The Hindu's feature on Nageswara Rao Park

The Hindu- Downtown featured a front page story on the Nageswara Rao Park and the events organised there including the Kutcheri in the Park.

Navarathri Special Kutcheri in the Park 2014

For the sixth year running, Sundaram Finance organised a ‘Navarathri Special’ Kutcheri in the Park last week at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore providing an opportunity for children aged below 15years to showcase their talent.On day one, two class nine students, S. Sashank & K. Aswath Vinayak, presented a mikeless vocal carnatic music performance on Friday morning watched by noted Hindustani Classical Vocalist Sriram Parasuram.

Accompanied on the Violin by Sesha Sayi and on the Mridangam by B. Sathya Vageeswaran, the duo presented popular compositions that included Muthuswamy Dikshidar’s Mahaganapathim (Gambeera Nattai- Eka Thalam) and Sri Saraswathi (Roopakam-Arabhi), Thyagarajar’s Rama Bhakthi (Suddha Bhangala – Adi) and Bandureethi ( Hamsanadam-Adi), Oothukadu Venkata Subbiayyar’s Mangala Thunga (Ragamalika- Adi) and Aruna Girinathar’s Eru Mayil (Kanda Chapu – Brindavai).

The young artistes were in for a big surprise at the end of the Kutcheri, when Sriram Parasuram came up to the chess square to present certificates and mementos to them in appreciation of their performance. On Saturday morning, Sisters Madhukshara Dwarakanath (aged 13) & Grisha Dwarakanath (aged 10), students of GRT Mahalakshmi Vidhyalaya, Ashok Nagar presented a lively carnatic music performance. The sisters are learning music from Guru Mrs. Vasantha Sankararaman. Accompanied on the Violin by R. Swathishri (Guru VV Srinivasa Rao) and on the Mridangam by R Pranav (Guru Thiruvaiyaru V. Gurumoorthy), the sisters presented compositions that included, Papanasam Sivan’s Saravanabhava Guhane ( Kaanada), Dayananda Saraswathi’s Bhoo Sambo Shiva Sambo ( Revathi), GNB’s Varavallabha Ramana (Hamsadvani) and Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyyar’s Kalyana Rama (Hamsanadham).

To audition for the monthly Sunday kutcheri in the Park, email: sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Preeti presents Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

On a cloudy morning following the heavy overnight rain, 14year old Preeti Thiyagarajan, a class X Student of Modern Sr Sec School, Nanganallur presented a lively mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday (7 Sept) morning for an hour from 7am at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. Preeti is learning music from Vidwan Srimathi Anasuya Krishnamoorthy. Accompanied on the Mridangam by Raguram and on the Violin by Kalaimamani Thiruvarur N Balam and appreciated all the way through by morning walkers and music connoisseurs, Preeti presented compositions that included Vallaba Nayakasya (Begada/Rupakam), Bala Kanna Kamaya (Attana/Adi), Vasudevayani (Kalyani/Adi) and Pakkala Nila Padi (Karagarapriya/ Misrachapu). V Kumaraswamy, GM- Sundaram Finance presented certificates and mementos to the artistes.

The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park is to promote young musical talent aged below 15 years and to provide a launch pad for them. The focus has been on developing this as a platform for young ‘unsung’ children. No mikes and speakers are used at the Kutcheri. Over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park since the launch in February 2006. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in