Friday, April 9, 1999, 7:30 pm
Ranganayaki Rajagopalan (Veena)
with
Umayalapuram Mali (Mridangam)
Venue:
The Sundin Music Hall,
Hamline University, Saint Paul
About the artists:
Ranganayaki Rajagopalan is a virtuoso on the Veena and a leading exponent of the Karaikudi Style. She began learning music at the age of four and gave her first concert a few years later with her Guru, the legendary Karaikudi Sri. Samabasiva Iyer in 1940. She has received numerous awards in recognition of her extraordinary talent. As a premier exponent of Carnatic music on the Veena, she has given hundreds of concerts over the years in major cities of India. She has participated in the All India Radio’s prestigious Sangeetha Sammelan held in 5 different cities from 1975 to 1992. Ranganayaki Rajagopaln taught Veena at the Music Academy, Chennai from 1978 to 1988. She was a member of the Southern Audition Board of the All India Radio for 3 years. She was presented with a Veena by the Music Academy in 1970 in recognition as the best Veena artist. In 1979, the Government of Tamil Nadu awarded her the title of Kalaimamani. Later in 1974, she was conferred the title of Veena Visarada by Dr. Rukmini Arundale under the auspices of Balasubramania Sabha. The recognition of Smt. Ranganayaki’s talents at the international level is also quite impressive. Her recordings were sought by French Musique channel in 1986 for national broadcasting. Her concert tours in France, Belgium and Holland have been very successful. Special Radio recordings were made in Brussels and Paris during performances designed for invited audience. Also, in November 1992, she visited France on a concert tour at the invitation of Theatre De la Villa, Paris. Recognizing these musical presentations, her recordings are being preserved in Museum Fur Volkerkunde, Berlin, Germany, National Centre of Performing Arts, Bombay and Sangeetha Natak Academy, New Delhi. Ranganayaki Rajagopalan was in the U.S. in 1993 as a Copeland Fellow at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA where she was teaching Carnatic music and Veena. She gave a few concerts in major cities of U.S including a scintillating performance at the Thyagaraja Aradhana in Cleveland, OH.
Umayalpuram Mahalingam (Mali) is a dynamic young Mridangam player. He learned Mridangam from Sri. Kumbakonam Rajappa Iyer and later from Padmashri Sri. Umayalpuram Sivaraman. He is a grade "A" artist of All India Radio. He has accompanied all leading Carnatic musicians and has won several awards including the Sir Henry Cowell Award from Music Academy, Chennai. Sri. Mali accompanied Veena Virtuoso Dr. S. Balachandar during his tour to Mauritius islands in 1989. He toured with Smt. Ranganayaki Rajagopalan during her France tour in 1991. In Spring 1998 he accompanied Sri. Trichur Ramachandran during his U.S tour. Sri. Mali has also completed his graduate studies in Mathematics.
© Copyright 2001 Indian Music Society of Minnesota