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26 May 2012 (Saturday)7:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Feature ConcertKel Watson Theatre, Forest Hill College,

Mahoneys Road, Burwood East Vic 3151

Melway Ref: (62 C5)

May 2012

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ShashankMaestro Shashank stormed into the music world at the age of seven. He was the youngest musician to have been invited by The Music Academy, Chennai to perform the senior most slot of The Music Academy, (often performed by Legends of Indian Classical Music), at the age of 12 - a record yet to be broken in the history of South Indian Music.

Now at the pinnacle of his genre, Shashank’s landmark concerts include Rashtrapathi Bhavan (President’s Palace at New Delhi) in 1992, The Smithsonian, Kennedy Center and National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., J. Paul Getty Hall -Hollywood, Cerritos Performing Arts Centre in Los Angeles, Eastman School of Music - Rochester, World Music Institute - New York, Asian Art Museum - San Francisco, Xebec Hall and Across Fukuoka in Kobe and Fukuoka, Japan, Hong Kong Museum of Art - Hong Kong, World Flute Conference - Nashville, Sawai Gandharva Festival - Pune, Saptak Festival - Ahmedabad, Dover Lane Music Festival - Calcutta, India Music Group - Bombay, Theater De La-Ville, UNESCO & Musee Guimet in Paris -France, Tropical Institute - Amsterdam, The Lowry in Manchester-UK, The Sage in Gateshead - UK, Modigliani Hall -Padova-Italy, Museum Rietberg -Zurich, The Munchen Residency in Munich-Germany, The Adelaide Festival- Australia, Improvisation Festival in Lausanne- Switzerland, Seoul Plaza in Seoul- Korea and a host of other prestigious institutions across the world.

Trained by father Shri. Subramanyam and vocal maestros Shri. R. K. Srikantan and Palghat Shri. K. V. Narayanaswami, he is presently considered one of the best bamboo flute artists and is hailed so by the Indian and international media alike. The BBC World TV telecast a documentary on Shashank titled Destination Music, recently.

Shashank’s main style is Carnatic classical but incorporates patterns of improvisation from Hindustani music and uses a range of flutes to cover octaves that are not supported by the traditional Carnatic flute. Shashank is known for his intricate and intense alapanas (improvisations), melodious keerthana ( composition) renderings and pulsating kalpanaswaram (fast and rhythmic improvisations). His concerts

generally include a Ragam Tanam Pallavi as a central piece, normally composed by Shashank himself. Shashank has used the technique of multi flute transposed fingering technique and dual octave production.

Shashank often collaborates with many legendary musicians from India and around the world including Guitarist John McLaughlin, Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborthy to name a few.

With scintillating, primal tones he truly sings through the most organic and ancient of all instruments. His logic-defying virtuosity is the result of a magical innate talent coupled with the best possible training. Shashank has propelled the Bamboo flute into an enviable position by his playing techniques of which the multi flute transposed fingering technique and the

dual octave production have won him world acclaim.

Shashank has enthralled audiences in India, USA, Canada, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, The Middle East, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea.

Shashank is one of the youngest recipient of the A-Top ranking in the All India Radio and TV. A recipient of the title Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu, Kuzhal Arasar from the prestigious Kellogg School of Management, North Western University, Chicago and the prestigious Grammy Nomination for the year 2009, Shashank has over 55 CDs and several DVDs to his credit. Shashank currently pursues Hindustani music from the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj.

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Avaneeswaram S.R. Vinu Hailing from a family of musicians he was initiated into music by his father Avaneeswaram S. Ramachandran, well known vocalist and the former Principal of R. L. V. College of music. His grand father Krishan Pillai was a known nagaswaram artiste. Vinu was attracted towards violin which his father practiced often and had the basic lessons under him. Later he trained with Kilimanoor Thyagarajan, a tutor at the Swati Thirunal Music Academy, during summer vacations. Then he joined the Academy and took his Ganabhooshanam and Ganapraveena.

“Once I happened to hear an audio cassette of Mysore M Nagarajan. I was so fascinated by his style of rendition and decided to learn under him. Again I spent my summer vacations at Mysore and had advanced training under him. My guru and his brother Mysore Manjunath practiced violin in the evenings and I will be one among the few listeners” said Vinu.

He is one of the sought after accompanying violinist. He has accompanied great musicians like Dr Balamurali Krishna, TV Sankaranarayanan,. N. Ramani, Bombay sisters, Vijay Siva, Sanjay Subramanaian, Trissur Ramachandran, and Chitra Vina Ravi Kiran. He has performed solo concerts as well. “It gives plenty of freedom. While accompanying one has to under play. One must allow the main artiste to render more. The supporting artiste should only support. If the padantharam of the main and the accompanying artistes are same our job will be easy. It is not always like that. Hence we must widen our repertoire by learning new compositions and to listen to more concerts” feels Vinu.

