PALLAVI OF THE CAPITAL DISTRICT, INC P.O.BOX 1732 LATHAM, NY 12110 PHONE: 518-831-9430 EMAIL:pallavicapital@ureach.com Website: www.cs.rpi.edu/~moorthy/Pallavi2006/ www.pallavi.us Newsletter # 3 Dated September 21, 2006 C E L E B R A T I N G T H E C O M P L E T I O N O F F I R S T D E C A D E Table of Contents I: Pallavi Fall 2006 Calendar II: Two Major Programs for early October III: Donors IV: Other Local Music Events V: Bios of Artists and Directions for Oct 8 concert I. Pallavi Fall 2006 Calendar *October 1 Sharad Sangeet Utsav ( See details below), Hindu Temple 1 PM *October 8: Vocal Music by Maharajapuram Ramachandran and party- 3 PM at Steamer 10 Theater,500 Western Ave, Albany,NY (Flyer attached) *October : Dance program 9Joint with RPI Indian Grad Student Assoc) by Nrityalaya, Montreal with Live Music- 2 PM, West Hall Auditorium, RPI, Troy (date to be finally confirmed) *November 11: Vocal Music by Sudha Raghunathan and Party Please mark these dates in your calendar and attend all these concerts. We also need volunteers to work on these concerts and provide hospitality to the artists. We also look forward to your sponsorship of these concerts. Some of these are quite expensive. II. Two Major Programs For Early October Vocal Music Concert by Maharajapuram Ramachandran on Sunday Oct 8 Please see the attached flyer that has the details and artists’¡Ç bios. We are looking for volunteer families to host the three artists.An illustrious son of the famous late Maharajapuram Santhanam , Ramachandran has visited Albany a few years ago. He has assembled the best accompaniments in Nagai Muralidharan on violin and the veteran Mannargudi Easwaran on mridangam. This is Pallavi’¡Çs first major concert in Fall 2006. Sharad Sangeet Utsav On Sunday October 1 Pallavi is organizing during the Navaratri (Nine Nights) festival the Sharad Sangeetha Utsav (Fall Music Event) at the Hindu temple on Oct 1st 2006 from 1 pm-5:30 pm. There will be group rendering of Devi songs (for about 30 min) followed by individual presentation of songs (one song per individual). The group members are: Vidya Subramanian (Coordinator), Janaki Krishnamoorthy, Haripriya Vinayak, Lakshmi Ravichandran, Tom Ross, Ashwinya Rao, Poornima Bhat, G. Ramanath and Shiv Kalyanaraman (Violin). The songs chosen for group rendition are: - Kamakshi Bhairavi swarajati, composed by Shyama Shastri :online rendition by Dr. Balamuralikrishna available at http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/1/s/album.39/ragam.56/ - Mahalakshmi Sankarabharanam, composition of Papanasam Sivan - online rendition by TN Seshagopalan available at http://www.sangeethapriya.org/Downloads/tns/sivan/04_mahalakshmi_sankarabharanam.mp3 - Vellai thamarai Bhimplas, composition of Subrahmanya Bharati, online rendition by Nityasri available at http://www.musicindiaonline.com/l/1/s/album.12/ragam.71/ - Sri Kamalambike Sri ragam, composed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar, online rendition by D K Jayaraman available at http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/shivkuma/personal/music/originals/navavarnams/11-srikamalambike-sriragam-dkj.mp3 If you are interested in participating in the group rendition, please learn these songs from the online recordings. Srimathi Vidya Subramanian is coordinating this part and the practice sessions. If you wish to participate, please call her at 373-9037 or e mail at: ksubramanian@nycap.rr.com For registering for individual presentations, kindly contact Smt Janaki Krishnamoorthy at (518) 273-6624 with your song details. Her e mail: janakrishnamoorthy@yahoo.com Young children: Please give your date of birth to help schedule your presentations. III.Donors ( Since the last newsletter) Donors Arul and N.Balasubramanian Promoter/Patron Mangala and Arun Puranik Promoter/Sponsor Donors-GE Matching Gifts K.Subramanian Anil Tolpadi IV. Other Local Music Events 1. Dance and Music School, Latham presents a Sitar concert by Veena Chandra at 3 PM on September 24 , 2006 .Program: 3-4 PM: Meditation; 4-6 PM: Sitar and tabla concert and 6 PM: Dinner. Fee $ 22. Venue: 25 Garling Dr, Latham,NY . Contact: 786-1309 2. Troy Savings Bank Music hall in collaboration with Hindu Temple, Albany presents a sitar concert by the famous Ravi Shankar and his daughter Anoushka at 8 PM on Sept 30, 2006. For more information call Hindu temple at 459-7272 or 371-3737. V: Bios and Directions for Oct 8 Concert Sri Maharajapuram S. Ramachandran, the renowned Carnatic vocal musician is heir to a great musical tradition. He had the unique privilege of being tutored by two musical giants, his grandfather, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer