Kalaimamani

Vidushi Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar    Flute

Vidushi Nalina Mohan                      Violin

Vidwan R. Sankaranarayanan          Mridangam

Vidushi Sukanya Ramgopal             Ghatam

Concert Review:

An excellent flute recital at Nadasurabhi by Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar.

On Sunday, the 21st of July, Nadasurabhi held a brilliant carnatic concert at the Heritage academy Hall. The main artist Smt. Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar began with the melodious "vanjakshi" - kalyani varnam followed by Maha  Ganapathim -dikshithar's Nattaa invocation.Thyagaraja's  Padhavini in salakabhairavi that followed was brisk. With brief but nuances-packed saveri alapana was followed by Shyama Sastri's masterpiece Sankari Sankuru Chandramukhi with a good set of kalpanaswaras. This was was received well by the packed audience . Fast paced  filler Thyagaraja's  Natimatta in devakriya was good.

The main song of the evening started with an elaborate alapana of Kambodhi followed by Dikshithar' grand composition "Sri  Subramanyaya Namaste". It was beautifully rendered  with good kalpana swarms. A popular " Enna thavam" in Kapi was followed by Ragam, Tanam and  Pallavi in three ragas- kalyani, vasantha and bhairavi. The alapna and tanam showed the intellectual capacity of the artist to bringout the three ragas one after the other in a seamless  way. Intricate Pallavi was rendered well with  swaras played changing ragas in breathtaking speed ending with ragas with names linking the primary ragas, kalyanavasantham and vasanthabharavi.

 Thukkadaas, Katrinile, Ninyako, and Maithrim took us back to MS era.

Vidhusi Nalina Mohan gave a good  violin support showing her vidwat  in the raga  alapana and swarams.

Vidwan Sankaranarayanan  on Mridangam and Vidhushi Sukanya Ramgopal on the ghatam gave good support and a brilliant tani avartanam.

Invitation:

Kalaimamani Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is a noted South Indian flautist. She learnt music from her mother Smt.Sikkil Neela and aunt Smt.Sikkil Kunjumani - who are famous as Sangita kalanidhis Sikkil Sisters. Mala Chandrasekhar also had the unique opportunity to learn from her mother-in-law Smt. Radha Viswanathan, who was a disciple and daughter of Bharat Ratna Smt.M.S.Subbulakshmi. Also, Mala was closely associated with the family of legendary violinist Sri. Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. Besides several solo flute concerts, Mala has performed many Venu-Veena-Violin concerts with Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Veenai Jayanthi. She has widely performed in India and travelled all over the globe in successful concert tours.

Sikkil Mala Chandrasekhar is today the torch bearer of the "Sikkil bani" . She has won several awards including, Shanmukha Sangeetha Shiromani, Naadakkanal, The Music Academy's MD Ramanathan Award for a senior flautist, Isai Peroli ,Kalki Centenary Award, Yuva Kala Bharati  and The Flute Mali award of the Music Academy, Madras.