The Carnatic music competition for children and youth below 21 years organised by the Salem Sangeetha Vidwath Sabha at the Dr. C. Vijayaragavachariar Hall in the city for two days recently evoked good response.
More than 130 children and youths from different parts of the district participated in the competitions in two categories – children between 9 and 12 years and between 13 and 21 years. The children participated in “Geetham” and “Varnam” competitions, rendering ‘Keerthanas” of composers on the first day. The second day was marked for the competitions in veena, violin, nagaswaram, percussions and mridangam.
The “Geetham” and “Varnam” competitions were meant for the beginners.
In the competition of rendering “Keerthanas”, the participants rendered the keerthanas composed by noted composers Saint Thiyagarajar, Shayama Sastrigal, Muthuswami Deekshidhar, Arunachala Kavirayar, Koteeswara Iyer, Papanasam Sivan etc.
The organisers had directed the candidates to mention their five favourite Keerthanas in the application forms. The participants were asked by the judges to explain the Keerthanas before rendering them. Selvan, a student of the Government Music School, Salem, excelled in playing nagaswaram and the organisers on the spot announced a special prize for him.
Prizes were distributed to the winners at the inaugural of the week long ‘Salethil Tiruvaiyaru’ festival organised in connection with the 169th Aradhana festival of Sadguru Sri Thyagarajar Swamigal scheduled in the city on May 22, according to J. Srinivasan, secretary of the Salem Sangeetha Vidwath Sabha.
Ranganatha Sharma, principal, Music College, Madurai, presented a vocal concert on the final day.
