Following a year of momentous celebrations for its platinum jubilee, the Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi is heralding a fresh era with its 76th Ramanavami music festival, showcasing a vibrant lineup of youthful talents. From April 17 to May 10, an array of rising stars in classical music will take to the stage in an event dubbed the Yuva Sangeethothsava, at the outdoors venue of Seshadripuram College.
Over the course of nearly a month, more than two dozen spirited performances are anticipated to enchant the audience. The committee, steering in a new direction, has opted to spotlight fresh musical prodigies, deviating from the tradition of senior and junior concerts typically featured. Sri Ramakrishnan, secretary of the Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi, expresses the organization’s intent to embrace and exhibit the substantial prowess of these young artists, whose immense capabilities merit the limelight.
Tracing back to the genesis of the Samithi, the late V Tarakaram, a revered advocate and former secretary for close to a decade and a half until 2018, penned the history of the organization. He recounted the tale of CD Gopala Iyengar, along with other public-spirited citizens who, despite the pre-existing Ramaseva Mandali in south Bengaluru founded by SVN Rao in the 1930s, recognized the need for a North-West Bengaluru counterpart. This realization led to the foundation of the Seshadripuram Ramaseva Samithi. Iyengar, aided by notable figures such as G Narasimhamurthy, Narasinga Rao Mane, Sripadachar, and V Krishnamurthi, canvassed the community for contributions to establish the Samithi.
The festival has welcomed a succession of classical music luminaries since 1948, thriving on support from benefactors. Among the eminent personalities associated with the Samithi was Justice E S Venkataramaiah, a former Chief Justice of India.
This year’s opening performance features a nadaswara recital by Mylai Karthikeyan, setting the tone for an event that promises a blend of passionate individual artists and those bearing the torch of their family’s musical legacy. The ensemble includes inheritors of classical fame such as Ramani Shankar and Omkarnath Havaldar, along with other accomplished progeny and spouses of renowned musicians like Sumanth, Malavi Manjunath, Kruthi Vittal, and Lavanya Krishnamurthy, all poised to enthrall the audience with their artistry.
Ramani Shankar, poised to perform on April 19, shares insights into the profound influence of his father, Bangalore S Shankar—a disciplined performer and esteemed mentor whose values have indelibly shaped Ramani’s approach to music. For Ramani, the musical journey has been an immersive learning experience, fine-tuning aspects from presentation to concert delivery. His father, a recent recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and acclaimed author of five books on music, embodies his most profound source of inspiration, setting no strictures but fostering an environment rich in musical exchange.
A part of a music-imbued family lineage, Ramani, an A-grade Akashavani artiste, and his kin have dedicated themselves to the pursuit and teaching of classical music, a testament to their profound commitment and affection for the art form.
The rich tapestry of performances at the Ramanavami Music Fest is intricately woven with sessions ranging from discourses to unique storytelling and musical presentations, indicative of the Samithi’s historical dedication to the arts. The event stands as a testament to the harmony between tradition and innovation, as a new brigade of performers ascends to enrich and propel the musical narrative forward into the future.
In conclusion, the Ramanavami Music Fest seeks to celebrate not just the art of music but the continuous evolution of cultural expression, delivered through the vivacious talents of the youth. With free entry, the festival’s details are available for those eager to witness this confluence of melody and heritage at the Seshadripuram College premises. For more information, one can visit ssrss.org, and immerse themselves in this enthralling musical journey.
