Violin Recital By M Chandrasekaran: Events in Hyderabad

REVIEW FOR VIOLIN RECITAL BY M...

Sri Chandrasekharendra Sangeeta Educational Society is organising a violin recital by Sangita Kalanidhi M Chandrasekaran, on 23rd June, at the Keyes Girls High School. He will be accompanied by Madurai S Balasubramanian on the violin, Melakaveri K Balaji on the mridangam and Papanasam Sethuraman on the kanjeera.

M Chandrasekaran is a blind violin maestro who lost his sight before he was even 2, following an attack of jaundice. Since then his mother Charubala Mohan guided him in every aspect - teaching him to play the violin, sing, and learn Braille, in which he can read and write Tamil, English, Sanskrit and Telugu. After about 60 years of mastering the complex instrument, he is considered a living legend of violin.

Chandrasekaran also learnt vocal music to improve his repertoire, from Mannargudi Sambasiva Bhagavatar, Kumbakonam S Viswanathan, Vidyala Narasimha Naidu and T Jayammal who taught him padams, and from a few other well wishers. He started playing violin as an accompanist when he was only 11 years old and soon accompanied stalwarts like G N Balasubramaniam, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Musiri Subramania Iyer, T R Mahalingam (flute), Madurai Mani Iyer, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Madurai Somasundaram T K Rangachari, Ramnad Krishnan Maharajapuram Santhanam, Dr. S Ramanathan and living legends Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Dr. M Balamuralikrishna, K V Narayaswamy and Nedunuri Krshnamurthy , T N Seshgopalan, T V Sankaranarayanan, Dr. N Ramani and Thiruchur Ramachandran.

Chandrasekaran is a recipient of several honors including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1986), the Mysore Chowdiah National Award (1989), the Astana Vidwan of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (1993), the Kalaimamani from the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Sangeetha Choodamani, Mathurakala and Praveena. He was a visiting faculty at the Palghat Music College.

Sri Chandrasekharendra Sangeeta Educational Society was founded in 2000, with the objective of imparting and spreading Carnatic vocal music. It was established by S Chandrasekhar, a renowned vocalist, who has a diploma in Carnatic vocal and teaches about 50 students, both young and old. Every Sunday, he also teaches Annamacharya Keertanas from 3pm to 5pm, free of cost to anyone eager to learn. The society also organises various music concerts of local upcoming and established artistes, and renowned classical musicians from Chennai.

The entry to the program is free. Please contact the S Chandrasekhar at 2780-5161/93910-11704/98661-87955 for further details.