Along with the joint sponsorship of the A.P.Government Department of Culture, Sri Sadguru Sangeeta Sabha of Vijayawada conducted a music festival at Gokaraju Laila Gangaraju Kalavedika. The festival presented high quality music that enthralled the audience in no small way.
The inaugural function was presided over by B.V.S. Prakash and the chief guest was vidwan Annavarapu Ramaswami and other guests of honour were vidwan Malladi Suribabu and C. Munikumar, principal of the Music College. The occasion was the 16th anniversary of Sri Sadguru Sangeeta Sabha. The vocal concert of Pantula Rama of Visakhapatnam came as fitting start to the music festival.
Rama's concert was superb treat in melody combined with efficiency. She started the concert with Sriraga varnam and followed it with Mahaganapathim in Nata. Her exhaustive delineation of Mayamalavagowla preceding the keertana Merusamana Dheera and particularly the elaboration of Behag as one of the major items were highly appreciated.
Her manoeuvres and brigas in Behag, a difficult one for such a long and intricate presentation, spoke highly of Rama's ability. She rendered Smarajanaka, a fine keertana in Behag.
Ma Janaki Chettapattaga
Rama's husband, noted violinist Srinivasa Narasimha Murthy gave apt support and his versions of Behag, Mayamalavagowla and Kambhoji were marked with fine aesthetic sense. Percussionists N.S. Kalyanaraman (mridangam) and S. Hanumanta Rao (ghatam) presented a rousing tani at the end of the main item. Rama closed the concert with Madhura Nagarilo and a sparkling thillana in Khamas.
An attractive musical feature titled `Sambho Madeva Saranam Saranam'written and tuned by Popuri Gowrinath, who also sang along with his wife Gayatri, was the next day's treat. The enjoyable feature consisted of all keertanas in praise of Lord Siva. Superb commentary by scholar Mallapragada Srimannarayana Murthy of Ponnuru added colour to the fine devotional treat rendered by Gowrinath and Gayatri. Some of the appealing compositions were Kamadahana Karunakara , Artini Deerpaga , Siva Murthy and Gowri Manohara . Apt archestral support was provided by B.V. Durga Bhavani (violin), M.L.N. Raju (mridangam), K. Sasidhar (veena), R. Premkumar (flute), T. Lakshmi Shanker (morsing) and V. Chittibabu (rhythms).
