IMSOM Event: Carnatic Violin by Lalgudi Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi

About the Artistes:

Lalgudi GJR Krishnan is the worthy son and disciple of violin maestro Padma Bhushan Lalgudi Sri G. Jayaraman. Krishnan began his musical training at the tender age of five under the watchful guidance of his illustrious grandfather Lalgudi Gopala Iyer who belonged to the enviable shishya parampara of Sri Tyagaraja himself. His art was later honed to perfection by his father. The Lalgudi Bani is unique in the sense that it comes closest to the gayaki style of musical expression with the sahitya and the emotions embedded in the composition emerging loud and clear. Krishnan has creditably internalized this exquisite quality of violin playing and is recognized by the lay and the cognoscenti as an artiste of remarkable merit who maintains a judicious balance between aesthetics and grammar. His music is underlined by pristine purity, lucidity, imagination, innovation, immaculate laya, superb clarity, clean and strong bowing, and a deep sense of passion and involvement. Krishnan, who in addition to his solos, plays duets and trio concerts along with Sri Lalgudi Jayaraman and his sister Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, has also been featured in several jugalbandi concerts with leading Hindustani musicians. As an accompanist, he has had the privilege of playing for Bhishma Pitha Maha Semmagudi Srinivasa Iyer, T.N. Seshagopalan, Maharajapuram Santhanam, T.V Sankaranarayanan, D.K Jayaraman, and Nedunuri Krishnamurthi. Krishnan's vision, temperament, and desire to experiment have also motivated him to interact with western musicians. Krishnan's prodigious performing skills and a deep perception of the art of Carnatic Music have earned for him prestigious awards such as the Jaycees award in 1981, the Best Violinist award in 1986 from the Music Academy, Bharat Kalachar's Yuva Kala Bharati in 1987, and the Kalki Krishnamoorthy Award in 1998, to name a few. Krishnan was also conferred the title "Sangeetha Choodamani" by Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in 1998. In 2004, he was awarded the prestigious title "Nadabhushanam" by Sri Shanmukhananda Sangeetha Sabha, New Delhi. On the academic front, Krishnan holds a Master’s degree in Commerce (M.Com) and is an accredited Cost and Works Accountant (I.C.W.A) and Company Secretary (ACS).

Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, like her brother Krishnan, is a superb standard bearer of the Lalgudi bani, perhaps the most eloquent in capturing the mood and essence of South Indian Music. She began learning at the age of six and made her first public appearance at age thirteen. Since then, she has been performing regularly in violin duets and trios with her father and brother. She has travelled widely on concert tours both in India and abroad, and has performed in countries all over the world, including the U.S.A, Canada, the U.K., Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Russia, Indonesia, and the Middle East. Vijayalakshmi also leads a music ensemble of the Violin, the Flute, and the Veena, which has given over 50 performances. With her ability to easily blend with the vocalists' style while asserting her individuality, she is today a much sought-after accompanist. Vijayalakshmi was adjudged the Best Junior Instrumentalist by the Sri Krishna Gana Sabha in Madras in 1979. She received the Yuva Kala Bharati from Bharat Kalachar in 1993 and the 'Kalki Krishnamoorthy Memorial Award' at Chennai in 1998. She also received the 'Best Accompanist Award' from the prestigious Music Academy for the year 2002. The talented Vijayalakshmi has made her mark as a vocalist as well. She has given several vocal concerts in many of the sabhas in Chennai, as well as on All India Radio and has lent her voice to a few dance drama productions, notably Jaya Jaya Devi. She has to her credit a few vocal recordings, such as 'Ganesha Gana Manjari' and 'Lalgudi lineage.' Vijayalakshmi holds a Master of Arts in English Literature and a Diploma in Music.

Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi have presented innumerable violin duets in India and abroad. Concentrated practice, a fierce determination to excel, an acute aesthetic sensitivity and total laya control, coupled with a perfect understanding between the siblings, have helped place this duo in the upper echelon of contemporary violin artistes. Their music recordings have captured the imagination of discerning listeners. "Twin bows of the Lalgudi tradition," "Lalgudi Legacy continues," "Majesty in Melodies," "Vibgyor on Violin," "Ramabhakti," and "Tillanas of Lalgudi Jayaraman" released recently by HMV are worthy of special mention.

Guruvayur Dorai is one of India's most revered mridangam artistes. An exponent of the Pudukottai style of mridangam, Dorai made his debut at the age of eight at a performance of the legendary musician, Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar. His gurus were Palghat Subbayyar, Eranallur Narayana Pisharody, and Pazhani Subramanium Pillai. Dorai has performed all over the world and with nearly all the eminent Carnatic musicians including M. S. Subbulakshmi, G. N. Balasubramaniam, Chitti Babu, Flute Mali, Mysore T. Chowdiah, T. N. Seshagopalan, and Chitraveena N. Ravikiran, to name a few. He has also performed with leading Hindustani artistes such as Bhimsen Joshi, Bismillah Khan, Ravi Shankar, Allah Rakha, and Zakir Hussain. Dorai has trained several well-known students in Indian classical percussion, including Manaragudi Easwaran, Rohan Krishnamurthy, and S.V.Ramani. He has received innumerable awards and titles, including Kalaimamani, the Palghat Mani Iyer award, Sangeet Natak Academy award and Sangeetha Sagara by Kala Sagaram, Hyderabad. Most recently, he was awarded the title of "Laya Chakravarthy" in Austin, Texas. He has served as visiting scholar at the University of Washington, Seattle (1977-78) and Western Michigan University (2001 and 2002).