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Sikkil Gurucharan on 15th May 2011

Sikkil Gurucharan on 15th May 2011
When:
15.05.11 04.15 pm
Where:
The Indian Heritage Academy Hall - 6th Block, Koramangala,BangaloreMap

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Description

 

Vidwan Sikkil Gurucharan  Vocal
Vidwan B.Raghuram Violin
Vidwan Arjun Kumar Mridangam
Vidwan Guruprasanna Kanjira

Young Sikkil Gurucharan has been making musical waves all over the world with his sweet impressive voice. He comes from a family of carnatic musicians. His grandparents are Padmashri , Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sikkil Sisters Kunjumani and Neela . Born and brought up in an environment full of music he was trained in vocal by Shri Vaigal Gnanaskandan of the Semmangudi school of Music . He also learns from his aunt, Sikkil Mala Chandrasekar and is now under an advanced training program with Vidwan B Krishnamurthy through a fellowship from Sangeet Natak Akademi , New Delhi .


He has won numerous awards like Yuva Puraskar from Sangeet Natak Akademi , Yuva Kala Bharati , Isai Chudar , Swarna Venkatesha Dikshitar award from the Music academy for 3 consecutive conferences . Gurucharan tours frequently to the USA , UK , Middle East , Singapore and Australia . His sonorous voice and a presentation method that adds glamour to the traditional way of singing has been applauded by critics and listeners alike .

Concert Review

The monthly music programme of Nadasurabhi held on the 15th of May at the Indian Heritage Academy featured popular young carnatic vocalist Sri.Sikkil Gurucharan from Chennai. Singing for over three hours to an overflowing hall, his performance did not disappoint the audience who had assembled with very high expectations.

Gurucharan started with Kadanakuthuhala varnam Neeve Rakshaku. He went on to elaborate Ennagaana Rama bhajana in Pantuvarali. The full manodharma reach in ragam, Neraval and swaram of this grand composition set the solid foundation for the rest of the concert. The seal of a senior level artist was thus established. A beautiful sketch of Huseini raga followed by  Emani vegintune of Thyagaraja was the next piece. There was a detailed raga alaapanai of Begada with nice projection of the raga bhava. The song selected was Abhimaanamu. A brisk daasara krithi Jaya Jaya Jaya Janaki kantha in Nattai was the filler, although it is more common to include it as the opening number in most concerts.

The main piece for the evening was the presentation of Todi ragam in all its grandeur. The song was Gajavadana sammodhita. It was impressive to note how the chitta swaram was pegged on Gaandharam and the entire sequence woven around that swara. Also, Gurucharan seemed to use the same concept during his kalpana swara prasthaaram as well. Nerval was given a miss presumably to make time for the Ragam Thanam Pallavi. Post thani, a Khamas Javali Marulukonnadira follwed by a pleasant RTP in Hamsanaadam with pallavi line  Nannu Brova Raadha Sree Rama  in Tisra Triputa tisra nadai gave a boost to the entire concert. The lingering melody of Maharajapuram Santhanam's thillana in Basant Bahaar was the concluding piece.

There was no doubt in the minds of the listeners of this memorable performance, that Sikkil Gurucharan has come to stay and has a bright future in the field of carnatic music. The ease (anaayaasam) of his singing without strain to himself or to the listeners , leaves a definite feeling of comfort (sowkyam) and enjoyment at the end of the concert.

Accompanying Gurucharan were senior vidwan Sri. B.Raghuram on violin, young, aggresive and greatly talented percussion duo Sri.B.C.Manjunath on mridangam and Sri.Guruprasanna on Khanjira, all of whom gave excellent support to the main artist thus elevating the overall standard of the concert.