Young Vidwan Saketharaman - on 18th April 2010.

It is a matter of great satisfaction for the Carnatic music rasika, that we have today a number of young and highly talented  musicians giving stage performances. They indeed form the back bone of this great art form in the decades to come.Nadasurabhi which has been presenting concerts of a judicious mix of senior and young musicians, present for their monthly concert in April, one such exceptionally gifted young carnatic vocalist, Vidwan Saketharaman. With a post graduate degree in Software technology, Saketharaman is presently a Senior Technical Analyst working in Bangalore.

A disciple of Padmabhushan Sangeetha Surabhi Lalgudi G.Jayaraman, Saketharaman is also an A-Grade artist of AIR. He has numerous awards to his credit, especially First prize in vocal competitions conducted by AIR, Bharat Kalachar, Music Academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, DKJ Foundation and so on. He has also released several CDs, including one with compositions for which Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman has set the tunes. He has travelled widely and given performances in the US, Europe and Middle east. He has also performed in almost all leading sabhas in India.

The concert is expected to be a melody treat following the Lalgudi Baani.

Concert Review

Saketharaman sparkles during April concert

Young Saketharaman lit up the musical horizon with his sparkling performance at the Indian Heritage Academy Hall,Koramangala, Bangalore on Sunday, 18th April 2010. Accompanied by veteran violinist H.K.Venkatram, enthusiastic Jayachandra Rao on mridangam and Omkar on Ghatam, Saketharaman commenced his concert with a brisk Valaji varnam followed by the popular Gnanamosagaraada with brief raga, neraval and swara. Then started the masterpieces falling in place one by one. The first Nalinakanthi alapana gave the essence of the raga,rendered with grace and beauty. The krithi Neepaadamegathi Nalinakanthimathi was appended by a nice swaraprasthara. Next item was the fast paced Varanarada Narayana in Vijayasree had a pleasant surprise. The few avarthanams of high speed swaras popping up at the second anupallavi following the charanam- Prakatambuna, brought out many wahs from the audience. The main piece of the evening was an extensive treatment of the raga Karaharapriya. It was a tapestry of superb music depicting every nuance of the great raga. It went on for more than 20 minutes with hardly any phrase being repeated. The kriti selected was Raama Nee yada, with neraval and swara. A fascinating listening experience indeed. A spirited thani avarthanam followed.

The first portion so far had consumed 2 hrs 15 minutes and when it was expected that the concert would be wound up, came the next big surprise with an RTP in Vasantha. The thukkadas too made a lasting impression. Rarely can we hear the bhava of  Bharathiar's Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai expressed so well. "Pinnalai Pinnindru Izhuththan" made us feel the tug that young Lord Krishna gave to the girls' hair! Then it was the sublime devotional beauty of Chandrakauns  in Purandaradasa's Kande na Govindana, a melody which gets played back in our memory long after we leave the concert. A thillana in Revathi was the final piece. Saketharaman in his twenties has mastered an art which is difficult to grasp even after a lifetime of hard work. It is undoubtedly a combination of a natural gift, a great guru in Sri.Lalgudi Jayaraman and hard work.

Sri.H.K.Venkatram was totally involved and full of concentration. His replies to the main artist as well as individual expressions were brilliant. The percussionists too were overjoyed in participating in a vibrant concert and contributed in good measure to the success of the programme.

List of songs:

1. Kshanamu Seya- Varnam-Valaji- Lalgudi Jayaraman
2. Gnanamosagarada- Poorvikalyani- Ragam, N @ Paripoorna nishkalanka, Swaram
3. Nee padamegathi Nalinakanthimathi- Nalinakanthi- Ragam, Swaram
4. Varanarada narayana- Vijayashree- Swaram @ Prakatambuna
5. Raamaa Nee yada- Karaharapriya- Ragam, N @ Tanasoukyamu, Swaram
6. Thani avarthanam
7. RTP- Vasantha- Tisra Ata thalam- Chatusranadai.
    Pallavi: Ananda Natana Prakasha Sarvesha, Natesa, Anudinam arul puriyum with ragamalika swaram in kedaram, todi and brindavana saranga
8. Theerada vilayattu pillai-Raagamalika
9. Kande na Govindana- Chandrakauns
10. Thillana-Revathi
11. Mangalam.