Goddess of Music - Piano arrives Home!

December 10, 2014 - 10. 12. 14 is indeed one of the Great Days as we saw Goddess of Music - Piano coming home as a gift from Mr. Sumanth, Sumanth and Co in collaboration with Musee Musicals, Chennai.  Here is the link for the photos narrating how she came in to our house! 

                       

https://plus.google.com/photos/102415178040711981165/albums/6091489040636067297?authkey=CK2z39LisNvkpgE

Thanks to the privileged men who meticulously carried her in to our house and placed her in the right place! Thanks to my Uncle Embar Kannan ji for the thought of making me perform on the Piano in Crossroads, a presentationw e did on the 8th December, 2014 for Brahma Gana Sabha along with Sri. Arunkumar anna on Rhythm pads, Sumesh narayanan anna on Mrudhangam, Shallu ana on Bass Guitar and Thiru Arasu led Karthick Audios on PA. 

Very much excited and still the reality of a Piano AT HOME has not sunk in!

Here are few clipping of the first jamming session we all had with Embar Kannan mama, Paul Jacob Uncle, Suri uncle, Tabla Pradeep uncle and my friend Varun taking some lovely pictures! Special thanks to Vardhini Suri for making it to the welcoming ceremony of Piano at home!

10 years before same period i.e end November 2004, I got a Korg Por from Dr. Ravi Dattatreya, USA which transformed my life and thats instrumental for what i am today! Now thanks to Mr. Sumanth & Musee Musicals i have got a Piano at home!  I pray The Almighty to give me the mind and ability to become a better Musician and a Humble Human in the next 10 years to come so that i would be in a position to contribute to the Society in a little way!

Wishing a a Very Happy Deepavali 2014 in Advance!

I am happy wish every one of you a very Happy Deepavali 2014!

I have a great news of my appa appearing in DD Podhigai, his first effort, thanks to Smt. Vasumathi Rajan, Producer DD Podhigai.

here is a link of the show titled, "Issaitherin Vadam Pidithor", by DD Podhigai which features Tamil Composers and their contribution to Carnatic Music.

October 11, 2014 - First 1 hour concert in All India Radio!

It was indeed a great day for me and my dear Instrument - Keyboard, as this was the day my first one hour Concert was broadcast in All India Radio in 102.3 Mhz FM Gold.

Thanks to Sri. Tee Vee Gee uncle, a leading uploader in Sangeethamshare.org to ahve recorded my concert and uploaded in his folder. You can log on to the link below and use your gmail / yahoo account details and access the file. Please download and listen to the tracks and hope you would like them.

http://www.sangeethamshare.org/tvg/UPLOADS-3401---3600/3504-K_Sathyanarayanan-Keyboard/

K.Sathyanarayanan-Keyboard
Sri. Kandadevi Sri S.Vijayaraghavan-Violin
Sri. Trivandrum Sri R.Vaidhyanathan-Mrudangam

01-amma_Ananda-VARNAM-gambhIranATai-bAlamuraLi_krishNA
02-pAvana_guru-hamsAnandi-lalitadAsar
03-cittam_irangAdEnaiyyA-sahAna-pApanAsam_sivan
04-dEvi_nIyE_tuNai-kIravANi-pApanAsam_sivan
05-rAdha_samEdha_krishna-yamunAkalyANi-Anai_vaidhyanatha_iyer
06-tillAnA-madhuvanti-lAlgudi_jayarAman

A first opportunity in Krishna Gana Sabha to perform in prime time - 03 October, 2014

A great opportunity to have a Evening slot in Sri Krishna Gana Sabha which was a pleasant experience and this was on the Vijayadhasami Day, 2014. The Sabha had arranged for a good enhancement team with Karaikal Venkatasubramanian anna on violin, Sri. R. Ramesh, a Senior in the industry with great Experience, on Mrudhangam and Chandrasekara Sharma anna on Ghatam. This was also enhanced by a good audio provided by the Sabha and i am sure you will enjoy the above link.