Vinu has performed at the Chennai music season besides, the Swati Sangeetholsavam, at the Navarathri Mandapam, and concerts organized by major sabhas in Kerala, Chennai, and Bombay. Vinu is wedded to Aswathi a vocalist. He received Lalgudi Jayaraman Award for the best young artiste recently.

Patri Satish KumarPatri Satish Kumar was born 3 August 1970 in Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh, Indai. He is considered a "stalwart" in his field.

Born into a family steeped in Carnatic music, Satish Kumar was initiated into learning mridangam at a young age by his mother Smt. Padmavathy, who was a violinist. He performed his first concert at the age of 7. Satish Kumar was trained by three mridangam artists and teachers from Andhra Pradesh Shri. Ramachandramurthy, Shri. V. A. Swami andShri. V. Narasimham.

Satish Kumar has performed alongside many artists including Dr. Balamuralikrishna, Ganesh and Kumaresh, Chitraveena Ravi Kiran, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Jasraj, Flute Maestro Shashank Subramanyam, Sudha Raghunathan, Bombay Jayashri, Aruna Sairam and Nithyasree Mahadevan. Over the years, he has evolved a style of his own which blends seamlessly with various instruments and voices, alike. He has been a part of many musical confluences of Classical, Fusion and Jazz genres.

Satish Kumar has toured extensively, performing in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Middle-east, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Mauritius. He has performed at venues such as Festival of France, Miami Beachfront Festival, Madrid Jazz Festival, India Gate Festival, and Harbourfront Festival. His performances have been featured in many national and international broadcasts such as Radio France, Radio Germany, Radio South Africa, All India Radio and Ceylon Radio.

Satish Kumar's name features in many CD/DVD recordings in India and abroad. He was one of co-artists in Margazhi Raagam - first ever Carnatic music concert movie. This apart, he has released a CD titled Dimensions - A solo presentation and Dancing Drums - a percussion ensemble presentation.

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Acknowledgement

Venue ............................. Nicky Edwards and the staff at .......................................... Kel Watson Theatre, Forest Hill College, .......................................... Mahoneys Road, Burwood East Vic. 3151

Audio ............................. Charles Walker, Imperial Audio

Artiste Hosting ........... Jayasree and Vasu Srinivasan Family.......................................... Sunitha and Shankar Raman Family

Design ........................... Oviam Creations

Concert Arrangement

Anu and Krishnan FamilyArundathi and Sriram Family

Chitra and Soundarajan Iyer FamilyChitra and Sudarshan Family

Mythili and Naga Nagasundaram FamilyPrabha and Shankar Family

Shoba and Ramnath Iyer FamilySubhadra and Sankaran Ramesh Family

Sunitha and Shankar Raman FamilyJayasree and Vasu Srinivasan Family

Yogam and Ramanan Family

CMC wishes to acknowledge the assistance provided by all music schools of Melbourne

in the publicity of this concert.

Contacts

Anu .....................8806 1625 Ramesh .....................9800 4612 Vasu .....................9887 4232 Shoba .....................9886 8406 Soundar .....................9802 8779 Prabha .....................9800 3748

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recommend that every musician learn one system in its entirety and at the same time, have a good understanding of the other system – whether it is the north or the south. The two systems of music look similar but are very different: each has a lot to offer the other. Learning Hindustani music has influenced and improved the way I deliver Carnatic music in general and especially when I perform in front of Northern Indian music audiences. North Indians are able to appreciate it more now. It is gratifying to note that Pandit Ravi Shankar, in an interview in the Shruti magazine recently, said he felt that I was one Carnatic musician whose music would be very well received by North Indian Music lovers - I was happy to see that observation from a legend like him.

One of the main things I am endeavouring to do is to make Carnatic music more acceptable to the Non-South Indian music audience. Hindustani music has a wider audience base: Carnatic Music can change and adapt a bit in terms of presentation by borrowing from the North Indian music tradition. In turn, Carnatic Music can contribute to the North Indian Music tradition. I belong to the school of thought that believes that if we alter the way we present Carnatic music slightly, it would very much appeal to a northern Indian audience.

On his experience working and collaborating with a Manganiar Rajasthani folk tradition

I have an ensemble called “The Spirit of Krishna” which picks up compositions from folk and the two Indian classical traditions on the life of Krishna , and performs them. We have an amazing singer in Anwar Khan from the the Manganiar tradition in our ensemble. We also have a sitar, dholak and Mridangam on the team. Incidentally, Mr. Anwar Khan has worked with Pandit Chaurasia

About being a child prodigy ....and what more he would like to do in music...

