The Musicians in Nadasourabha

DIRECTOR: Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma (SHIVU)

Anantha Krishna Sharma (popularly known as Shivu) is the son of the well known violinist Late Sri. Anoor S. Ramakrishna. He is considered as one of the most eminent percussionists in India. Shivu has performed in all the leading sabhas in India, USA, Australia and Europe. Besides being a Mridangam artist, he can also play other percussion instruments like Tabla, Thavil, western drums etc., with the same dexterity. His compositions have been regarded as highly imaginative and they include an amazing complexity and intricacy of rhythm blended in the musical notes.

M. S. SHEELA – Vocal

M. S. Sheela is a Top Rank artist of AIR and Doordarshan in both Carnatic Classical and Light music. A disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi R K Srikantan, Sheela is a postgraduate and Gold Medalist in Music from Bangalore University. Sheela has been giving concerts all over India and also in Radio Sangeeth Sammelan and National Programs. She has given many performances in USA, Canada, Middle East, Australia and London. In 1997, the Madras Music Academy adjudged Sheela as an "Outstanding Senior Female Vocalist."

Bangalore M. Kodandaram – Nagaswaram

M. Kodandaram hails from a family of Musicians. He has been a concert artist of repute for the past 25 years. He is a “Top Rank” artist of All India Radio. He has performed at the Annual Radio Sangeet Sammelans and also the AIR National Program of Music. He has performed extensively in prestigious Music organizations in India, Malaysia, and Singapore and also in Radio and TV stations. He is the Asthana Vidwan of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetam.

CHARULATHA RAMANUJAM – Violin

Charulatha Ramanujam is one of the well-known and sought after younger violinists in Carnatic Music. She is a disciple of the Late Sri. Anoor S. Ramakrishna. She has accompanied many of the leading Carnatic musicians in the leading Sabhas all over India. She is an “A” grade artist regularly featured on the TV and Radio stations in India.

Anoor Dattatreya Sharma – Mridangam

Anoor R. Dattatreya Sharma, a mridangam exponent, hails from a family of musicians, his father being the well-known violinist Late Anoor. S. Ramakrishna. He has accompanied many leading Top Ranking artists in the Carnatic Music field. Anoor Dattatreya Sharma is currently the Principal of the leading Music School in Bangalore, Ayyanar College of Music, which has trained an innumerable number of students over the past 50 years.

THIRUGNANA SHANMUGAM – thavil

Shanmugam started accompanying on Thavil right from the age of 12. He has been accompanying on Thavil in Nadaswaram concerts for more than 25 years. Shanmugam has accompanied almost all the Top ranking artists in Nadaswaram. He has toured all over Malaysia on concert assignments. He served as Asthana Vidwan in Thavil at the Eeshwara Temple in Kuala Lampur from 1996 to 1998. He is regularly featured over AIR and TV stations in India.

B. S. ARUN KUMAR – Morsing/Rhythm Pads/Western Drums

B.S. Arun Kumar was trained under his father, Sri B.S. Sukumar, and later from Sri. S.V.Giridhar, and is presently taking advanced training from Sri. Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma. Arun plays on western drums, morsing and Indian folk percussion instruments and has rendered support to Carnatic classical, Talavadya, Light Music and dance performances. He has given performances all over India, Hong Kong, and Europe.

SRINATH BALA - Pakkhawaz

Srinath Bala had initial training from Sri. R. Ramesh, of AIR Madras. He received advanced guidance under Sangeetha Kalanidhi Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. He has performed all over India, Canada and the US. He has lead and participated in numerous Talavadya concerts (on Mridangam, and other percussion instruments), Jugalbandhis, and Jazz concerts.

SUDHINDRA RAO - Kanjira

Sudhindra Rao had his initial training in mridangam from Vidwan M. Vasudeva Rao. He has accompanied many leading artists on mridangam and kanjira. Sudhindra is a software engineer by profession, and he currently lives in Raleigh, NC and works for IBM.

RADHIKA CHAR – Violin

Radhika Char has been learning vocal music from her mother, Smt. Usha Char, from the age of 5. She initiated her training in violin from the Late Prof. Anoor S. Ramakrishna. She pursued her studies in violin in USA from Dr. N. Shashidhar. She has been giving concerts in violin, both solo and accompaniment, in India and USA. She is studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Gautam Sudhakar – Mridangam

Gautam Sudhakar, a junior at Georgetown University, has been trained in music right from his childhood from Usha Char and he continues his training from her. He learnt Mridangam from Kannan Krishnaswamy and later from Anoor Dattatreya Sharma of Bangalore. Gautam is also a budding ghatam artist in the Washington DC area. In 2005, he received a commendation from the governor of Maryland's office. He has given concerts all over the US and in India and at prestigious instituions like the Smithsonian in Washington DC and the Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Bangalore. Gautam presented his excellent talent in Mridangam at his debut performance held at Virginia Community College auditorium on September 12, 2004.

NADATARANGINI ENSEMBLE

Apoorva Ananth

Bharath Krishnamurthy

Deepthi Raghunandan

Jaishri Shankar

Latha Kannan

Madhavi Manyam

Madhulika Nataraja

Nalini Umashankar

Nithya Sharma

Priya Shyam

Radhika Narayan

Raju Krishnamurthy

Ranjini Atur

Shailaja Rau

Sharanya Sharma

Sindhoora Murthy

Sruthiranjini Nataraja

Suma Muralidhar

Vani Krishnamurthy