For the audio please log on to :

http://www.4shared.com/folder/CnUs3Xzg/2014_Oct03_Kgs_BKs_RR_GCS.html

A concert with my Amma in Villivakkam on 02 October, 2014

After reaching Chennai from US on the 1st October, 2014 had the pleasure of playing a concert with my dear amma on the 2nd October with Kumabakonam Swaminathan anna on Mrudhangam and Pradeep Uncle on Tabla. This was for Villivakkam Sathguru Sath Sangam, thanks mainly to Villivakkam Raghu uncle and Sambamoorthy uncle for this concert.

Video link for the concert:

2014 September - A short trip to USA for a Concert!

It has been almost a month and still unable to get over the shocking news but have managed to keep my life going with the blessings of my Gurus and with The Grace of The Almighty.

After many happenings i had an opportunity to be in USA for a concert at Wesleyan University on the 27th September, 2014, thanks to my well wisher Sri. J. Sowmiyanarayanan, USA who along with Sri. Sriram Natarajan, Layyasaram coordinated the interest shown by Dr. Sheenu Srinivasan to hold this concert in coordination with CT Raaga Connecticut. This was a Jugalbandi concert with Grammy Winner Padmashree Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (on Mohan Veena).

Sincere thanks to Dr. Sheenu Srinivasan, President CT Raga, Connecticut, Sri. Veer Gopalan, Connecticut -a well wisher, Sri Sriram Natarajan, Layyasaram who were the main sponsors for this concert and most importantly Sri. J. Sowmiya Narayanan, Washington DC who is principally the person who introduced us to Mr. Sriram Natarajan. 

Sowmi uncle was also kind enough to coordinate with all the other artists namely Chi. Kamalakiran on Violin, Sri. Vijay Ganesh, USA on Mrudhangam, Sri. Nitin Mitta USA on Tabla as well the most important Sri. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and performed as a Ghatam artiste as well. Thanks to Sriram Natarajan ji for performing on Kanjeera. The concert was a well received one with 3 standing ovations received by our team at different times which is indeed a Unique happening!

Thanks to Sri Pradeep who met me at Boston airport, for introducing me to Ms. Bhanu, Boston who was a great Host during my stay with and the rarest opportunity of being together with Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt ji for few days! The few sessions i had him watching me practice is one of the rare things and the humble person he is had couple of jamming sessions with me, which i feels is indeed a great blessings!  

My Human God Left This Universe Today - A Black Day for the Music World!

I dedicate my Life to him as it is his Pitchai i am what i am!

It is probably the most darkest day in my life to understand my First Guru Sri. Mandolin Shrinivas ji is no more with us! I have been inspired by his music, by his presence and that ever smiling Face! Hard to understand the fact that i cannot see him, interact with him any more! I pray The Almighty to give me strength to take this and also make me stronger to present the best of Human and Music values he has taught and guided me with whatever little interactions i have had with this Human God of mine and our family!

We as family attribute our entire life to him as it was Mandolin Shrinivas ji, who first recognised our instrument keyboard and at a very critical juncture lifted our spirits by telling us to inform the world that he is my Guru! What a great Blessing i have had! 

My appa & amma recalls that when they approached Mandolin Shrinivas ji after going to his house, to be a Guest of Honour for my first album release function it seems he politely said that he had never been to a function like this! This was in the first week of August 2003 when i was 8 years old!  Then my appa requested him if i could at least play a piece in front of him and get his blessings, he accepted it overwhelmingly saying, "Thats possible any time". My father went down and brought the keyboard and in the meantime i remember he asking me what i would like to play for him. I said Mallari in Kandajathi Triputa thalam and he was so happy on it. My parents were folding their hands and sitting behind me and i had The Legendary Mandolin Shrinivas sir in front of me as i started playing! What a moment which i will Cherish till my last Breath indeed! He was so divine sitting and listening to my Mallari with folded hands and i was feeling as if i was performing in front of The Almighty and he indeed became my Human God from that moment! When he asked to play one more i said i love to play Nagumomu he immediately said, "Sathya that was my preferred piece as well in my young days and i have played whenever people asked me to play". This showed the child character in him and so humble to share thoughts with me!

