Violin Recital By Dr. N Rajam: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR VIOLIN RECITAL BY DR....

On the occasion of the 36th Pandit Motiram Pandit Maniram Sangeet Samaroh 2008, the Department of Culture, together with Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, is organising a 4-day grand music festival, from 27th to 30th November, at the Nizam College grounds. Young and upcoming artistes will share the dias with some senior ones during the festival, such as sarangi player Sabir Khan, Carnatic vocalist Sudha Raghunathan, Hindustani vocalists Pandit Jasraj, Ratan Mohan Sharma, Hemang Mehta and Sanjeev Abhyankar, sitarist Niladri Kumar, Bharatanatyam dancer Subha Visweswaran, violinist Dr. N Rajam, renowned Mohan veena player Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and tabla player Kumar Bose.

Today, the last day, Dr. N Rajam will perform a Hindustani violin recital, the last recital for the morning session. Dr. N. Rajam, born in 1939, ranks among the most eminent violin virtuosi of our time. Currently, she heads the Faculty of Performing Arts at Banaras Hindu University. Coming from a family of traditional musicians from the South, Rajam had her first lessons in Carnatic music on the violin from the age of 4. Her father, A Narayana Iyer, was himself a well-known violinist, and he put her through a rigorous course of training.

It was with the active encouragement of her father that she made a switch-over as violinist in Hindustani music. Pandit Omkarnath Thakur was so impressed by her prodigious command over her violin that he took the teenager as his disciple and gave her his guidance and inspiration in her pursuit.

Her contributions to the violin technique are considered to be par with what late Pannalal Ghosh had done to Flute; late Ustad Bundu Khan had done to Sarangi, late Ustad Bismillah Khan done to Shehnai. Dr. Rajam has performed many violin jugalbandi programmes with eminent musicians like late Ustad Bismillah Khan, Pt. Ramnarayan, Pt. V G Jog, Pt. Hari Prasad Chourasia, Dr.N.Ramani and many others. A much sought-after violinist both at home and abroad, she is a recipient of Padmashri award, besides other accolades and distinctions.

In memory of his late father Pandit Motiram and brother Pandit Maniram, Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj, in association with the Department of Culture, organises a music festival every year at the Nizam College grounds, where his father and brother taught music to several students. This festival is being organised since 35 years.

The entry to the samaroh is free. Please contact the Department of Culture at 2324-2482 for further details.