MUSIC
Profiles of the later 20th century musicians, instrumentalists
DWARAM MANGATHAYARU - VIOLINIST.............(b. jULY 24, 1935)
Mangathayaru inherits th elegacy of the 'Dwaram' family fromher father
and guru, Dwaram Venkataswami Naidu of considerable renown. She
was accompanying her father from 1954 to 1964.
At the age of five, she began playing a quarter-sized violin.
Studied under Varahur Muthuswami Ayyar and Sandhyavandanam Srinivasa
Rao. Got her diploma in Music from the Maharajah's College,
Vizianagaram and also taught there during 1973-74. A staff
artiste, All India Radio since 1975. Her brother, Dwaram
Satyanarayana and she were playing together and both had toured Germany,
Holland and Switzerland.
SIKKIL MALA CHANDRASEKHAR - FLAUTIST.............(b. August 23, 1963)
Sikkil is famous as one of the prime shrines of Singaravelan. It was
planted on the musical map of India by the renowned top flautists, the
Sikkil Sisters- Kunjumani & Neela. Mala Chandrasekhar is the
daughter of the latter. It was a musical home with Kunjumani giving
concerts since 1939 and Neela from 1947 and both as Sikkil Sisters since
1962. Mala thus was a gift to celebrate the first anniversary of their
joint debut. With constant practice at home and exposure to successive
concerts of the sisters, she thrived under the joint training of both
and by the age of fourteen, she was an accomplished flautist. Her debut
performance was at Krishna Gana Sabha in 1980. A vibrant artiste, Mala
brings into her rendition verve, vigour and artistry with inherited
technical excellence of her elders and a polish that is born of having
been suckled from birth with classical music of the highest merit and
laya precision, a legacy from her maternal percussionist- grandfather,
Azhiyur Natesa Ayyar. She plays along with Kunjumani 7 Neela as trio and
along with Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Jayanti Ravikiran as the Triple
'V' Ensemble - Vina, Venu and Violin. She has been giving concerts all
over India, for All India Radio & Doordarshan and sabhas. From the
Home of Melody, Mala has entered the Home of the Queen of Melody, Dr.
M.S.Subbulakshmi on marraige!
Titles & Honours:
Awards from the Music Academy, Youth Association 7 Narada Gana Sabha
Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Mandram in 1995.
KARAIKUDI MANI - MRIDANGIST
At school, he won prizes for singing and later won prizes for expert
play on the mridangam in contest held by the All India Radio. Noticing
his special aptitude for laya, his father, a teacher placed him under
R.K.Ranganathan, tutor in mridangam in the school run by Karaikudi Muthu
Ayyar. Later, he had his tutelage with Muthu Ayyar himself. He had
ample scope to improve his expertise when he joined the Ganesh Vidyalaya
run by Harihara Sharma.
A top ranking mridangist, he has pleasing play, rich artistry, virtuous
and innovative styles, clarity and appealing rhythm. Connected with
'Sruti Laya Seva', Chennai, he is training a large number in advanced
courses.
MADURAI G.S.MANI - VOCALIST (CLASSICAL & NEO-CLASSICAL)
G.S.Mani is a versatile vocalist who handles pure classical and
neo-classical with distinction and effect. He has a good, luxuriant and
pleasing tone with resonance and is popular with the public.
He had his earlier lessons in music from his mother, Sampoornam Ammal
and then under Babu Ayyangar and Dr.P.C.Sitarama Ayyar. He had worked as
Assistant Director with M.S.Viswanathan for seven years for films and
this has equipped him with a large repertoire of classical music in
films and his demonstration concerts draw enormous crowds. His classical
music is rich with raga, kriti and swara exposition in the highest
traditions.
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