 Music is the oxygen of my existence, declares a beaming Nirmala Rajasekar, an NRI from Minneapolis, USA.A vainika, vocalist, computer wizard et al, she is straddling all the streams with great élan.
Her veena recital at a Trichy music festival created ripples in the music fraternity. Her sensitive fingers on the frets cast a magic spell on the audience.
Her curtain-raiser was a Varnam in Saveri, ‘Sarasuda’ in
thisram.
A torrent of swaras enhanced the kriti ‘Gam Ganapati’ in Hamsadhwani. She thought it apt to render the evergreen classic ‘Akilandeeswari’ in Dhwajavanthi because the abode of the Goddess is in Trichy. Nirmala’s portrayal of the song was aesthetic. Her soul-stirring rendition made us visualise Akilandeeswari radiating divinity and bliss. ‘Ananda nadamaduvar’ was appropriate for that day as Arudra Darshanam was celebrated with piety and the atmosphere was surcharged with bhakti. She embellished the song with bhava-laden phrases.
Nirmala’s piece de resistance was Poorvikalyani and the song was undoubtedly ‘Meenakshi Meemudam’. Her alapana of the raga touched considerable heights. Her sangatis were ornate without being ostentatious. The swara sketches were steeped in classicism. Her tanam in Ranjani reflected her musical erudition. She sketched it beautifully from the start. Nirmala’s racy rendition of Tillana in paras sustained the ethos sufficiently.
V Srinivas on the mridangam, also from USA, played with panache. Trichy Murali on the ghatam displayed virtuosity. Deenadayalan on morsing played with professional élan Their tani was a treat to be savoured.
Mira
|
