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B.KRISHNAMURTI - VOCALIST & PEDAGOGUE...............(b. August 24, 1932) Born at Pavattakudi (Ramnad District) of Balasubramania Ayyar and Lakshmi Ammal. He studied upto Matriculation and Praveshika in Hindi. He had his music training under four Sangita Kalanidhis, viz., Musiri Subramania Ayyar, T.N.Swaminatha Pillai, B.Rajam Ayyar (brother) & Mudicondan Venkatarama Ayyar. He had taken a Teacher's Training Certificate in Indian Music & Sangita Vidwan Title Course. He was awarded Fellowship for Research in Pallavi singing by the Sangeet Natak Academy. He was a linguist with knowledge of English, Telugu, Tamil and Sanskrit. He collected
and edited for the Madras State Sangita Natak Sangham:
Krishnamurti was born at Kothapalli near Pithapura. He learnt music from Sri Appa Rao, Kalluri Venugopala Rao, Dwaram Narasinga Rao and Dr. Sripada Pinakapani and was a student of the Maharajah's College of Music, Vizianagaram. He opted for violin for some time but reverted to vocal since his voice was an asset to be nurtured and not to be ignored. His first concert was in his own village, followed by one at Kakinada on the next day. He had won the first prize in a competition conducted by Saraswathi Gana Sabha, Kakinada and gave an excellent concert when the Flute celebrity, T.R. Mahalingam did not arrive. (When a celebrity does not arrive and a debuntante enters the stage, he is an instant success. Proof: Ariyakudi Ramanuja Ayyangar, G.N.Balasubramaniam). Nedunuri Krishnamurthi has a prodigious memory; used to listen to AIR concerts and reproduce what he had heard and this aptitude, practice, self-acquisition and enhancement of expertise was a peculiarity of his - described as 'swayam-krishi'. He has mentioned that he would imitate great mastewrs like G.N.Balasubramaniam, Madurai Mani, Semmangudi Srinivasa Ayyar, etc., and that his concerts would be 'part imitation of great masters and part my own innovation.' He felt later attracted to the style of Dr. Sripada Pinakapani who took 'great pains to explain and teach the finer aspects and intricate details specific to each raga.' Has served
as Principal in three Government Music Colleges till he retired in 1985.
Was on deputation to Sri Venkateswara College of Music, Tirupathi for four
years. Had set to tune fifty kirthanas of Annamacharya. He
directed and recorded the opera 'Prahalada Bhakti Vijayam' of Tyagaraja.
He is a composer
too and has enriched bharatanatyam with his varnas, padas, jatiswarams
and javalis. N. Krishnan has been honoured by the Tamil Nadu Eyal
Isai Nataka Mandram in 1982 and has received the Sangita Nataka Academy
Award 1988.
Kooniyur Vaidyanatha
Ayyar and Brhannayaki were parents of a rich crop of talented artistes
including Lakshminarayanan - violinist, Ramnad Eswaran (1913-1985) - mridangist,
Ramnad Venkatachalam - violinist, Ramnad Krishnan - vocalist, C.V.S.Mani
- Gemini Studios, Ramnad Raghavan (performing artiste) - mridangist (USA)
He was an inspiring
teacher and his disciples include - Nagamani Srinath, Dr.Rita Rajan and
Vegavauhini. Krishnan was an exotic at Wesleyan (USA) and served for three
months alone as he was not willing to be away from his musical country
beyond that. He gave a concert at Philadelphia at the wedding of John Higgins,
then undergoing training. Krishnan was Professor at the Central College
of Carnatic Music, Chennai for about six years.
Had his training
in music under Mani Bhagavatar at Mayavaram and then studied at the Music
College of the Annamalai University, Chidambaram then manned by stalwarts
like Tiger Varadachariar, Sattur Krishnayyangar and Ponniah Pillai. 'Ayyangar
was my adharsha guru and he a model, ideal guru in all respects'
in theory and practice of music. KSK, as he is popularly called now, had
many practice sessions with Tanjore Tyagarajan and Sankara Ayyar and percussionist
T.K.Murthy, then a disciple of Tanjore Vaidyanatha Ayyar, a mridangam maestro,
at Tanjore. His debut was at the Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Enjoys a
vast repertoire of songs, lavish expertise and varied experience. Above
all, he is a respected teacher of distinction. The concert dias would seem
to have ignored him much as it did many stalwarts like Simizhi Sundaram
Ayyar but as guru, he has drawn many shining young artistes and has shpaed
their careers. A musical Drona indeed. A senior Editor, Sruti magazine.
He is a shy and retiring person. He has a research-oriented mind, an adept
in lakshya-lakshana music and a good tune-setter.
