Prof M Balasubramoniam

Remembering musicians of the recent past
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Sivaramakrishnan
Posts: 1582
Joined: 02 Jan 2010, 08:29

Prof M Balasubramoniam

Post by Sivaramakrishnan »

Prof M Balasubramoniam, Director, South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur passed away today (6 September 2020)at Thanjavur.

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Given below is a note that appeared in facebook today:

Prof. M Balasubramoniam (Born 19 August 1957) was an Indian Carnatic Classical Musician, a Percussionist playing the MRIDANGAM, and Director of the South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur.

Son of Prof N E Muthuswamy & Smt Saraswathy Ammal, Prof. M Balasubramoniam is one of the senior most Mridangam Maestros in Kerala. After completing his Gaanapraveena in Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram, he came up the tutelage of Mridangam Vidwan Prof. Mavelikkara Velukkutty Nair, on a Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. He also did his M.Phil in Music.

A multi-faceted personality, he excelled not only as a performer, but also as an excellent teacher, organiser and academician . For over 4 decades, he has accompanied eminent Musicians like Vidwan Shri Semmangudi Sri Srinivasa Iyer, Vidwan Shri K V Narayanaswamy, Vidwan Shri D K Jayaraman, Flute Vidwan Dr N Ramani, Vidwan Shri U Srinivas and scores of other stalwarts. He has traveled extensively performing with Indian and Forein Musicians in several Kutcheris, Jazz and other International Music Festivals.

Prof Balasubramoniam is the Director of South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur. Needless to mention that all the Cultural activities of all the 5 South States and the Union Territories of Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry come under the purview of the South Zone Cultural Cetntre, Thanjavur which is headed by him.

Prof. M Balasubramoniam was the former Principal of Chembai Government Music College and RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Tripunithura, Kerala. He is also a member of the Central Advisory Board on Culture, Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Calicut, former Special Officer of SRV Government College of Music and Performing Arts, Thrissur.

Prof M Balasubramoniam is the recipient of the coveted “RAGHUVARA PURASKAR” initiated by “Raghuvara”, Padmashri Palghat R Raghu Memorial Foundation, Thiruvananthapuram.
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Sri Balasubramoniam was a close friend of me since long from my Trivandrum days and I met him last at the Vadya Vaibhava conference organised by SZCC at Chennai during December 2019. He was appreciated by His Holiness Sri Vijayendra Saraswati swamigal at the valedictory session of the event for the excellent coordination and conduct of the festival involving a variety of programmes
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Om Shanti

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Prof M Balasubramoniam

Post by Nick H »

Sorry for the loss of your friend.

Condolences to all friends, family and to all the students.

CRama
Posts: 2939
Joined: 18 Nov 2009, 16:58

Re: Prof M Balasubramoniam

Post by CRama »

Extremely shocking news. Heard that he became a victim of Covid i9. I met him last year when I visited Tirumeychur temple and he remembered me although we have not met for many decades.

His family used to conduct annual music festival in Theerthapada Mandapam in TVM from late seventees along with Ramachandran Nair I.A.S (Tulasivanam)where all top vidwans of the period used to give concerts. I heard Santhanam, DKJ, Dr.S.Ramanathan, TVS, TNS, TRS, Nedunuri, M.S.Sheela, Nagamani Srinath, Neyveli, Neyyattinkara, all in that venue and those concerts are still fresh in my memory. This Balasubramaniam, a young vidwan shared the stage with many vidwans like Santhanam, TVS, TNS etc. His brother M.N.Murthy is a violinist and his sister Dr.Bhagayalakshmi is a vocalist. Really sad tha the left this world so early- at the age of 63.

In the SZCC, he was very active and used to conduct many innovative programmes. Last Dec, they had week long programmes in Chennai, that is referred to by Sivaramakrishnan.

Let the Atma merge with Lord Padmanabha.
Last edited by CRama on 07 Sep 2020, 08:44, edited 1 time in total.

thanjavooran
Posts: 2972
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 04:44

Re: Prof M Balasubramoniam

Post by thanjavooran »

Very sorry to hear.
Condolences to all friends, family and to all the students.

ajit
Posts: 149
Joined: 06 Jul 2005, 02:42

Re: Prof M Balasubramoniam

Post by ajit »

Very sorry to hear. Heartfelt condolences to family, friends and disciples

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