When I was young it was a lot to absorb, but over the years I have got used to it. When I started to perform in 1984 – practising everyday for 10 hours was pretty tough, but it now feels satisfying.

I never made big plans in my life; I was lucky that by the time I was in my teens, I was able to perform in most of the important venues in the world including the most senior time slot at the Music Academy, Chennai, when I was 12 years old – a record yet to be broken. I was able to achieve by the time I was 25 years old what many people are able to only in their 40s or more. I take things as they come; I build upon things as they come. I am afraid I don’t try to do too much of planning. Music is not something one can always plan...It is a creative art: sometimes you feel like doing things with it on some days and some days you don’t.

Any musician – including myself – always has new things to learn; and God willing, I have another 20 or 30 years of musical life, although I have no major plans on what it is going to be.

About learning Hindustani music from Pandit Jasraj

Yes, I have been learning from the legendary Pandit Jasraj for the past 7 years. I continue to learn and perform with him. At the beginning, my intention was simply to widen my horizons – both in terms of music and the opportunity to perform [to wider audiences]. I hope to be able to perform in both systems of music some day.

I have learnt a lot and continue to learn a lot from him– it has been a real eye opener. It has changed the way I deliver my music and my music sensibility has gone up so much more. I strongly

and Pandit Ravi Shankar. We include and present traditional as well as contemporary compositions in the three musical styles, and do a lot of improvisation too. Most of the classical traditions don’t have the voices from Rajasthan. They are such powerful voices – and as such rare to find – and it is a distinct flavour of music. The Spirit of Krishna is a nice and successful ensemble , and we will now tour the US and Europe shortly, having already performed in different parts of the world.

On Being short listed for the Grammy in 2009

It was an album of the legendary guitar maestro John McLaughlin and I was a part of that album: the “Floating Point”. The piece that I played was nominated for the Grammys in the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” category. It went up to the last round together with a Brazilian album, and we lost in the final round. John had composed all the pieces in the album that included a good few other musicians.

Other Musical Collaborations

Many artistes today collaborate with many different musicians. That is the only way we can grow. One system of music does not provide for a whole range of opportunities for an artiste sometimes.

In the course of my musical journey I have interacted with many musicians, such as the Paco De Lucia, one of the greatest guitarists

Shashank : An Interview

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in the world; John McLaughlin, a legendary guitarist; the orchestra of Denmark; Dorge; Terry Riley, the minimalist composer; I have worked with George Brooks, one of the well known Jazz saxophonists. I have also collaborated with many great Indian classical musicians including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Sultan Khan, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ajoy Chakraborthy, Shujaat Khan, Shahid Parvez, Debu Choudhary, to name a few.

A cross-over music project that I am engaged in now is a collaboration with the guitarist John Sund of Denmark. A new CD from this collaboration will be released in a month from now. It was an impromptu rendition of music and we both played whatever came to our mind, and it has really come out very well. Any good musician who can improvise - [it is great to be in] conversation with such musicians...I have collaborated with many.

One such is the New Jungle Orchestra, which is an Indo-Danish collaboration. The orchestra is 30 or 40 years old and has many artistes. I have also composed

some pieces for them. Their music predominantly has sounds coming out of the jungle - Very much inspired by the sounds of birds and animals......

On the [even] younger generation of Carnatic musicians

There are many talented young Carnatic musicians, who, given the right encouragement and training, will certainly succeed. Most of them, however, are vocalists. Good Instrumentalists are very hard to find because there is so much less patronage and support for them.

One thing I notice is that because young people today are exposed to many different styles and genres of music, with so much music on the internet and CDs, MP3 etc, it has led to a mixed style. Many young people are tailoring their music to achieving quick success and there is a mash of many different styles. This is a fairly recent phenomenon, for even until the 1980s, it was hard to find a surfeit of recordings like we do now. Young people should pay attention to evolving their own style rather than regurgitating

music from the past. I believe that any musician’s art and presentation should be intense and effortless. It should be an extension of their mind and body and akin to that of a language. This art takes time to master, and there is no route to quick success.

Vocal music does get a lot of support as most music lovers go predominantly for vocal music: support for instrumental music is dwindling, I am sad to say. Vocal is seen as an extension of the religious because of its lyrical content. There are a few good instrumentalists, who, however, do not get enough support and patronage compared to the vocalists.

On his Melbourne visit....

I haven’t been to Melbourne in 14 years...it has been a long time and I have fond memories of my first trip back in 1989. I did perform at the 2009 Port Fairy Festival; I am looking forward to this trip.

Chitra Sudarshan

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