Sunday, February 4, 2001, 5:00 pm 
Nirmala Rajasekar (Vocal & Veena)
with
Ramanamma Manda (Violin)
Murali Balachandran (Mridangam)
Venue:
The Saint Paul Student Center Theater,
University of Minnesota, Saint Paul campus
About the artists:
Nirmala Rajasekar, a vocalist and a Vainika (plays the Veena, a 7-stringed instrument), is a disciple of distinguished Veena Guru Kalpakam Swaminathan and has trained in vocal music with Guru B. Sitarama Sharma. Having debuted as a soloist at age 13 with a concert at the Indian Institute of World Culture (Bangalore), she has performed in world-renowned music venues, such as the prestigious Music Academy (Madras), Gayana Samaj (Bangalore), Shankarabharanam (New Delhi), TIFR (Bombay), India Music Circle (London), and the Embassy of India (Berne). In the United States Nirmala has composed and performed for many organizations, including the Schubert Club, Cedar Cultural Center, Ragamala Music and Dance Theater, PANGEA World Theater, Indian Music Society of Minnesota (IMSOM), and the Katha Dance Theater. The diversity of her music is illustrated through her innovative work with Dean Magraw, Jay Johnson, Marcus Wise, and poet Robert Bly. Nirmala’s music has been widely broadcast on radio and television in India, the USA, and Europe, highlighted by a recording for BBC England for their Library of World Artists. Nirmala has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of her work and has released many recordings both as a featured soloist as well as a featured artist with the poet Robert Bly. Most recently, KFAI Radio in Minneapolis has chosen Nirmala's concert at the University of Saint Thomas as one of the best concerts of the year 2000. Nirmala opened the Rang Tarang series in February 2001 with a Vocal lecture demonstration and performance on the Veena.
Ramanamma Manda is a vocalist and violinist and an experienced teacher. A disciple of the renowned violin maestro, Padmasri Dr. Dwaram Venkataswami Naidu, Ramanamma obtained her music training in the traditional classical style. She started learning music at the young age of 5, and has been a vocal artist of All India Radio and a violin teacher at the Andhra University School of Fine Arts for more than 25 years. A resident of the Twin Cities for the past seven years, Smt. Ramanamma Manda teaches both violin and vocal music.
Murali Balachandran hails from a family of dancers and musicians. He studied Mridangam under his father, Dr. C. G. Balachandran, and received training in Bharatanatyam from his mother, Usha. Murali has accompanied leading musicians and dancers and performed at prestigious venues such as the Lincoln Center, the Smithosonian in Washington D.C. and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Murali is based in New York, NY.
© Copyright 2001 Indian Music Society of Minnesota