Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath has proved herself worthy of a senior position in the music academy

Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath with Ganesh Prasad (violin), BC Manjunath (mridangam), and Bagyalakshmi (morsing). Photo courtesy: K. pichumani

Aishwarya Vidya Raghunath’s music has seen rapid progress in recent times, achieving another milestone with a senior position at the Music Academy. He demonstrated that he is fully prepared to play for high stakes. There was good articulation of raga forms, confidence in execution and an infectious enthusiasm and energy that pervaded the stage.

‘Intha Chalamu’ (Begada Varnam) was a quiet beginning. Unsurprisingly, Aishwarya picked up Shyama Shastri’s dynamic masterpiece, ‘Sankari Samkuru’ in Aadi Teesra Naadai. The oscillations in the work are in keeping with his busy singing style. After this, enthusiastic voices echoed. He also sang some Charanams which were not often heard. The singer, who is an engineer by training, had already electrified the mood.

A brightly rendered Mukhari Raga Alapana consisting of several Rakta phrases was followed by the erudite ‘Kshinamai Tiruga’ (Tyagaraja, etc.). Kriti offered accompaniments in high notes as well as briga-laden phrases, which Aishwarya performed with ease, showcasing the full grandeur of Kriti. Many times, the secret of rendering lies in choosing a good artifact. Aishwarya’s musical understanding ensured a fast pace that Kriti needed. In ‘Ethigesina’ Niraval had some quiet moments in the lower registers, followed by crisp vocals.

Aishwarya gave an aesthetic touch to Harikamboji Alapana. Photo courtesy: K. pichumani

‘Shri Guruguha’ (Purvi, Dikshitar) is a typical slow movement rare piece by the composer which provided a touch of novelty, although its ability to enhance the concert was questionable. Aishwarya began Harikamboji’s raga alapana with a clear and quick outline of its distinctive identity and sketched out all the ascents and descents. His fast-paced free flow made the alapana aesthetic.

Ganesh Prasad’s Mukhari and Harikamboji’s Alapan were of high quality, relying mostly on short punchy phrases. The Chatusra Dhruva taal established by Aishwarya’s guru RK Sriramkumar, the pallavi in ​​Khanda Nadai, ‘Harikesa Jaye’ had a good depiction of the tala structure and some complexity. This helped Aishwarya to show her rhythm in Niraval and Tri Kalam.

A percussionist’s skill in playing well-aligned solas for a complex pallavi goes far beyond a packaged taani. BC Manjunath displayed his proficiency in Pallavi. Bhagyalakshmi gave good support in the morning.

In the vocal part, a waterfall of Rakti ragas flowed – Yadukul Kamboji, Sahana and Surutti. A delightful rendition of Eka Padam ‘Ninnujutha’ in Punnagavarali gave a glimpse of Aishwarya’s skill in authentic presentation of compositions full of karavas and pauses. The Nattakurinji closing ceremony marked the conclusion of a good concert.

Ganesh Prasad is a mature violinist and plays as per the circumstances without any intrusion. This provides the singer with an important tail wind. At times, Aishwarya traded clarity for pace, an aspect she may need to address. One also believes that these types of concerts should have a few more presentations to provide a wider variety. Now we are going to do a concert of three or four pieces in two and a half hours.