Young vocalist with potential

WINNING PRIZES is entirely different from giving a concert on the stage. This was evident from the performance of A. Gayathri Devi, an engineering graduate, for Nada Inbam on June 23.

She won several prizes during the music season in December last. But her recital on Saturday last lacked depth. She has good potential which she should develop to present an enjoyable concert.

The Kedara Gowla varnam, ``Karimudeha Varada'' of GNB (Nattai) and ``Sambo Mahadeva'' (Pantuvarali) were appreciable. Sahana was deftly handled with the raga's Sukha bhava intact. This was followed by ``E Vasudha'' (Tyagaraja). The vocalist has a sweet voice which she used in delineating Vachaspathi.

``Ennadu'' of Patnam Subramania Iyer was enjoyable. The neraval at `Kanna, Thandri' had the necessary ingredients - ``Saranam Saranam'' (Asaveri) of Arunachala Kavi and ``Ranjani Niranjani'' (Ranjani) of GNB were briskly rendered before the exposition of Bhairavi, the main raga.

Bhairavi was handled with an innovative approach with good sancharas. ``Neepadamule'' of Patnam Subramanya Iyer was neat with enjoyable sangathis.

The neraval at ``Sri Panchanadeeswaruni'' was admirable with long catchy swaras. ``Kandena'' a Devaranama, was sweet. Nagai Sriram on the violin presented a palatable Sahana and Bhairavi. Trivandrum Balaji (mridangam) and Guruprasad (ghatam) gave a tani with calculative laya patterns.

Deft portrait

Nirmala Bhadri (of New Delhi) gave a satisfying classical music recital on June 22, under the auspices of the Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Kala Kendra.

The opening varnam (Lalgudi Jayaraman) in Kharaharapriya was elaborately rendered. Nirmala perhaps could have taken up this raga midway in her agenda.

The neraval and sarva laghu swarams at ``Sakale Surasura'' for ``Ganapathiye'' that followed were tidy. The vocalist deftly handled Pantuvarali with long korvais and sancharas. The song ``Kunchita Padam'' was enjoyable for its rhythm.

``Annapoorne'' (Sama) of Muthuswami Dikshitar was soulfully rendered with a clear diction. Hindolam was pleasant and Shanmukhapriya was handled with sufficient classical weight and appropriate sancharas - ``Parvathi Nayakane'' of Papanasam Sivan was dealt with sahitya bhava and devotion. The neraval was in the charanam ``Nee Maravadennai'' with good diction, and an array of swarams.

Akkarai Subbalakshmi portrayed a lively Pantuvarali and Shanmukapriya on the violin. Babu Sekhar gave full support to the vocalist on the mridangam.

- R.S.

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