Saturday, June 17, 2000, 7:00 pm
Srikanth Chary (Veena)
with
Poovalur Srinivasan (Mridangam)
Venue:
The Saint Paul Student Center Theater,
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul campus
About the artists:
Srikanth Chary began his training at the age of six in Bombay under the Veena vidwan Devakottai Sri Narayana Iyengar. He later studied music under the auspices of Shanmukhananda Sabha, Bombay, from Smt. Kalyani Sarma. At the age of eight, Srikanth won the first prize (presented by Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi) in a Veena competition held at Shanmukhananda Sabha. After moving to the United States, Srikanth had the opportunity to study music from the famed violinist Kum. A. Kanyakumari. This opportunity awakened in Srikanth a keen love for music that he has been pursuing ever since. For the last nineteen years, Srikanth has been receiving advanced music training from the music Maestro Padmashri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. Sri Jayaraman's bani is well known for its purity of sound and rhythm, its emphasis on tonal perfection, and its sparkling creativity in manodharama sangita. Srikanth has adapted this captivating style to the Veena, and reformed this instrument to a new melodic medium while preserving the traditional purity of Carnatic music. He has delighted audiences all over with his scintillating music. Srikanth has given many concerts in the United States, India and Australia and has received excellent reviews. In 1989 Madras, he was felicitated by the late Sangeetha Kalanidhi Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari. He has accompanied eminent vocalists like Smt. Charumati Ramachandran and Smt. S udha Ragunathan. He has also given jugalbandhis with Hindustani musicians. In 1999, he was invited to perform a duet with Sangeetha Choodamani Lalgudi G. Jayaraman at the residence of His Excellency, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. Srikanth frequently performs on television and radio. In 1989, Srikanth established a music school, Nada Nidhi, to pass on the rich heritage of Carnatic music. His students include not only children being brought up in the U.S. who wish to absorb musical aspects of Indian culture, but also seasoned vainikas who want to refine and embellish their knowledge and techniques. In 1996, Srikanth released a CD titled Janani which has won rave reviews from music connoisseurs everywhere.
Poovalur Srinivasan (Srini) learned the Mridangam from his father P.A.Venkataraman, inheriting two different styles of drumming namely, the Tanjore and the Padukoatai. Srini has performed with artists such as Emani Sankara Sastry, Lalgudi Jayaraman, T.N.Krishnan, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Dr. N. Ramani, Sir Yehudi Menuhin, David Hidalgo and Mark O Conners. Tabula Rasa, an album in which Srini performed and composed with Bela Fleck, Vishwa Mohan Bhatta and Jei Ping Chen, was nominated for a Grammy in 1997. Srini is currently a faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts, Los Angeles and the University of North Texas, Denton. He received the "Best Mridangist Award" from the Madras Music Academy and has been an "A" Grade artist of the All India Radio since 1979.
© Copyright 2001 Indian Music Society of Minnesota