Abhishek Raghuram Captures the Heart of Music lovers

By Thara Narasimhan

HOUSTON: Abhishek Raghuram captures the heart of Music lovers at the inaugural concert of HYMA USA. The organization of Houston Youth Music association aptly presented a young gifted musician from India with accompaniments of expert Violinist B.U. Ganesh Prasad and Mridangist Neyveli Narayanan. Kruthi Bhat accompanied on the Tampura.

Artists with the HYMA USA organizers.

Artists with the HYMA USA organizers.

HYMA USA is a youth organization of music lovers formed by Board Members Kruthi Bhat, Sanjana Rao, Satya Pappu, Keerthana Bhat, Viji Vishwanathan, Uma Ranganathan, Shobana Srinivasan, Vasuprada Vasudevan and Sribharath Kainkaryam. Vidushi Rajarajeshwary Bhat is the Advisory Board Member of HYMA USA.

Vittal Ramamurthy as the Promoter was present on the occasion and commended the organizers for their enthusiasm and energy to establish this organization formed of the youth, for the youth and by the youth. He congratulated them for making meticulous arrangements and to promote the art of Classical music.

Vocalist Abhishek Raghuram, Violinist B.U. Ganesh Prasad, Mridangist Neyveli Narayanan. Kruthi Bhat  on the Tampura.

Vocalist Abhishek Raghuram, Violinist B.U. Ganesh Prasad, Mridangist Neyveli Narayanan. Kruthi Bhat on the Tampura.

Abhishek Raghuram’s vibrant rendition of Krithis followed one another starting with Varnam “Evvari Bodhana” followed by “Tulasi Dalamulachesi”,  “Makelara Vicharamu” ,  “Maravairi Ramani” in Nasikabhooshani, “Samikku Sari Evvare”, “Kannanai Pani Maname.” The Ragam Tanam Pallavi piece “Radha Sametha Krishna, Brindhavana Govinda Murare” was a masterpiece that the raga Yaman Kalyani in Khanda Jaati Triputa Talam in Tishra nadai was rendered extensively enthralling the audience. He was literally playing around with the variations of the Ragas and intricate kalpana swaras, alapana that was concise and crisp and niraval rendered with so much ease and plethora of precise improvisations. The concluding pieces were Ramachandrudithadu in Dwijavanthi Raga and Rama Rama, a Puradaradasa Krithi.

Abhishek said he was in fact very delighted to be invited to perform for the inaugural concert and said he would continue his unstinted support to the organizers of HYMA USA. As a surprise move he invited Vittal Ramamurthy to join in vocal singing a Purandaradasa bhajan “Vittala Salaho Swami “ in Raga Desh. Houston’s audiences were treated to a refreshing duet by Violinist Vittal Ramamurthy singing along with Abishek Raghuram that concluded the evening concert with Mangalam.

Uma Ranganathan welcomed the gathering, Sribharath Kainkaryam introduced the artists, Kruthi Bhat rendered the Prayer song and Viji Vishwanath as the emcee thanked everyone and Vidhushi RajaRajeswary Bhat honored the artists for an outstanding performance.

Throughout the concert I realized that a young artist was performing on the stage but to me when I closed my eyes it seemed that a veteran artist was performing. Personally as a young child I was raised in the heart of Chennai exposed to Carnatic music rendered by stalwarts like Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Madurai Mani Iyer, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer and Semmagudi Srinivasa Iyer both at Madras Music Academy as well as the Mylapore Fine Arts Club from the early 1950s through 70s. I was re-living those moments when listening to Abhishek Raghuram’s Manodharma sangitham (innovation and improvisation) that was parallel to legendary artistes in the days of yore.