It was an event held at Ravindra Bharati, last week celebrating flautist Nagaraju’s maiden role as music director for the recently released film Jagadguru Adi Sankara , in the presence of noted film director K.Viswanath and playback singer S. Janaki, Adi Sankara ’s director J.K. Bharavi, noted actor and playwright Tanikella Bharani, Dr. Varaparasda Reddy, and orthopedic surgeon Gurava Reddy.
Nagaraju and his wife vocalist Mani gave a concert later, where their son Nag Srivatsa too accompanied them in some numbers.
Nagaraju’s basic aim was to present music with all ingredients that entertain the audience. He gave traditional opening to his concert with Natakuranji varnam and followed it with Vatapi in Hamsadhwani, essaying the raga using base and long flutes with intricate moves, scaling slowly to upper octave with impressive raga phrases in between. Interaction with Dinakar’s violin accentuated its beauty. The kirtana was presented with a vocalist touch with many sancharis. The swarakalpana with vinyasas was by itself a thrilling presentation with fusion touch especially in the concluding muktayi part. Both these numbers established him as fine classical flautist to reckon with.
He then presented the popular Raghuvamsa Sudha in Kadanakutuhalam of Patnam, a brisk number. The exchanges between violin and flute were interesting. The other number he played was Krishna Nee Begana Baro in Yamunakalyani with brief raga picture, using long and short flutes, connecting to Krishnashtami season. There was also a Mohana number he composed giving a musical picture in fusion style weaving a picture of Krishna’s childhood deeds. Later he presented another number only to demonstrate his wizardry on western flute he had brought — he played it with a western melody in the company of western instruments like guitar, drums and keyboard.
His wife Mani then presented a couple of Meera Bhajans like Varasi Hariki SaranamanaveMere Sang Giridhara Gopala .
Later, Nagaraju gave a taste of Hindustani style playing Pahadi in vilambit and druth and ati drut speeds and a bandish with folk touch. Violin responded well to the flute with tala change in the climactic breezy part. He then played a number from Viswanath’s film Sirivennela saying that film had inspired him to take to flute. This was originally played in the film by Pt. Chourasia. The echo that was set partly disturbed pure melody all through the concert. Mani then rendered to flute support Nemaliki Nerpina Nadakalivi from Saptapadi, another film Viswanath had directed. Later Janaki too rendered on request pallavis of two numbers to applause. Later an audio CD Srikrishna Ganamrutam sung by Mani and music scored by Nagaraju was released by film playback singer Janaki.
It was a full fledged orchestra with Dinakar on violin, Kapa Srinivasa Rao on mridangam, Chanti on drums, Jogindar on tabla, Benjamin on guitar, Rakesh on keyboard and Lalit on second flute. This programme was organised by ‘Manjovi’.
