Carnatic Vocal Concert by NJ Nandini

SRUTI is pleased to present a Grand Carnatic Vocal Music Concert featuring NJ Nandini (Vocal), B. Ananthakrishnan (Violin), Sri Murugaboopathi (Mridangam), and Sri. Guruprasad (Ghatam)

NJ Nandini (Vocal)

NJ Nandini is a vibrant young vocalist from Trivandrum, capturing the imaginations of ardent Carnatic Music listeners across India. Hailing from a family of rich musical heritage, granddaughter of late Vechur N Hariharasubramania Iyer, she has been nurtured over the years, by her eminent gurus, Padmasri Parassala B Ponnammal, Prof P R Kumarakerala Varma, Dr S Bhagyalekshmy and Dr M N Moorthy. Endowed with an enviable comprehension and a rare insight into Carnatic Music's various depths and facts, she brings out music in her own ravishing style, which is rooted in tradition, delightful to commoners and satiating to connoisseurs as well.

Nandini has composed music for various creative concepts & stage shows with her students. To name a few Bharatha Nandini – Tribute to Mother land, Hari Bhakti Navakam – Nava Vidha Bhakthi Krithis, BharathiyinKannamma (Poems of Bharathiyar) VaggeyaVaibhavam (celebrating illustrious composers of Carnatic Music) AbhyaasaGaanam (Mic less practice session)which were highly appreciated by eminent musicians and the media. She has performed Jugal bhandi with flute virtuoso Shri. Kudamaloor Janardanan named Murali Nandanam. Composed many dance musical pieces and collaborated with eminent danseuses. Nandini has also served as Guest lecturer in Sree Swathi Thirunal Govt College of Music, Trivandrum.

B. Ananthakrishnan (Violin)

Vidwan Shri.B. Ananthakrishnan hails from a reputed musician family and is the torch bearer of the ‘V.K.V.Parampara’. He is the grandson of renowned Violin Vidwan, Late V.K. Venkata Ramanujam Iyengar (Professor-Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University) and son of equally reputed violinist Dr.V. Balaji (Head of the Department, Faculty of Performing Arts, BHU, Varanasi).

 At the tender age of seven he earned a gold medal and earned the title “Mazhalai Medaai” in a national competition conducted by “Anandha Vikatan” a Tamil weekly magazine. His awards include, Villisai Virpanar Award (2007-2008) Yuva Kala Bharathi (2008), Youth Excellence Award (2009), Best Concert Award-The Music Academy Madras (2010), Best Sub-Senior Violinist Award- The Music AcademyMadras(2011-2016). 

He has had the honor of accompanying many legends of Carnatic music and he continues to share the stage with senior artists. He has performed in every major Sabha including The Music Academy Madras, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Shanmukhananda Sabha (Mumbai). He has had several concert tours outside India in countries like Germany, Belgium, USA, Australia, Doha.

Sri Murugaboopathi (Mridangam)

Sri Murugaboopathi was born 19th April 1965 in Madras and hails from a family of musicians and artistes of several generations.

He had his initial training under Sri T R Srinivasan (Mridanga Vidwan and Lecturer) at the Tamil Nadu Music College Chennai. Sri Murugaboopathi was conferred the “Vadya Visharada” with distinction by the Music College. After about two years of stage experience, he underwent further training under Mridanga Maestro Late Tanjore Upendran for over 10 years.

Over the past decade Sri Murugaboopathi has been traveling extensively to countries like USA, Scotland, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, UK, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong for Concert performances, Lecture demonstrations and on Teaching assignments. He has been associated with several arts and music associations around the world where he visits regularly during his tours.

Sri. Guruprasad (Ghatam)

Guruprasad is the son of ghatam vidwan Shri K. Nagaraja Rao and Smt Kallammal. He had his initial training under his father and later underwent gurukulam under ghatam maestro Shri T.H. Vikku Vinayakram. Subsequently he received training from ghatam vidwan Shri V. Suresh, and mrudangam vidwan “Laya Chudaroli” Madurai Shri T. Srinivasan.

He regularly accompanies the senior most artists in the field of Carnatic Music, and is highly sought after in the film industry as well as for collaborations with world renowned artists of various genres. Guruprasad has had the privilege of playing alongside stalwarts of percussion such as Shri Palghat Raghu, Shri T.K. Moorthy, Shri Vellore Ramabhadhran, Shri Umayalpuram K Sivaraman, Shri Karaikudi Mani, Shri Trichy Sankaran, Shri Haridwarmangalam, A.K. Palanivel, Shri Kaliyamoorthy, and Shri Thanjavur Govindarajan, to name a few. He is honored to have performed in esteemed global venues such as The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., The Lincoln Center in New York City, the “Incredible India” festival at The Oval Cricket Ground in London, and along with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra in South Africa.

Guruprasad has been bestowed with numerous awards and titles, some of which include the Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar from Sangeet Natak Akademi – New Delhi, the title of “Aasthaana Vidwan” of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt – Kanchipuram, and the Kalki Krishnamurthy award in Chennai. Guruprasad continues to perform around the world, and is now training many ghatam artists of the next generation.

Sowmiya Narayanan is a disciple of Mridangam Maestro Trichy Sri Harikumar and Ghatam Sri Krishnaswami. Sowmiya a is board of trustee of Sankara Nethralaya and conducted more than 650 plus online concerts. With this online concert series he has coordinated and received donations of more than $ 1.5 million in the last 2.5 years supporting 15000 free cataract eye surgeries to poor indigent patients of Sankara Nethralaya.