About the
Artists
Kunnakudi M. Balamurali Krishna
Born in the year 1985, Kunnakudi M. Balamurali Krishna (formerly Master
M. Balamurali Krishna) has been one of the rising young vocalists.
Music is in his blood. His father, Sri Meenakshi Sundaram, also his
first guru, is a musician and an eminent teacher. He also had training
under Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan and Sri V.Sundaresan. He is now under
the tutelage of Padma Bhushan Sri P.S.Narayanaswami for the past 14
years. He has enthralled audiences all over India and countries like
the USA, Australia, Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain and Sri Lanka.
Awards and accolades have followed Balamurali at the right intervals in
order to create in him the urge to go further in his musical journey.
Being called a child prodigy at a very tender age, Asthana Vidwan title
from Sri Kanchi Mutt, Yuvakala Bharathi, Yuvakala Jyothi, Young Star of
the year 2008, Gantasala award -2008 etc. are few of the names
conferred upon the young Master. He is currently under the Sangeeth
Nataka Academy’s Scholarship Scheme after receiving the ‘Advanced
Training Scholarship’ from the Dept. of Culture, Govt. of India.
Balamurali is an accomplished Mridangist. After training from Nagai Sri
Bashyam, he is currently under Guru Kaaraikudi Mani. This rare feature
helps him appreciate the intricacies of rhythm from a young age. His
Music is totally personal and innovative yet, within the strict
parameters of tradition. Balamurali’s music is of a different cadence,
rarely found in musicians of his age. His Alapanas are galvanizing
efforts, totally personal. His deep involvement in Kriti-rendering and
natural flair for laya has made his music enjoyable. His style and
content go hand in hand to make him an artiste yearning for the
ineffable in Carnatic Music. He is currently pursuing Masters in Music
after completing Post-Graduation in Commerce.
S.D. Sridharan
S. D. Sridharan started initial training under Kumbakonam Sri
Srinivasan, a leading disciple of the late violin great Kumbakonam Sri
Rajamanickam Pillai. He followed advanced training under the present
day violin Maestro Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri. M. Chandrasekaran.
Over the last 4 decades, Sridharan has accompanied many great musicians
of the past: Chembai Vaidyanatha Baghavathar, T.K. Rangachari, Prof. S.
Ramanathan, D.K. Jayaraman, K.V. Narayanaswamy, Veena S.
Balachander, and Maharajapuram Santhanam. He has accompanied almost all
the living greats such as D.K. Pattammal, Dr. M.
Balamuralikrishna, Dr. N. Ramani, Sangeetha Kalanidhi T.N.
Seshagopalan, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, Mandolin U. Shrinivas, Neyveli
Santhanagopalan, Sanjay subramaniyam and T.M. Krishna. He has performed
in the company of great percussionists such as Palghat Mani Iyer, Dr.
T.K. Murthy, Palghat Raghu, C.S. Murughabhoopathy, Umayalpuram
Sivaraman, Valagaiman Shanmugasundaram, Haridvaramangalam Palanivel and
Ustad Zakir Hussain.
Sridharan has travelled around the world performing festivals and music
series, including jugalbandhis in the company of Mandolin
Srinivas, Zakir Hussain and Vikkhu Vinayakram. Among the
various titles, the most important one is - Astanavidwan of Sri
Kamakoti Mutt conferred by Paramacharya.
Among all the awards that Sridharan has received, the most important
ones are the best senior violinist award from The Music Academy in 1986
during their all India festival and the Best Senior Violinist from the
Indian Fine Arts Society in 1996.
Tanjore Murugabhoopathi
Sri Tanjore Murugabhoopathi belongs to a family of artists and
musicians. He had his initial training under Mridangam Vidwan and
Lecturer in the Tamilnadu Government Music College Sri T.R.Srinivasan.
After receiving the 'Vadhya Visharada' with distinction from the Music
College, he came under the guidance of Late Sri Tanjore Upendran. He
learnt from the late maestro in the age old tradition of
Gurukulavasam. He has won numerous awards including the Vadya
Kalaimani from the Music College, Chennai, the Laya Kala Ratna from the
Tiruppur Murugan Mandram, the Best Artiste Award from the South Indian
Music Club, Andhra Pradesh, the Music Academy and the Sivan Mandram,
Sydney, Australia. Murugabhoopathi can adopt his playing to any style
of singing or instrumentals and has won the appreciation of the artists
as well as the rasikas. He regularly accompanies leading artists such
as Sangeetha Kalnidhi Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan, Sangeetha Kalanidhi
Dr. N. Ramani, Mandolin Srinivas, Sanjay Subramaniam, Sudha Ragunathan,
and Aruna Sayeeram, to name a few. He has performed with these artists
in Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, Germany, Spain, USA, UK,
Switzerland, Australia, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, Belgium and Scotland.
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