Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar (1890–1967) or more popularly simply called as Ariyakudi was born in Ariyakudi a town in the Karaikudi district of Tamil Nadu, South India in the year 1890. Ariyakudi was a Carnatic Music vocalist and is known for his unique style. He made his debut at Tyagaraja Aradhana in 1918. His unique style of singing came to be known as The Ariyakudi Tradition and is followed by his students.
The doyen of Carnatic Music, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is known to have remarked "I was greatly influenced by Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar. I do not want another life. But if there is one, I want to be able to sing like Ramanuja Iyengar". And another maestro G N Balasubramaniam, a contemporary of Ariyakudi is known to have prostrated in front of him out of respect. With Palghat Mani Iyer, the Mridangam maestro, he formed a formidable partnership on the concert platform and a remarkable friendship born out of mutual respect. Palghat Mani Iyer is to have said Anaa (Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar) and Iyengarval (Ariyakudi) are like my two eyes. More »
Aruna Sairam received vocal training from her mother Rajalakshmi Sethuraman, who was a disciple of the Alathur Brothers and Thanjavoor Sankara Iyer. She later received training from prominent vocalists, Madurai Somasundaram and T. Brinda. She also learnt the art of pallavi singing from T. R. Subramaniam.
Aruna Sairam collaborated with many Indian artists apart from internationally acclaimed artistes, like Dominique Vellard, the French Gregorian singer.
Aruna Sairam has presented her concerts in all major sabhas in India, as well as many destinations across the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York, Le Théâtre de la Ville in Paris and the Festival of World Sacred Music in Morocco. More »
M.Balamurali Krishna Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna pronunciation (help·info) (born July 6, 1930) is an Indian Carnatic vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, playback singer, composer and actor. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian honour, for his contribution towards Indian Art. He was made Chevalier of the Order des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 2005.
Balamurali Krishna was born in Sankaraguptam, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh state. His father was a well known musician and could play the flute, violin and the veena and his mother was an excellent veena player. His mother died when he was an infant and Balamuralikrishna was raised by his father. Observing his inner penchant towards music, his father put him under the tutelage of Sri Parupalli Ramakrishnayya Pantulu. Sri Pantulu was a direct descendant of the sisya parampara of Saint Thyagaraja.
Under his guidance, the young Balamuralikrishna learnt Carnatic Music. At the age of eight, Balamuralikrishna gave his first full fledged concert at a Thyagaraja Aradhana, Vijayawada. Musunuri Suryanarayana Murty Bhagavatar, a distinguished Harikatha performer, saw the musical talent in the child and gave the prefix 'Bala' (child) to the young Muralikrishna. This title has stuck ever since and Balamuralikrishna has been known so.
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The Bombay sisters, C. Saroja and C. Lalitha, are a Carnatic music singing duo.
Bombay Sisters were born in Bombay. They have been trained by H. A. S. Mani, Musiri Subramania Iyer and T.K.Govinda Rao.
Part of the trend of duo singing in Carnatic music, which started in the 1950s, with performers like Radha Jayalakshmi, and Soolamangala, Sisters,they have been singing since 1963 when they started with light classical music, subsequently progressing to classical music; they sing in multiple languages including Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu,Tamil,Malayalam, Hindi and Marathi.They are also known for promoting young musicians through endowments and scholarships.
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The Bombay Jayasree Jayashri Ramnath (popularly known as Bombay Jayashri) is an Indian Carnatic music vocalist and academy award nominated music composer. She is a disciple of violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman
Jayashri was born in Kolkata, into a family of music connoisseurs and musicians. While growing up in Mumbai, she started training in Carnatic music under the guidance of her parents Seetha and N. N. Subramaniam. She attended St. Anthony's High School in Chembur. Soon, she went on to learn with T. R. Balamani, and trained under her for a period of 10 years. Jayashri was also initiated into Hindustani music and trained under Mahavir Jaipurvale and Ajay Pohankar for about six years. When she moved to Chennai, she came under the guidance and mentorship of her guru Lalgudi Jayaraman. She also learnt the veena from G. N. Dhandapani Iyer. Jayashri has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from R.A. Podar College, Mumbai. She also has a Diploma in Music from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi.