After i finished playing he looked at my dad and asked when was the function and as my appa replied that it was on August 16th, 2003 he immediately said that he will come! My dad was pleasantly shocked and asked him if he is sure of it for which he said, "yes and also please spell my name as just U. Shrinivas and not Srinivas pls!" He also added that "this child is on a new instrument and having good layam as he did not expect thalam from any of us and still performed thrikalm in Mallari in Knadajathi Triputa talam. I will only be making a mistake if i turned down your request and so i will make it for his Album release". A moment non of us in our family will forget.

After the concert in Brahma Gana Sabha in December 2003, a critic had appreciated my kknowledge in music but condemned my parents for having put me in this instrument keyboard. He had advised them to change me to take up the formal instruments in Carnatic Music to have be grow big! At this point in time in my life my father called up Mandolin Shrinivas ji and asked him to guide us. He simply said that he also underwent these kind of situations in his early days. He also emphasized the fact that, "Sathya is doing a great job and thats the reason you are being criticized. Do not fear and keep traveling. However please ensure to tell every one from today that I am his Guru". For this when my appa asked him how could we lie, he simply said, "Is it not the fact that you brought him to my house and he played Mallari and Nagumomu for me during August 2003? I have already given him Deeksha and i assure you to take few classes once i return from US". Mandolin Shrinivas ji did call on his return and i had the privilege of being under his tutelage for a good period.

To us it is Mandolin Shrinivas ji who is the first Musician to have recognised the instrument Keyboard and his endorsement to teach me on it really gave it the much need credibility. This inflicted confidence in the minds of Music forums & rasikas as well  and thats the major reason for whatever the level the Keyboard artists have come up to today.  Becoming his Sishya gave me a great boost in my career and the best that had happened i my life till then! There has been no turning back from the day i saw and played in front of him! I might not have spent great hours physically but he has been there with me always particularly when i relate with Music and with his blessings and Guru Ashirvadhams i pray The Almighty do grace me to do my best to emulate him as a Human first and then a Musician.

Only request to The Almighty is that please do leave good people among us too as we need / seek guidance from great Human like Mandolin  Shrinivas ji. It is a loss which can never ever be compensated! We can keep listening to his music performance any number of hours and

May his soul Rest in Peace!

Great July

It was a great month with the first time visit to Singapore for performing concert, thanks to Sri Veerama Kaliamman Temple Kumbabisheka Committee. It was so nice of Sri. Natarajan sir in Singapore to have thought of recommanding me to the Temple authorities and also thanks to Bombay Anand anna and Raja Subramanian anna for enhancing th concert in Singapore. Thanks also to Raja ana for being with us almost for both the days when we were in Singapore and helping us buy a good Camera as well!

Thanks to that camera, I had taken few good photos and also a superb video of a sudden Spectrum appeared in Chennai on 12th August, 2014.

A great star birthday celebration extended to appa in the first week celebrated with our members of KBS Inculcation and it was also a great opportunity for me to work on a track of my Mamos which was gifted to appa by him.

A Pleasant June 2014!

I wish to inform that we have shifted our residence, moving into a little more spacious apartment on Lake view Road near Public Health Centre and it was indeed a good experience of shifting house ater almost 8 years! Every Change is for Good and thats the principal we keep & move in our life and this change is also seeming to be good! 

This June has given me a great opportunity, thanks to Mr. Paul Jacob for having thought of including me in the orchestra for the Live Music presentation of one of the High Profile Theatre project of Kalki's "Ponniyin Selvan". This play was produced by Magic Lantern and Sponsored by SS International Live!It was indeed a Magical Experience to do this live Music with Drummer Sridhar ji, Flautist Natarajana and Tabla Balu ji. I also had my day in at madurai on the last day of the presentation on the 29th Jun, 2014. 

The concert at MahaPeriyava Padhugai temple was indeed a divine one and we as team always love to perform there at least once in a year. 

Had some friends visiting home and it was fun all through out that day! Magic rains in this month is also a welcome break for all of us in Madras!

Looking forward to my first Solo Concert in Singapore on the 4th and 5th July and a few interesting concerts as well1 Also awaiting my results for the 2nd Semester and hope it will be good!

Greatest time with Legendary Yanni, thanks to Vennai Kannan uncle!

