Venkat Raman
In August 2010, in an interview published in The Hindu, she said that every (music) concert was a test and “as we prepare thoroughly for an exam, I too work hard before any concert.”
A month before that interview, we had extolled Gayathri Venkataraghavan and expressed our appreciation to Rasikas New Zealand and Sangeetha Bharathi Music School for organising her concert (Indian Newslink, July 15, 2010).
Five years on, we welcome the repeat of history and applaud the two organisations for bringing the class singer to Auckland.
Concert coming
Gayathri Venkataraghavan will present yet another evening of soul-filling Carnatic Music on Saturday, April 25, 2015 from 530 pm at Raye Freedman Arts Centre of Epsom Girls Grammar School located on Silver Road in Epsom.
Charumathi Raghuraman and B Ganapathyraman will provide support on the Violin and Mridangam respectively.
Wide repertoire
An outstanding musician with a large fan following the world over, Gayathri is respected for her wide repertoire and ability to execute an inexhaustible array of songs in impeccable ragas and talas. She has a record of successful performance at almost every major centre across the Continents, with even critics acknowledging her as “a singer who diligently tries to touch the core of a raga to a self-assigned standard.”
Beginning her training under the tutelage of Rajalakshmi and Padma Veeraraghavan, Gayathri has the advantage of being groomed in various Kritis by famous musicians including Rukmini Ramani (daughter of Papanasam Sivan), V Subramaniam (Violinist) and Lakshmi Natarajan (Vocalist). She received advanced training under the late A Sundaresan and is currently guided by PS Narayanaswamy.
Contests Winner
As well as evincing interest in music, Gayathri demonstrated her proficiency during her formative years winning several prizes at Inter-School and Inter-College Competitions and at competitions conducted by the Madras Music Academy, Indian Fine Arts Society, Mylapore Fine Arts and Saraswathi Vageeyakara Trust.
Her regular performances include All India Radio (at which she is accredited as ‘A’ Grade artiste), Doordarshan and other television channels. She anchored ‘Engum Nirai Nada Bhrahmam,’ a documentary paying tribute to the late M S Subbulakshmi.
Prestigious Awards
| What: Gayathri Venkataraghavan in Concert
Who: Rasikas NZ & Sangeetha Bharathi Music School Where: Raye Friedman Arts Centre Epsom Girls Grammar School Silver Road, Epsom. Auckland When: Saturday, April 25 at 530 pm Tickets: $30 (R), $30 (A), $15 (C & S) Contact: Padma Govardhan on (09) 6245922 Priya Srinivasan on 09 (4160165) |
She has won a number of prestigious trophies including the ‘Kalki Krishnamoorthy Award,’ the ‘Simana Award’ of the Carnatic Music Association of North America, Dr ‘MLV Endowment’ by Narada Gana Sabha Chennai, ‘Shanmuka Sangita Shironmani’ by Shanmukhananda Fine Arts Mumbai and Sangeetha Sabha and ‘Isai Peroli’ by the Karthik Fine Arts, Chennai.
Photo : Gayathri Venkataraghavan (Centre) with B Ganapathyraman (left) and Charumathi Raghuraman (right)
