A hectic quarter of the year began with Guru Purnima Celebrations featuring two veena chamber concerts, one a duet by students Jayash and Manash Ramanathan of Tampa, Florida. They impressed the audience with their brisk rendition of Bilahari varnam in two speeds, an adroitly played Pantuvarali (Sarasaksha), and a moving Desh tillana of the legend Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman. The second concert was that of Santosh Jayaraman, a student of Sri Guruguha Gana Vidyalaya, Kolkata, now also training at Veenavaadhini. His playing displayed ample musical maturity, the highlight being his ragam assay of Karaharapriya and the ragamalika ragam preface to Teerada Vilayattu Pillai.
On September 5th, we had Sri Adoor Sudarshan from Kerala give a wonderful chamber concert. He was accompanied by Sri VV Ravi on the violin and Sri Ramkumar on the mridangam. To quote rasika Venkitesh, who also co-sponsored the programme, "This is easily the best live concert of the recent past which I heard. The singing soaked with vidwat, bhava and kanakku. Detailed Kharahapriya and neraval and swarams with kanakku was the best. Followed by Kalyani raga vistaram with sruthi bedam. Varnam in mohanam, and Sobillu was there in the beginning and was nice. Ravi's kalyani alapana was nice too. Kharaharapriya and Kalyani sruthibedam touched my heart. Tanam , followed by pallavi in kalyani was the next item. Four krithis with detailed raga and neraval and swaras, remarkable concert." Ramkumar was outstanding on the mridangam.
Veenavaadhini also organised Navarathri Special Programme wherein all the students rendered mini vocal and veena recitals. It being the 2nd Day of Navarathri, Kamalambam Bhajare was vocally rendered by Smt Jaysri with Sri Jeyaraaj accompanying her on the Veena. Students also gave concerts in local events conducted elsewhere in the city. Kum Meenakshi gave vocal concerts at the Navarathri Utsavams at TVS Sriperumbudur Balaganapathy Temple, Siddhi Buddhi Temple in RA Puram, and Saibaba Temple, Mylapore. Kum Veena Venkatramani played veena at RA Puram Siddhi Buddhi Vinayakar Temple. Kum Aishwarya gave a 2-hour vocal concert at the Navarathri Celebrations at Vallishwarar Temple in Mylapore.
The month of November began with Meenakshi's Pradosham Veena Concert at the famous Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore on November 3rd. On Deepavali Day, a Musical Tribute to Nadajyoti Muthuswamy Dikshitar was paid by group singing of his Aradhana Kritis, led by Smt Jaysri and Sri Jeyaraaj. Our thanks to Smt Latha Parameshwaran and Sri Raj Prameshwaran for the excellent arrangements at their place for the Deepavali Sangitanjali.
