Vidya Mandir, Mylapore, plays host to its alumni-musicians

For its 70th year, Vidya Mandir, Mylapore, launched a commendable initiative amidst the Season’s bustle — a short Carnatic concert series featuring its alumni on the school campus. K. Gayatri, Sikkil C. Gurucharan and Veena Venkatramani were among those who performed.

R. Sathish Kumar’s violin solo recital emerged as a pleasant surprise. Stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Anusha Thyagarajan, he delivered an impressive display that left one wondering why this disciple of maestro M.S. Gopalakrishnan is not a frequent presence on the concert circuit. M.L. Vadiraj (mridangam) and K.R. Sivaramakrishna (kanjira) provided enthusiastic rhythmic support.

Sathish Kumar was in the groove from the outset. Tyagaraja’s ‘Ninne bhajana’ provided a lively start, where his tonal clarity and nuanced modulation shone, particularly in the swara segment at ‘Sitanatha’ in the charanam. He then embarked on a well-proportioned Saraswati alapana, gradually developing its melodic contours. The influence of his guru’s Parur bani was evident in the brisk phrases as the raga ascended to its crescendo.

R. SathishKumar accompanied by M.L. Vadiraj (mridangam) and K.R. Sivaramakrishna (kanjira) at the 70th year celebration of Vidya Mandir School in Mylapore.
| Photo Credit:
SRINATH M

G.N. Balasubramaniam’s ‘Saraswati namostute’ in Rupakam came next, and the kalpanaswaras at the pallavi opening were precise and polished.

The raga essay of Manavati, the fifth Melakarta, was compact. Anchoring his forays around the defining suddha gandharam and embellishing them with deft glides connecting the key notes, Sathish Kumar captured the distinctive hue of this vivadi raga. His presentation of the Tyagaraja kriti ‘Evarito ne telpudu’ was neat.

Ravichandrika, the main raga, was explored in some detail, with Sathish Kumar bringing out its melodic essence with assurance. The kriti that followed is an instrumentalist’s delight — Tyagaraja’s ‘Niravadhi sukhada’, meaning ‘bestower of boundless joy’ — and the phrase couldn’t be more apt. He explored the song’s scope for instrumental expression to the hilt, with the slight zigzag structure in the raga lending a charming lilt. The swara segment was marked by vibrant synergy, before percussionists Vadiraj and Sivaramakrishna capped the kriti with a short, precise tani in Adi tala.

A concise Sindhu Bhairavi alapana ushered in a soulful rendition of Purandara Dasa’s ‘Venkatachala nilayam’, the final song of the recital. The absence of a Muthuswami Dikshitar kriti was felt, but it did not take away anything from a concert that reaffirmed Sathish Kumar’s artistry.