Amrita Venkatesh sang under the auspices of Sushira, V. Deshikachar's Academy of Music. B.K. Raghu (violin), G.S. Ramanujam (mridanga) and Ramesh (ghata) accompanied the young and tastefully moulded singer. The role of all the accompanists was immense in accomplishing a success.
Her voice is not only consistent in pitch, volume and timbre, but is equally expressive. A systematically cultured practice had yielded its fruits - sweet, divine and mesmerising, as was evident in all the presentations, direct from her memory. Thorough expatiation of the ragas, Shriranjani ("Maarubalka" - Thyagaraja), Surati ("Angarakam Ashrayami" - Dikshithar) and Simhendramadhyama ("Ninne Nammithinayya" - Vasudevacharya) revealed many features very much exclusive to her style. She would spontaneously strike a proportionate balance, in length and intonations, between relevant individual swaras and between the swara-clusters while building up the alapana, and instantly give a clear picture of the personality of the raga on hand.
Variety of gamakas, in every possible permutations and combinations embellished the sancharas, the patterns of which would not repeat: variety of graces sprouted out fluently and gently. Moreover, a clear diction conveyed the entire import of the compositions, and the elegant ease with which she narrated them enhanced their dignity.
Scholarly neraval at "Pannagendrashayana" ("Ninne Nammithinayya"), followed by elaborate swarakalpana, aptly focussed on the jiva and nyaasa swaras for the desired impact. Other notable compositions were "Manasu Karugadhemi" (Hamsadhwani - Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer), "Narasimhudu" (Kamalamanohari - Mysore Sadashivarayaru) and "Vagalaadi" (Jaavali - Behag - Tirupati Narayana Swami).
Another equally interesting and absorbing concert (flute) was by Pandit Nityanand Haldipur (Swarasankula Sangeetha Sabha): verily, a memorable experience wherein majesty and melody prevailed over any unnecessary superficial manoeuvrings.
The veteran artiste's stage-presence equated with the maturity of his baaj; and transcending wafts incessantly emanating from the instrument paralleled with his riyaz and sadhana.
Set with absolute involvement, every presentation served as an epitome of grandeur and beauty.
Rag Shri irrefragably trod a desirable vocal style. The series of swaras blending among themselves formatting into tuneful phrases kept on assuming new dimensions as he instantaneously created new passages.
Further, in the vilambit sections he would judiciously insert faster ones with such imagination and creativity that the overall mood always rested on the slower tempo thus working as firm foundation on which peaceful experience dawned with resplendent glory.
Another absorbing feature was the pre-eminence of a sentimental similitude suggestive of the moods of submission and devotion, as one may find embedded in the cheez, "Kaha Mai Guru" at once transporting the audience beyond the abstract into the realms of concrete sublime emotions.
In similar admirable fashion, he developed Jhinjoti, impressively exposing a deep contemplative mood of delight and contentment, indeed a remarkable piece of reverie, supported by inspiring cadential intricacies by the veteran percussionist, Ravindra Yavagal.
Purya too, passing through the major movements, occupied a prominent place in the minds of the listeners.
