Sumithra Vasudev’s live performance was steeped in classicism

The SVK delivery anniversary collection, organised by Naada Inbam at Ragasudha Corridor, was marked by stay concert events this yr. The competition, held from April 10-18, started with vocalist Sumithra Vasudev’s efficiency.

An electronics engineer, S.V. Krishnan was so captivated with Carnatic music that he constructed the Ragasudha Corridor, and hosted concert events underneath the Naada Inbam banner. After his loss of life in 2007, his daughter, Jayalakshmi Balakrishnan, has been taking ahead his imaginative and prescient by selling music. Naada Inbam identifies younger abilities and gives them a platform. The compact venue additionally hosts concert events by established artistes. One such was of Sumithra Vasudev, a Sanskrit scholar, and tutorial researcher.

The efficiency included many uncommon kritis, and some time-tested ones that highlighted the glories of Rama, and revealed Sumithra’s scholarship and coaching. She took care to not repeat the composers. Her model and strategy had been steeped in classicism. Her raga alapanas of Saveri, Husseni and Kalyani had been replete with bhava.

Clear diction

The primary a part of the live performance introduced forth a Rama Nataka kriti by Arunachala Kavi, ‘Sharanam sharanam endraene’ (Sourashtram). Sumithra’s lucid execution and clear diction, lent a particular sheen to the piece. She was accompanied by Usha Rajagopalan (violin), whose melodious enjoying was an ideal match to the colourful percussion accompaniment/thani by B. Ganapathiraman (mridangam), and Anirudh Athreya (kanjira). Ambujam Krishna’s Tamil kriti ‘Kolam kana vareer’ (Nattakurinji), adopted as a elegant and sedate piece.

Sumithra anchored the primary a part of the live performance with ‘Dari Dapu Leka’ (Saveri), including niraval-swaram to boost the allure of the Tyagaraja composition. Saveri, the audava-sampoorna raga, is a janya of Mayamalavagowla. As Saveri evokes the karuna rasa, the raga was an apt selection for Rama Navami.

The later a part of the live performance featured the Swati Tirunal composition, ‘Sri Ramachandra Parilaasa’ (Husseni). The intricate phrases make it tough to render this raga, however Sumitra dealt with it skilfully throughout her raga essay.

The primary raga of the night was Kalyani, and Sumitra essayed each nuance of the raga with perfection, with Usha offering a winsome repartee. She rounded off ‘Nijadasa varada’, composed by Patnam Subramania Iyer, with niraval-swaram at ‘Bhujagadipa Sayana.’ The concluding half stood out for the distinctive Rama Ashtapadi, by Rama Kavi. A uncommon and exquisite work themed on Rama, this Ashtapadi is on the strains of Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam.

The author is a educated classical musician.