Kalakshetra Performance
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“Padmashree Ranjana Gauhar, is a renowned Odissi dancer and a multidimensional personality whose interests also include theatre, painting and choreography. Smt Ranjana Gauhar has been honoured with the prestigious Padmashree Award in 2003 for her longstanding services in the field of Odissi Dance. She is also the recipient of the National Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from the President of India (2007), Senior Fellowship for her research in the temple tradition of Odissi dance by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award and Mahari Award in 2007 and many other accolades.”
Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan is an internationally acclaimed violionist and composer, and the senior most disciple of violin maestro Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. He is the fifth generation Violinist in a family of Musicians belonging to Tyagaraja Sishya Parampara.
Considering the quality benchmarks set by his illustrious father and guru he has had to meet rather high expectations all through his career spanning fourdecades and to his credit, he has emerged remarkably successful.
With rigorous training from his grandfather Lalgudi V.R. Gopala Iyer and his father Shri. Jayaraman, along with his sharp intellect and passion, he honed his innate skills to become a much sought after accompanist. He has accompanied stalwarts in the field of carnatic music, including Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, Maharajapuram Santhanam etc.
In addition to inheriting their father’s music – truly a treasure chest – Mr. Krishnan has evolved a style of his own. His fingering is characterised by precision, while his bowing bears rare fluidity enabling the music to flow seamlessly. He specialises in innovative raga expositions, where he blends tradition with refreshing interpretations. Even as his music stands out in its classicism, it is an expression of constant introspection and reflection to bring out newer shades.
Having shown prodigious traits as a child, Mr. Krishnan is also an outstanding exponent of Kalpana Swaras weaving in complex mathematical patterns with utmost ease. Having mastered melodic and rhythmic aspects, Mr. Krishnan in his concert presents the best of both, leaving the audience spell bound.
As much as his music is highly cerebral, it is most accessible and emotive. Mr. Krishnan has a special affinity for softer, subtle phrases which he often juxtaposes with robust, rich ones to show that the beauty of music, in fact, lies in these contrasting shades.
Mr Krishnan has been performing Jugalbandhi Concerts with leading North Indian Musicians and this has had rousing reception wherever he played. Krishnan has also performed in Fusion concerts and has released many CDs.
Mr. Krishnan has composed several complex Pallavis. His background score for “Natyanubhava”, a documentary on dance forms of India, a production for the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, drew critical acclaim. Krishnan has composed several pieces for Instrumental ensembles involving Classical Music and has performed them live in Singapore and Chennai. Krishnan has performed all over the World with his Guru Lalgudi Jayaraman for over 33 years .His Duets with his sister across the Globe are very popular and are an aesthetic delight.
A passionate teacher, he brought Mr James Wimmer, celebrated violin maker from Santa Barbara to Chennai to hold an intensive workshop (spanning 21 days) on repair and maintenance of Violins Violas and Cellos, a first of its kind initiative.
Highly qualified academically – Mr. Krishnan is a trained cost accountant, Company Secretary – he is a full time practitioner of music and teacher, training several advanced students of music in carnatic vocal and violin who have already started shining as young stars.
Born to Smt. Akhila Siva and Sri A N Siva on 29th March 1967 and had his schooling in Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan Senior Secondary School, Chennai and graduated from Vivekananda College, Chennai.
After initial training in vocal music from his mother, a gold medalist from Carnatic Music College, Chennai, he came under the tutelage of Sri D K Jayaraman in 1977 and later continued to take expert guidance from Smt. D K Pattammal.
Also trained in mrudangam playing by Kumbakonam Sri Rajappa Iyer.
Saswati Sen is one of the leading exponents of Kathak and stands tall amongst her contemporaries in the way she has embellished the form by integrating the sacredness of a tradition with the creativeness of a contemporary approach. Born to a family of doctors, she is today the foremost disciple of Pt Birju Maharaj and has taken forward the legacy of her mentor in the perfect manner as a Dancer, Teacher, Choreographer, Writer, Art Promoter.
She has presented dance recitals at prestigious festivals namely – Khajuraho Festival, Qutub Festival, Konark Festival, Taj Mahotsava, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Dover Lane Music Conference (Kolkata) and many more. Saswati performed a solo dance in the film ‘Shatranj ke khilari’ – The Chess Players, by the famous director Satyajit Ray.
Saswati has extensively toured abroad rendering recitals and lecture demonstrations in the USA, former USSR, Russia, UK, France, Japan, Germany, China, Korea, Holland, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Thailand, Malaysia, Nigeria, Johannesburg, Trinidad, Burma, Bangladesh and the UAE.
She is a recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, Sanskriti Award, the Nritya Choodamani, the Shringar Mani Award & more.
Saswati has produced several choreographies, of which one of her prize productions is Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in Kathak style. She has also choreographed dance sequences for Gautam Ghosh’s film – ‘Yatra’.
She has written a comprehensive book on the life of Pt. Birju Maharaj – The Master thru’ my eyes. Saswati today is the driving force behind Kalashram, Pt Birju Maharaj’s institution.
Preeminent dancer, intuitive teacher & choreographer, Chitra Visweswaran, has the distinction of being a scholar, thinker & seeker. Deep-rooted training in dance & music and an eclectic background has fired her research directed towards creating a distinctive philosophy of dance movement and a voluminous body of work, covering the margam, thematic solo, group /dance theatre productions. She has served on several boards & university panels and heads her own institution, Chidambaram Academy of Performing Arts. She has the distinction of currently serving as Member Secretary,Tamilnadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram
Born on 4-9-1939 of famous actor and teacher late Rasika shironmani Sri P.KOMAN NAIR, prof sri Balagopalan had his training in kathakali under his Guru Chandupanikar and in classical Bharathanatyam under Smt Rukmini Devi Arundale and from renowned teachers like Smt S.Sharada, Smt Sharada Hoffman, N.S Jayalakshmi and others, Kalakshetra. He joined the famous institution kalakshetra in the year 1953 at the tender age of 13 as a student. C.K Balagopal was a recipient of Government of India’s scholarship for three years in kathakali.After his graduation he joined as a tutor.
Balagopal has been considered a masters in kathakali, especially for doing female roles(sree vesham).He has been rukmini Devi’s favorite for lead roles like Sri Krishna,kannappar,Hanuman,sakuni etc.He has taken main characters in all 26 dance dramas produced by rukmini Devi and has traveled all over the world with kalakshetra troupe and individually.
Balagopal has been a laurel by producing a new dance drama Bhakthi Manjari for kalakshetra
He received the “NATYA SHREHTA AWARD” in 2009 , “SRI LALITHAKALA RATHNA AWARD” in 2005,“SANGEETA NATAK ACADEMY AWARD ” in 2003, The Madras Telugu Academy’s Honour in 2001, and many more to his credits.
After 54 years of association with the premier art institution Kalakshetra. Balagopal retreated from Kalakshetra as professor. He started his own institution named “BALANIRTHYALAYA” in the year 2000.