New Zealand Kannada Koota Concert at Chinmaya Mission on March 18 at 6 pm
Venkat Raman
Auckland, March 7, 2023
One of the most celebrated singers of the Hindustani Music of the modern generation will be in concert in Auckland next weekend.
Auckland-based New Zealand Kannada Koota, arguably the oldest regional association of people of Indian origin, which will mark its 30th anniversary next year, is presenting the concert on Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 6.30 pm at the Chinmaya Mission (Chinmaya Nikunj-Wellbeing and Event Centre), located at 63 McKenzie Road, Mangere Bridge.
Tickets, priced at $25 per person (free for children below 12 years of age) can be purchased from https://www.trybooking.com/nz/events/landing?eid=8708&
Rendezvous for music enthusiasts
New Zealand Kannada Koota President Ajay Ravi said the forthcoming concert will present a unique opportunity to Hindustani music lovers and the people of Karnataka to experience the performance of a world-renowned artiste.
“Through this Concert, the new Committee of the New Zealand Kannada Koota aims to bring together music lovers from across the Indian Diaspora to create a memorable experience that would have a lasting impact in the minds and hearts of people. We hope that young singers will listen, watch, learn and gain from Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi, a top-class artiste,” he said.
Pandit Jayatheerth will be accompanied by Aucklanders Basant Madhur on the Tabla and Samir Bhalodkar on the Harmonium, he said.
“The South Indian State of Karnataka has been the seat of Indian classical music and dances, promoting with equal zeal the Hindustani and Classical forms of Music. We look forward to organising many such programmes and promoting our heritage,” Mr Ravi said.
Following is the New Zealand Kannada Koota team for the year: Ajay Ravi (President), Padmini (Pallavi) Somnath (Secretary), Suprith Tumkur (Treasurer), Naveen Kumar (Shaale Lead), Ajay Balraj, Chandan Padmanna, Karthik Subbaraj, Prakash Biradar, Prasad Hegde, Sumathi Vishwanath, Venkat Kurumala (Committee Members).
About Pandit Jayatheerth
Fifty-year-old Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi is a disciple of the late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi a great son of Karnataka. Like the master, he is considered to be a torchbearer of Kirana Gharana.
Born and raised in a musical family in Hubli, Jayateerth’s mother encouraged him to develop a taste for music and initiated him to the Kritis of Purandara Dasa.
He came under the tutelage of Pandit Arjunsa Nakod and Pandit Shripati Paadegar who prepared him to face the world of music with poise and promise. Their guidance, enhanced by the influence of maestro Bhimsen Joshi, set the career of Jayateerth.
His music is marked by impeccable taankari (an expert interpretation of ragas), delivered with effortless ease in the style of Bhimsen Joshi.
Endowed with a melodious voice, Jayateerth has set his own scales of standards in the Hindustani Classical, Santavaani and Daasavani streams.
As well as Hindustani Music, Jayatheerth learnt and mastered nuances of Kannada and Marathi music and became a hit with film producers and directors.
Critics say that his superb handling of ragas, ability to quickly switch between notes, respect for fellow artistes and affable manners have made him one of the most popular singers on the international stage.
“His concerts are mind-blowing, while his albums provide an excellent panacea for frustration. All India Radio and Doordarshan, the state-owned channels, have credited him with an ‘A’ Grade, ranking him among the top performers in India. He is a true model for music enthusiasts and those aspiring to be musicians,” they said.
Awards and Citations
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, during his tenure as President of India, honoured Jayateerth with the title, Young Maestro in Music. He was the first recipient of the Swara Bhaskar Puraskar, an award given in memory of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.
His other honours and citations include Pandit Jasaraj Gaurav Puraskar, Mewati Gharana Sangeet Gaurav Puraskar, Shanmukhananda Sangeet Shiromani Award and Aditya Vikramaditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar (Government of Maharashtra).
The late Lata Mangeshkar reportedly invited Jayateerth to sing for her recording company while music director A R Rahman said, Jayateerth’s voice is electrifying.
Some of the major concerts to his credit are Sawai Gandharva Festival (Pune), Tansen Samaroh (Gwalior), Dover Lane Music Festival (Kolkata), Hari Vallabh Sangeet Sammelan (Jalandhar), Bengal Music Festival (Dhaka) and many more concerts across the globe.
