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MADRAS MUSIC MELA 2001
     

A QUICK CHAT WITH VEllore ramabhadran

      

Vellore Ramabhadran, the veteran Mridangam vidwan needs no introduction to Carnatic music lovers. A disciple of his father, Vellore Gopalachariar, who was considered a great Konnakkol vidwan. Ramabhadran has been one of the top-notch mridangists who has accompanied three generations of leading musicians over the last 5-6 decades and has won the appreciation of vidwans and rasikas alike. He is known for his soothing strokes on the mridangam, not to mention the seemingly endless stream of sarvalaghu patterns. The hallmark of his accompanying style is that his mridangam blends so completely with the main artiste that the melody and rhythm are in perfect sychrony. The Sangeeta Kala Nipuna title which will be awarded to him in December, will be just another feather in his cap.

     
Guru(s) My father Vellore Gopalachariar, from whom I learnt Mridangam and Konnakkol.
    
Favorite vocalist(s) from the past Madurai Mani Iyer
    
Favorite instrumentalist(s) from the past Dwaram Venkatasami Naidu
    
Favorite vocalist(s) of the present day Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
    
Favorite instrumentalist(s) of the present day Lalgudi Jayaraman
     
Favorite composer(s)

Mumoortigal (Music trinity). Composers after them have somehow or the other followed them, and any composition is a later derivation of theirs.
     
Favorite raga(s) Kharaharapriya, Kambhoji, Bhairavi and Kalyani.
     
Favorite venue(s) Krishna Gana Sabha and Narada Gana Sabha
     
Favorite hobbies

Singing. Initially I gave equal importance to both vocal and mridangam. But when I  wanted to concentrate on one, I chose mridangam and singing has now become my hobby.         
      
    

Coming up next: Interview with U Srinivas who is to receive the Sangeeta Kala Nipuna from Mylapore Fine Arts Club.

    

Posted on November 5th 2001

    

Madras Music Mela 2001
    

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