Chitravina Ravikiran Glides Effortlessly Between Carnatic and Fusion Music

Chicago IL: Chitravina maestro Sri N Ravikiran delivered a two-hour concert hosted by the Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA) at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (HTGC) on Friday, April 26, 2013. He was accompanied by Prof. Trichy Shankaran on the mridangam, Akkarai Shubhalakshmi on the violin, and KV Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira. After rendering Carnatic (South Indian classical) compositions, including of his own creation and in the traditional style, Ravikiran embarked on an innovative excursion into fusion music with local artistes. An apt inauguration to SAPNA’s Fifth three-day Veena festival, for SAPNA’s mission is not only to recover and conserve this ancient musical heritage, here in the new diaspora context, but also demonstrate its global reach and relevance.

In his usual inimitable understated yet scholarly style, Ravikiran’s concert displayed consummate artistry, tasteful aesthetics, and rare sparkling sancharas (melodic phrases that serve to establish the identity of the raga) reflecting technical virtuosity and mastery over the ragas. Ravikiran set the pace with his own composition Adi Vinayakam, a varnam in ragam Reetigowla, followed by Annamacharya’s Paramapurusha rendered gracefully in ragam Shanmukhapriya. Nenendu Vedakudura, Thyagaraja’s composition in Karnataka Behag, was portrayed in all its grandeur – the intricate flourishes on the sangatis (variations on a phrase of the composition with changes in tune and ornamentation) brought out their essence. Chitravina and Ravikiran seem to be made for each other. What sets his music apart is a phenomenal understanding of the connotation of the ragam, sahityam (lyrics), and an exquisite expression that blends with the subtle shades of the raga to bring out richness of emotion through his preferred instrument! Being an open, receptive and inventive artiste, Ravikiran introduced the concept of “Melharmony” to the music world.

Anyone in the Carnatic music firmament can tell how deeply joyful and embellished a concert can be with Trichy Sankaran at the helm of a delightfully soulful percussive recital. K V Gopalakrishnan on the kanjira in an affectionate and playful rapport with the master mridangist, matching repartees in the rhythmic cycle khanda nadai – and their tani avartanam (percussion exchange) was a brilliant display of math, clarity of sound, and magical artistry! Akkarai Shubhalakshmi on the violin showed great ease and aplomb handling the instrument, responding to the main artiste with refinement, grace, and elegance.

Rajeswari Pariti along with her son Ravi Pariti and grandchildren Divya and Nitya Pariti had earlier presented a melodious veena concert. They were accompanied by Ethirajan Ramanujam on the mridangam. To see three generations of Veena artistes on one stage was indeed heartening: this is in line with SAPNA’s mission of perpetuating the art form!

The second part of the evening was entitled “Strings in Fusion,” featuring compositions of Chitravina Ravikiran, Kalyani-Keeravani Suite, and Behaag Thillana. Joining Ravikiran were Chicagoland musicians Saraswathi Ranganathan on the veena, Carlo Basile on the guitar and Greg Nergaard on bass. Saraswathi’s expressions on the veena were replete with enjoyably refreshing artistic nuances while “Melharmony”-inspired strums-slides of Carlo and Greg perfectly complemented the ambience. The melodic combination of fretted veena and fretless chitravina interlaced with harmonic chords from guitar and melodic slide bass was a treat to the world music connoisseur. Both compositions were soaked in the emotional character of their ragas, solo blitzkriegs, a generous dash of “Melharmony” – keeping the interpretational sensitivity of Carnatic music, yet bringing in the harmonic beauty of Jazz Flamenco grooves.

Prof. Trichy Shankaran, who has been spearheading and expanding the Indian music and ethnomusicology program since its inception in 1972 at York University in Toronto. A veteran percussionist, who returns every December to perform with the best Carnatic musicians in Chennai, he has received many honors. He launched the annual Thyagaraja festival in Toronto shortly after his move there. Shankaran too performs Indo-fusion with jazz musicians, has composed for Indonesian gamelan, and on scores for chamber music. He emphatically told Asian Media USA that, far from being a constraining boundary, his solid grounding in Carnatic music is the resource and inspiration driving his experiments and collaborations in world music.
Ravikiran, Trichy Shankaran, and other artistes were honored with plaques. This concert and the veena-festival as a whole is part of SAPNA’s goal to keep up tradition while presenting innovation, and giving excellent opportunity to deserving local (Chicago) artistes.