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This is probably one of the never possible to Dream and still coming True! Yes having the Honour of Have The Legendary Yanni listening to your concert live! Added are your Gurus in Mandolin Sri. Shrinivas ji and Kum. A. Kanyamuari mam, with legends Dr. Padma Subramanyam, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Sri. Umayalpuram Sivaraman, Sri. Vikku Vinayagaram and many more!

Not just that! Being greeted and blessed by The Great Yanni himself as seen in this video!

Just unable to still believe that all these happened!

In fact the month March and April were one of the Best in this year as i had a cocnert with Abhishek Raghuram anna at Shanmugananda, Mumbai on the March 9th and in front of The Legendary Yanni and Muisc Legends of India on the 12th April, 2014.

In the mean time i also had a great concert to perform for Sridhar anna who made aRecord of playing non-stop 44 hrs of Blind folded Drumming as well on the 6th March and a concert with Rajesh Viadhya anna and party at Trichy for NIT!

It was also a great Home Ground concert for Sathguru Sath Sangam Villivakkam on teh 15th April and a concert with my Mamoos as well for a private concert on the 24th April, 2014.

Also another interesting assignment was for a new Concept on General Music Learning and the process by Balachandar Uncle, Mrudhangam Professor in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, London on the 21st and 22nd April, 2014.

Have been involved in arranging Music for the Mega Production 'Yegyaseni" of Sri. Madurai Muralidharan and looking forward to the show on the 17th May.

Most importantly we are also looking forward to the Award Presentation initiated by our KBS Inculcation in the name of my Mentor, first Guru and maternal Grand Father Sangeetha Bhushanam Sri. Embar S. Sadagopan, on the 18th May, 2014 and wish people turn out in large numbers and also can see the same on

http://www.arkayconventioncenter.in/welcome.aspx

Blessed to perform for Shivarathiri 2014 at Bandikavanoor Temple

It was a indeed a good late evening drive to this wonderful Village where i had an opportunity to perform in this 300 year old Shiva Vishnu Temple with my Mamoos Embar Kannan ji, Sumesh Narayanan ji and Hariharasubramanian ji!

As there was no feedback monitor and we had initially little problem to play in coordination as we had to listen to the sound which was coming from the speakers meant for outside which means we had latency problem! We did get settled after the first song and then it was a nice journey into the concert.

If possible please listen to the tracks in the downloadable link in

http://www.4shared.com/folder/_YAihqYY/2014-Bandikavanoor-ShivaVishnu.html

and forward your opinion /comments

A Great beginning for February!

Great Joy and a Sense of Greater Responsibility was what came in when i received the prestigious IOB Youth Achievement Award today from the hands of Mr. Narendra, CMD IOB today, 10th February, 2014 - being their 78th Foundation Day!

Great Honour and blessing to receive same and be in the corner of the stage with Doyens (in the photo from left to right) namely Sri. Murari IAS rtd., Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, Sri. Sankar - CMD Sanmar Group, Sri. Veeramani - CMD, Gem Granites, Sri. Narayanaswamy - Senior Auditor, Dr. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti and Sri. Munirathnam - Chairman RKM Engineering College. Sri. Narendra, CMD IOB and Executive Directors IOB are also in the photograph above. 

I thank The Almighty for the Grace, my gurus for their blessings and you all, for the well wishes! I understand the responsibility and continue to work harder to achieve a percentage or two of what these Great personalities have achieved, in my life time!

Wonderful Start to 2014 with Activity filled January!

It has been a great New Year 2014 for what with an opportunity  had to perform with this year's Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. Sudha Raghunathan ji's Cofee Table Book release function along with Sri. Rajhesh Vaidhya, (had played few pieces in the album given along with the book) Concert with mammos Embar Kannan ji in CrossRoads at the Army Southern Head Quarters, Chennai, opportunity to perform in Thiruvaiyaru, Good article in Dinakaran and Dinamalar in the early part of a New Year, my concert on webcast on www.paalam.in/tv opportunity to perform in one of the oldest forums of Kakinada and an experience of going by electric train and PTC now Chennai Transpot Corporation!

A great beginning on my completion of 19 years of age, Thanks to my friend Sangeetha to have come home today evening to celebrate my Birthday in advance as i am traveling to Salem for a concert with Rajesh Vaidhya anna!

With all your wishes and blessings look forward to a fascinating Year ahead!