Chamber Concert Tribute to KVN by Adesh Sundaresan & Team

[Ajit Ramachandran]

Chamber Concert Tribute to KV Narayanaswamy

Vocal Adesh Sundaresan
Violin Vivek Dinesh
Mrudangam RN Prakash


Varnam - Varali (Ata)
Siddhi Vinayakam (S)
Jagadanandakaraka - Naatai
Calakalla - Arabhi (R, N, S)
Himadri Suthe (R, N, S)
Mayamma - Ahiri
Pakkala Nilabadi - Karaharapriya (R, N, S)
Sripathe - Nagaswaravali
RTP - Thodi (Sahana, Hamsanandi, Revati)
Jagadodharana - Kapi
Thillana - Dhanasri
Mangalam

We had the pleasure of attending a KVN tribute concert by Adesh and team at Adesh's parents' home in north-east London. Adesh previously performed under our sabha Rasikalaya several years ago. He is a youngster who has consistently impressed us with his passion and commitment for sampradaya sangeetham, and this was on abundant display at this chamber concert where he paid an amazing tribute to one his favourite doyens - KV Narayanaswamy.

Adesh's maturity as an artiste and his vocal range simply blew us away. Right from the first piece (we arrived just around the charanam of the rarely heard ata tala varnam in Varali, before he launched into the brisk Shanmugapriya. Ample tributes to the trinity followed through this concert as did deep and meaningful explorations of Arabhi (simply superb and in some instances just truly novel 'pidis'), Kalyani, and Karaharapriya, and a majestic RTP in Thodi all graced this concert. No shortage of 'ghana' ragams here, and this concert featured not one but TWO majestic Syama Sastri pieces.

Adesh is committed to performing, continuing to learn, and promote carnatic music in London and has continued to train most recently with Smt Mala Mohan (maiden name: Mala Swamy) who is based in Chennai and attended the recital virtually inspite of the late evening hour IST. Adesh has performed and been recognised by Krishna Gana Sabha, and Milapfest (UK), amongst other institutions. For youngsters who were born and brought up in the UK, immense kudos also to the parents and family members who have inculcated such deep commitment to music and arts in Adesh and his sister, who too is a vocalist.

The evening's recital benefited immensely from the musicians who formed part of the group - Vivek Dinesh who we were hearing for the first time on the violin impressed throughout the concert, matching Adesh piece after piece and truly helping the concert rise to the next level due to how well he supported the vocalist throughout. His strong training under violinist V Sanjeev (himself a student of Kanyakumari whose school in violin accompaniment is unique, in my opinion). Adding gusto, layam and fervour throughout the evening to enable these young artistes to shine was vidwan RN Prakash - a true joy to behold and hear from. Everytime RN Prakash sir is on the mrudangam or ghatam it truly is a next level concert - fond memories of his concerts for Rasikalaya come to mind.

The audience was a number of local knowledgeable rasikas and were truly supportive of the young talent, who I think it is high time we featured in more prominent and popular venues and platforms like Milapfest, Darbar, etc. There is hope for the next generation of UK's artistes with such 'home grown' talent on display with senior supportive vidwans to give them the added boost!

Adesh very kindly also (at my request) took the effort to upload a good length extract of the concerthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1h3yJ7U ... Sundaresan that everyone can listen to here that hopefully resembles the experience I have described above.

Happy listening after the reading!

[rajeshnat]

Adesh is really good . When i Looked at the song list the depth of coverage of not just ghana ragas but having a long treatment for atleast arabi , kalyani and kharaharapriya and todi pulled me in . With that curiosity within me ,i had just time to hear how he sang the todi RTP. I just heard that portion alone. Certainly he along with violinist who had the kanyakumari azhuttam having got through Sanjeev did indeed get into depth of carnatic music .

No peripheral treatment very KVNish though leisurely but every step has depth. He has taken the pracheena pallavi Dasharatha bala ramachandram bhajE dayanidhi yE . The swara patterns are bit short just like a typical KVN , i personally like the trajectory of MMI or TRS more . But ragabhavam of Revati and Hamsanandi is again well done , also the last snippet of Hindustani Kapi was well sung. The seasoned elderly mrudangam artist guides well.

Where is Jayaram and Rishi to add more color to your lovely review -Ajit . So nice to read a review from GMT land. What is happening with your Rasikalaya sabha

[Ajit Ramachandran]

Apologies for the long gap Rajeshnat - have had a few other urgent priorities

Unfortunately keeping Rasikalaya going didn’t prove easy for us - couldn’t scale or make it viable without the right investments in marketing and reaching a broader audience. So we are each doing our thing to support concerts organised by others and hopefully hear more concerts happening in and around London. Hopefully we can revisit a London based sabha in due course