Music lovers can experience the power of different wind instruments as two maestros give vent to their exceptional talent in Auckland next fortnight.
Kadri Gopalnath and Ronu Majumdar, renowned for their innate talent on saxophone and flute will present a Jugalbandi at the Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammar School on May 19, 2012 at 630 pm.
Tickets for the show, called, ‘Sur Sangam,’ organised jointly by Sargam School of Music, Sangeetha Bharathi and Rasikas NZ are on sale at a number of Indian retail shops.
Saxophone Emperor
Born in Mangalore in 1950, Kadri Gopalnath acquired a taste for music from his father Thaniappa, a Nadaswaram maestro.
According to a source, as a child, he once heard a saxophone being played as a part of a music group and decided to master the instrument. It took him nearly 20 years to achieve his objective and was crowned ‘Saxophone Chakravarthy’ (Saxophone Emperor).
“Gopalnath had to make certain modifications to the conventional alto saxophone to play Carnatic music. So successful has this adaptation been that the late Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, a master in Carnatic music, acknowledged Gopalnath as a true ‘Carnatic Music Genius.’
His maiden performance at the Bombay Jazz Festival 1980 was a turning point in his musical career. John Handy, a jazz musician from California, who was present at the festival, asked if he could go on stage and perform alongside with him.
The success of the show brought him international fame.
He is a recipient of several awards and citations.
Superb Flutist
Pandit Majumdar is a force to reckon with in the realm of Indian classical music as both a thinking musician and scintillating performer.
Beginning his musical career under the guidance of his father Dr Bhanu Majumdar, he has had the good fortune of being groomed by famed artistes and teachers such as Pandit Lakshman Prasad Jaipurwale, Pandit Vijay Raghav Rao and Pandit Ravi Shankar.
A powerhouse performer, Pandit Majumdar is firmly rooted in the ‘Maihar Gharana,’ which has shaped musical oaks like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Pandit Majumdar is an innovator and an artiste capable of blending with the contemporary style. He has composed and performed for Primary Colours (a Hollywood movie) and collaborated with several celebrated artistes.
His previous performance in Auckland (March 6, 2010) was a unique experience.
What: Kadri Gopalnath, Ronu Majumdar duet By Who: Sangeetha Bharathi, Rasikas NZ and Sargam School of Music Where: Dorothy Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls Grammar School Howe Street, Newton, Auckland When: Saturday, May 19, 2012 at 630 pm Tickets: $30, $45, $60 at Yogiji’s Food Mart, Carr Road, Mt Roskill Contact: Basant Madhur on (09) 6262646 or 021-0357954 Govardhan Mallela on (09) 6245922 or 021-1455708 Priya Srinivasan on (09) 4160165 or 021-613155 |