Quite rightly, a writer observes that 'the man who is not thrilled to the bone by the spectacle of a woman playing the flute, blowing the clarinet or struggling with the intricacies of a trambone, is no man.' Kunjumani, the elder was born on June 15, 1930 and had the benefit of learning flute from her paternal uncle and flautist, Azhiyur Narayanaswami Ayyar. She embellished her training with the intricacies of laya (rhythm) under her father, Azhiyur Natesa Ayyar, a mridanga vidwan. Born in musical envioronments, she began giving concerts from the age of nine and in 1942 (at the age of twelve), the Mysore Samasthanam awarded the title 'Venu Gana Praveena', in recognition of her maturity of knowledge and capability even then. Sikkil Neela, the younger was born on September 6, 1940 and underwent training with her eleder sister. Began to give independent flute concerts from the age of seven and was given the title 'Apoorva Balakrishna Avatar' by the late Justice ASP Ayyar in 1950 at Nagapattinam. Sikkil Sisters have been giving concerts together since 1962 and have had the advantage of prominet artistes accompanying them. Top artistes of the AIR, they have been giving hundreds of performances at all the sabhas, television and elsewhere. Their daughter, Mala Chandrasekar is also in the field now giving fulte performances. Have given concerts abraod, notably in Singapore, Malaysia, USA & Canada. Apart from the initial awards they got in their teens, they have been honoured with the title of 'Kalaimamani' the the Tamil Nadu Sangeetha Nataka Sangam in 1973-74 and awarded special prizes for best performances by the Music Academy, Madras in 1978, 1982 and 1986. The Doyen in flute, Palladam Sanjeeva Rao gave prizes to the sisters in 1952 and specially blessed them. It is relevant to mention that it was he who suggested to Kunjumani's father to give her training in flute. They received the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1989. The sisters
blend the tone and play on their flutes as beautifully and exquisitely
as Sangita Kalanidhi M.S.Subbulakshmi sings with her daughter-musician
Radha. The merger is toal and the effect remarkable. The Flute
Duo provide excellent and rich play free from flaw and bristles and enjoy
a good reputation for chaste, orthodox style in rendering raga, kriti and
swara.
Veena Kuppayyar became a disciple under Tyagaraja. One day, he was playing on the veena of his guru surreptitiously in his absence. When Tyagaraja entered, he was suprised to hear captivating music and brilliant play on veena with remarkable felicity and competent fingering. When he found that the player was none other than his own disciple, he was most agreeably astonished. He immensely liked the disciple and pleased him by going over to his house at Tiruvottiyur and singing 'Venugopalaloluni' (Kedaragoula) in praise of the family deity of Kuppayyar; and also by staying at the Madras house of Kovur Sundara Mudaliar, where Kuppayyar enjoyed the status of asthana vidwan, for seven days and made a magnificient display of the potential and intricacies of Devagandhari raga. From Tiruvottiyur,
Kuppayyar shifted to Muthialpet in Madras. His fame and popularity
were such that eminent musicians like Vadivelu of Thanjavur used to visit
him frequently and take part in festivals and bhajans conducted by him
regularly. Like Maha Vaidyanatha Ayyar he kept a big retinue of disciples,
undergoing gurukulavasa at his house (free accomodation, food, dress,
education and training - all included). His son Tiruvottiyur Tyagayyar,
Kothavasal Venkatarama Ayyar, Sitaramayya and Fiddle Ponnuswami Pillai
were among his disciples.
Intaparakelanamma
- Begada.
Krishnan got an early start in his training at the tender age of five with his grandfather Lalgudi Gopala Ayyar and continued it with his father. Made his debut in 1973 providing violin support to his father. he is giving solo rcitals, jugalbandhis and violin duets with his father or his sister. His style like his father's is the gayaka style closest to vocal rendition. His raga delineations are crisp and absorbing. Kriti rendition exhibits musical vigour and grace. Impeccable bowing and careful planning feature his concerts. Has been giving quite a large number of concerts in India and abroad. A post graduate
in commerce and a Cost & Works Accountant, Krishnan is an Executive
Officer in an Investments Company and is a co-promoter of the vibrant organisation
'TYME' (Talented Youth for Musical Excellence).
Krishnan during
his visits abroad for concerts had an interesting experiences. He
says that nagaswaram and tavil are inseperable twins like Siva Sakti unity.
He knows to play on violin too. He is the accredited vidwan to the
Tirumalai Tirupathi Devasthanams. He has played on nagaswaram for
many films.
He has been honoured with many other titles like 'Inkuzhal Isai Arasu', 'Nagaswara Isai Mannar', 'Perunguzhal Pulavar Mani' and a Doctorate (one of the three nagaswara vidwans who enjoy this honour now) |
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