and his father, Sri. Santhanam, and is 7th in the direct sishya parampara of Saint Thyagaraja. With such a strong foundation, it is not difficult for Ramachandran to earn a name for himself and he has established himself as the authentic heir of the Maharajapuram style. His adherence to excellence and tradition has earned him many awards and titles such as Sangeetha Ratnakara, Isai Puyal, Isai Kalai Selvan, Sangeetha Samrat, Sangeetha Ganamani from the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and Tamil Isai Vendar. Ramachandran is grade A artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan and he is a member of the faculty of Fine Arts, Annamalai University. Nagai Muralidaran is one of the top ranking violin artists today and is most sought after by all the leading vidwans of Carnatic music. He initially learned from his mother Smt. R. Komalavalli, and later from vidwan Sri R.S. Gopalakrishnan. He has accompanied Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Maharajapuram Santhanam, Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna, Dr.N. Ramani, K.V.Narayanaswamy, T.V.Sankaranarayanan, T.N. Seshagopalan, and many such leading artists. Muralidharan for long was the stock accompanist for the late Sri. Maharajapuram Santhanam. He is renowned for his skillful handling of the instrument and for excellent grasp of the raaga and laya. Muralidharan plays regularly in the radio Sangeeth Sammelan concerts and on Doordarshan. He has appeared as an accompanist in several cassettes and CDs. He has visited the US and Canada numerous times since 1983 on concert tours and has performed in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the Middle East. He won the All India Music competition in 1973 and Raja Annamalai Chettiar award in 1993. In 2003, the Tamil Nadu Government has conferred upon him the ’¡ÈKalaimaamani’¡É title for excellence in the field of Carnatic Music. Mr Easwaran was born in the illustrious family of the great Appaya Dikshitar. He began his instruction in mridangam at the age of eight under Kuniseri Sri U Krishnamani Iyer. He has been giving performances for over 49 years and has toured the world as an accompanist with stalwarts of Carnatic Music like Smt. M.S. Subbulakshmi and other top ranking artists of India. He has won several prestigious awards and titles, which include the ’¡ÈKalaimaamani’¡É title in 2003 by the Tamil Nadu Government, and the ’¡ÆLaya Kalaadhara Saamraat’¡Ç title by the Indian Classical Music Federation. The Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha has honored him in 1995 for his 45 years of service in the music field. He won this year the ’¡ÈPalghat Mani Iyer’¡É award. He was invited to teach mridangam at the San Francisco State University in 1979 and the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Kalluri in 2002-2003. Directions to Steamer 10 Theater: (518-438-5503) We're the East half of building housing the Police Station. Park: Charter One Bank lot across street from Theatre's:500 Western Entrance West: NYS Thruway (I-90) to Exit 24. Go through toll booths, take first Right (first exit ramp sign: To Rt.20 Western Ave.) onto I-87 South, go one mile and Interstate ends in "T" intersection with U.S. Rt.20-Western Avenue. Take a Left onto Western Ave. go 2.9 miles to "Y" intersection, veer Left, staying on Western Ave., go 1/2 block turn Left into Charter One Bank parking lot, walk across street to entrance.East: Mass. Pike East (I-90) to NYS Thruway get off at B-1 exit (Hudson/Albany) and take I-90 East. Get off at exit 5 {Note: Do not get off at Exit 5-A} Left at top of ramp onto Everett Rd. go 1/2 mile to "T" intersection, take Left onto Central Ave. (Rt.5), go to the second (2) traffic light. Take a Right onto N. Allen St., go to the Fifth (5) traffic light. Take a Left onto Western Ave, go 1/2 block turn Left into Charter One Bank parking lot, walk across street to entrance.South: NYS Thruway (I-87) to Exit 24. Go through toll booths, take first Right (first exit ramp sign: To Rt.20 Western Ave.) onto I-87 South (yes, different road same Interstate number), go one mile and Interstate ends in a "T" intersection with U.S. Rt.20-Western Avenue. Take a Left onto Western Ave. go 2.9 miles to "Y" intersection, veer Left, staying on Western Ave., go 1/2 block turn Left into Charter One Bank parking lot, walk across street to entrance.North: Nothway (I-87) South to end, Interstate ends in "T" intersection with U.S. Rt.20-Western Ave. Take a Left onto Western Ave. go 2.9 miles to "Y" intersection, veer Left, stay on Western Ave., go 1/2 block, Left into Charter One Bank parking lot, walk across street to entrance.