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About the Artists
Dr. S. Sowmya (born 16 April 1969) is a Carnatic music singer. She learnt music initially from her father Dr. Srinivasan, and later from Dr. S. Ramanathan and Smt.T. Muktha. She received the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title by Madras Music Academy in 2019 and the Isai Perarignar by the Tamil Isai Sangam in 2022. She was appointed by the Govt of Tamil Nadu as Vice Chancellor of the Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music & Fine Arts University on April 8, 2022, for a period of three years.
Dr. S. Sowmya, is a musician’s musician – at 50, the second youngest female recipient of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi title evokes the epithets ‘scholarly’, ‘erudite’, ‘cerebral’ etc. among fellow artistes, old or young. Given her long list of award winning academic and musical accomplishments, it is no wonder that many leading musicians, who currently fuel the public’s psyche, flock to her for paradigm shifts in perspective, bouncing off ideas and learning new songs.
She belongs to the longest line of successive Guru-Sishya Sangita Kalanidhi-s – beginning with Tiger Varadachariar in 1932 to TS Sabesa Iyer in 1934 to Dr. S. Ramanathan in 1985 to Sowmya in 2019, perhaps bearing testament to the excellence of pedagogy of this bani. Adding in her long tutelage with Sangita Kala Acharya, T. Mukta, she has covetable, direct lineage with a high quality, diverse repertoire that is tough to replicate.
Her academic achievements include a Ph.D from the University of Madras (2012), an MSc in Chemistry from IIT Madras in 1992 (winning the IIT Blue award for all-round competency in academics and extra-curriculars), 1st rank and Gold Medalist in MA Music from the University of Madras in 1998 and more. She is a true polyglot – besides taking advanced courses in Sanskrit from University of Madras, she is proficient in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi which translates into her singing songs reflecting accurate word-split, meanings and emotion as, perhaps, the vagayekkara’s intended. An indefatigable researcher with an extensive library of her own, she strives to delve deeper into the crevices and crevasses of the field.
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Shri Embar S. Kannan is a violinist in the fields of Carnatic Music and Tamil Film Music. Trained in Carnatic as well as Western Classical methods, he is a Grade 'A top' artist of the All India Radio and is universally acclaimed as a soloist and an accompanist.
Kalaimamani Embar S Kannan hails from an illustrious family of musicians. Living up to the dreams of his father Sangeetha Bhooshanam Sri Embar Sadagopan, Kannan took to the violin at the tender age of 6. He had his initial training in Carnatic music under Sri Subbanna Bhagavatar and Sri Vittal Ramamurthy and in Western classical music under music director, Diwakar master. He then continued his formal training in violin under Sangita Kalanidhi Kum. Kanyakumari.
Kannan is an A - TOP Grade artist with the All India Radio, a recognition given only to top ranking artists. Universally acclaimed as a violinist with extraordinary bowing quality and remarkably sweet playing, his style is marked by clarity, soulfulness and energy. Subbudu, the doyen amongst critics recognized Kannan as a prized jewel of Carnatic music as early as 1991. He remarked that Kannan’s music has the grace and ease of a Russian Ballerina.
As an accompanist, Kannan is acknowledged as a violinist par excellence. Kannan’s uncanny flair has made him one of the most sought-after accompanists and he enthrals audiences, the world over with his music. He has accompanied almost all the leading artists and stalwarts in the carnatic music world. He has lent a supporting hand in innumerable number of concerts across the globe. Kannan is adventurous and has explored other genres of music too. He has also collaborated with Hindustani, Sufi and Western classical musicians. His adventures include the Full Bench concert an instrumental ensemble.
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Hailing from a family of music connoisseurs at Neyveli, Shri Narayanan was initiated into the art of Mrudangam playing at the young age of seven, under the guidance of Sri S.K. Ganesa Pillai. He made his debut at the age of 11 and ever since, he has been rising in his art by furthering his horizons and making a mark in the field of carnatic music. An intensive training under the Maestro Late Thanjavur Sri Upendran brought about a great amount of professionalism in Narayanan's playing. His guru taught him the intricacies and specialities of the Tanjore Style of playing on the mrudangam.
Narayanan is now blessed with the rare opportunity of being one of the favourite disciples of the Mrudangam Legend Padmabushan Umayalpuram Sri K.Sivaraman. This great influence has brought in a great amount of clarity, precision and perfection in Narayanan's style.
Narayanan is a post graduate in rhythmology from Madras University. He has accompanied almost all the veterans and present day stars of carnatic music, to name a few, M/S. Madurai T.N Seshagopalan, T.V. Sankaranarayanan, K.V. Narayanaswamy, T.R. Subramanyam, O.S. Thyagarajan, T.N. Krishnan, Mandolin Srinivas, FluteRamani, Chitravina Ravikiran, Sudha Ragunathan, Sowmya, Aruna Sairam, Hyderabad Brothers, Malladi Brothers, M.S. Gopalakrishnan, E.Gayatri, BombayJayasri, and others. He had the privilege of sharing the stage with the Grammy Award winner, Tabla Wizard Maestro Zahir Hussian recently with Violin Vidwans Sri Ganesh Kumaresh. He has cut several commercial records, released by recording institutions like Charsur, Rajalakshmi Audio, Music India, HMV, etc.
Narayanan has performed in all the leading sabhas in India. He has also won acclaim in other countries like USA, Canada, Australia, Newzeland, UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, Abudhabi, Singapore, Malaysia and Hongkong. He has also participated in many National and international festivals like the Festival of Asia in Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, National Arts council in Singapore etc.
As an 'A-TOP' grade artist, Narayanan has been featured regularly by the All India Radio and TV networks, which also included prestigious broadcasts like Southzone Hook-up, Sangeetha Sammelan and National Programme of music.