Jayashri performed her first concert in 1982. She has performed at various festivals and venues all across India and in over twenty different countries. In India, she has performed in all the major cities. In New Delhi: The Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vishnu Digambar festival, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Sri Shanmukhananda Sabha, India International Centre and Bhakti Utsav. She has performed also at Saptak, Ahmedabad; The Music Academy and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai; ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata;NCPA and Sri Shanmukhananda Sabha, Mumbai; Chowdiah Memorial Hall and Vasantha Habba, Bangalore; Kuthira Malika and Soorya Festival, Trivandrum, The Palace of Mysore and at the Matrimandir Amphitheatre at Auroville. Across India, she has performed for the Spirit of Unity Concerts for National Integration, SPIC MACAY Festivals and All India Radio's Sangeet Sammelan.
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The Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar (1896 – October 16, 1974), was a Carnatic music singer from Palakkad (state of Kerala,India). Known by his village name Chembai, or simply as Bhagavatar, he was born to Anantha Bhagavatar and Parvati Ammal in 1896, at Kottayi near Palakkad on Janmashtami day, with Bharani star in the month of Chingam. Chembai was noted for his powerful voice and majestic style of singing. His first public performance was in 1904, when he was nine. He was a recipient of several titles and honours. He was known for his encouragement of upcoming musicians, and also for his ability to spot new talent. He was responsible for popularizing compositions like Rakshamam, Pavana Guru, among others.
The music critic 'Aeolus' describes him as "the musician who has meant the most to Carnatic Music in the first fifty years of the 20th century" Some of his prominent disciples include Yesudas, T. V. Gopalakrishnan, V.V.Subramaniam, P.Leela, among others.Many memorial music festivals are held in his honour annually since his death in 1974, the most important being the annually celebrated Chembai Sangeetholsavam.
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Charulatha Mani is a popular young Carnatic and Cine Playback singer. Charulatha has been performing Carnatic concerts since 1999. She has also sung for movies. Charulatha has appeared in numerous TV shows and radio programmes, in India, and overseas. She has recorded many, CD and DVD albums. Her Isai Payanam TV show, aired on Jaya TV, deals with Ragas in Carnatic and film music and has completed more than 80 episodes.
Charulatha Mani is a leading Carnatic music vocalist and has a huge fan following in India and abroad. Gifted with a rich, melodious voice, and amazing creativity she has a vast repertoire of compositions of various genres, and this has made her one of the most popular and renowned artistes of today. She initially trained under her mother Smt Hemalatha Mani, Veena artiste, and later trained under vidwans Sri Sandhyavananam Srinivasa Rao, and Calcutta K. S. Krishnamurthy. She regularly performs all over the globe, and has won several prestigious awards including the Yuva Kala Bharati from Bharat Kalachar, the Isai Kurasil from New Delhi and M S Subbulakshmi Endowment Award from Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai,Best Ragam Tanam Pallavi award from Krishna Gana Sabha.
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The Chinmaya Sisters Uma Radhika popularly known as "Chinmaya Sisters" are disciples of Madurai Sri. T.N.Seshagopalan and Neyveli Sri R.Santhanagopalan.
Blessed with sweet and mellifluous voice that sound almost as one,Uma and Radhika's talent in music was identified at a very early age by their parents Sri.R.Natesan & Smt.Bhavani Natesan, who took on themselfves the task of showing them the right direction. thus begun their musical tutelage under Neyveli Sri.R.Santhanagopalan.
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Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal (28 March 1919 – 16 July 2009) was a prominent Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. She along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshmi and M. L. Vasanthakumari were (and still are) popularly referred to as the Female trinity of Carnatic Music. This trio initiated the entry of women into mainstream Carnatic Music. She has been appreciated all over the world by Carnatic music lovers.
Pattammal was born in an orthodox Brahmin family in Kancheepuram of Tamil Nadu, India.She was named as Alamelu, but fondly called "Patta" as a child prodigy. Her father, Damal Krishnaswamy Dikshithar, who was deeply interested in music, inspired her to learn Carnatic music. Her mother, Kanthimathi (Rajammal), although a talented singer herself, was not permitted to sing even for friends or relatives in line with strict orthodox tradition. Despite her orthodox background, Pattammal sang and showed considerable music talent at an early age. More »
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