi. She was accompanied by M. Meenakshy Dev on the violin and B.N.
. Kasinadh on the mridangam. Supriya brilliantly navigated two ragas, Thodi and Kalyani, showcasing her mastery over distinctly different swara spectrums. Her Kalyani essay transitioned seamlessly into Patnam Subramania Iyer’s ‘Nijadasa varada’, highlighted by an expressive niraval at ‘Bhujagadhipa sayana’.
Subsequently, she breezed through Dikshitar’s ‘Ramachandram bhavayami’ before delving into Thodi, the evening’s main raga, built with structural coherence. Supriya’s rendition of Tyagaraja’s ‘Emi jesithe’ was filled with deep bhava, followed by a skillful niraval and engaging swaras at ‘Varamantramanyulaku’ in the charanam.
Supriya chose ‘Ododi vanden Kanna’ in Dharmavathi, a composition by Ambujam Krishna, for the obligatory piece. Given the similar uttaranga of Kalyani and Dharmavathi, a different raga might have been more fitting. Finally, her recital closed with Papanasam Sivan’s Behag thillana. Violinist Meenakshy’s sublime artistry, especially in Kalyani and Thodi, along with Kasinadh’s consistent support, despite a minor mishap in his Misra Chapu thani, added depth to the performance.
Atchayaharini’s vocal performance stood out for its sound musical values, rich bhava, and adept voice modulation. She began with Pallavi Gopala Iyer’s varnam in Surati, rapidly advancing with swara sequences at ‘Saraswathi’ from Puliyur Duraiswami Iyer’s ‘Sarasiruhasanapriye’. A captivating Pantuvarali rendition of Tyagaraja’s ‘Sambho Mahadeva’ and the Dikshitar masterpiece ‘Balagopala’ in Bhairavi formed the nucleus of her concert. Her niraval and swara prastharam at ‘Sambho Mahadeva’ and ‘Neela neeradha sareera’ were commendable.
The recital’s richness was enhanced by Adithya Anil on the violin and Arvind Raman on the mridangam. Adithya’s raga essays were tuneful, confidently matching Atchayaharini’s niraval and swaras. Arvind delivered a robust thani in two-kalai Adi talam. ‘Kanna vaa Manivanna vaa’, a five-raga composition by Ambujam Krishna, added a vibrant splash of colors. Concluding the concert and the series, Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar’s thillana in Poornachandrika brought a spirited close to Atchayaharini’s performance, marking the series as a notable showcase for emerging talents.
