Bengaluru-based Mitha Vinay gave a Kathak recital at the Telugu University auditorium last week. Trained under guru Nandini, Mitha specialised in Agra gharana. She had recently opened Kathak school in Secunderabad called ‘Tatvamasi’.
Mitha’s own performance was preceded by half a dozen of her students – Arika, Sohila, Yakshwitha, Ishita, Surabhi, Muskan and Megha who got down to present ‘Saraswathi Vandanam’. Mitha then presented a rhythmic exercise ‘Teen taal’ that has 16 beats in a cycle. It was an interesting nritta with breezy chakkars of varying cycles. This was tuned in raag Jog. This impressive number was Mitha’s own choreography that revealed how good she was at it. It was set in raag Saraswathi.
One got to observe the technical aspects of Kathak, like ‘chakkars’ weaved into it with small compositions like Tripalli, Tihaai, Tukdaa, Baant and some more.
Later Mitha presented a thematic abhinaya number Jayadeva’s popular Ashtapadi Chandana Charchita Neela Kalebara Peeta Vasana Vanamali . Presenting this Mitha proved she was good at deep rooted abhinaya too. This being the major number of the concert, Mitha focused more on complex footwork that was breezy. This was set in rare raag Shyamala Kauns in ‘Bhajan taal’.
The final number was ‘Sargam Tarana’ , footwork to swara notes. This was a confluence of Hindustani classical music and rhythmic syllables, rendered to Madhya laya and Drut laya. It was a technical piece that generally presented at the end of the show. It was a choreographic work of Rani Khanam.
Hindusthani vocal by Lalitha
This Kathak dance performance was followed by a brief Hindustani concert by Mitha’s mother and noted Hindustani vocalist Lalitha Ramesh. She was accompanied by Ram Mohan on tabla and Sangameswar on harmonium. Lalitha Ramesh practices Kirana Gharana. But she had also tutelage and guidance of Lalitha J. Rao of Agra gharana. Lalitha’s first concert piece was Bada Khyal in Puria Dhanasree in Ektal, extended into Drut Teen taal. The second number she presented was ‘Chota Khyal’ in Shyam Kalyan, set in Teen tal. She ended it in speedy Drut. The final piece she rendered was ‘Meerabhajan’ in ragamalika comprising melodies raag Tilak Kamod, Basant, Suddha Saranga and Bagesree.
Ganesh’s violin workshop
From the violin workshop hosted by Ganesh
Ganesh of well known violinist duo Kumaresh and Ganesh, conducted a four-day workshop in music at Saptaparni last week. The event organised by Sanskriti Foundation, had participants aged between seven and 70.
Ganesh dealt with both instrumental and vocal elements of Carnatic music. Students were exposed to a wide range of techniques which would help them gain command on their instrument and vocal as well. He said it is a must to practice daily, repeating exercises, especially those elements that are challenging, to attain mastery. Depending on their level of learning, students were grouped into three segments – ‘early’, ‘intermediate’ and ‘superior’ master class. He introduced the students to the idea of ‘Swara Yoga’, a unique discipline that simultaneously explores music and its transcendence through swaras. A student said it was enriching experience for them to learn from this violin maestro. The students were exposed to the aspects like intricacies of raga structure and aesthetics of music. Students learning instruments were exposed to a wide range of techniques which will help them gain command over their instruments and the Carnatic art form.
Ganesh taught compositions and improvisation of swaras in ragas like Nalinakanti, Charukesi and Ghambira Nata; and for master class he taught different approaches for aspects of Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi. He explored compositions such as Ananda Natana Prakasam in Kedaram and Kann Kalangude in Saranga, a composition penned and composed by his brother Kumaresh. It was an enriching experience to the teacher and the taught in learning from this violin maestro.The focus of the workshop was to guide the participants to move to next level of knowledge. Owing to the positive feedback from participants, Ganesh hoped he would be able to conduct more such workshops in the future.
