Supriya presents Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

The chess square was all decorated with flowers by 6am. 12 year old P Supriya was all excited to be presenting her first Mikeless Kutcheri. She reached the Nageswara Rao Park by 630am followed shortly by Violinist Parur Ananthalakshmi and Mridangist Ajeet Sridhar.

Supriya began sharp at 7am. For the next hour, she kept the audience rooted to their seat with a riveting performance with a presentation of songs that included Marukelara (Jayanthi Sri / Adi), Mamavathu Sri (Hindholam/Adi), Kanchathalaya (Kamala Manohari/Adi) and Deva Deva Kalayamithe ( Maya Malava Gowla/Rupakam). Morning Walkers at the park stopped by moved by her brilliant rendition. By 730am, all the stools were occupied. Music Connoisseurs gathered on the pathway too to encourage and appreciate the young talent. As an acknowledgement of her early morning Kutcheri, V Harikrishnan, Head- Karnataka, Sundaram Finance presented certificates and mementos to Supriya and the accompanists.

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. 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

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

Dhanush presents Sunday Kutcheri in the Park

As part of the monthly open-air Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, 11year old Dhanush Anantharaman, a class 7 Student of Vidya Mandir Sr Sec School, Mylapore presented a lively mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday (3 Aug) morning at 7am at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. Dhanush is learning music from Smt. Amritha Murali & Smt. Vijayalakshmi Sivakumar. Accompanied on the Mridangam by R Kishore and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik, Dhanush presented compositions that included Dikshithar’s Sri Lakshmi Varaham (Abhogi/Adi) and Sadachale (Bowli/Adi), Thyagarajar’s Nada Sudha Rasam (Arabhi/Rupakam) and Muthu Thandavar’s Arumarundoru (Kambhoji/Rupakam). For audition enquiries, email: sundaramfinance@sundaykutcheri.in

Rohith Rangan presents Sunday Kutcheri

It was a cloudy Sunday morning. There was a drizzle around at 630am. 14 year old Rohith K. Rangan, a Class 9student of DAV Public School, Velachery had an anxious wait as the organisers went about setting up the stage at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore. Thankfully, the rain stayed away and weather cleared as the clock ticked towards 7am and Rohith began his one hour kutcheri on time.

Morning walkers who seemed to stay away from the early morning routine too increased in numbers with the Sun coming out. As usual, the regulars sat on the stools to encourage the budding artiste. A Kid who had been selected for a future kutcheri was present too with her parents to get a sense of the Kutcheri environment. Accompanied on the Mridangam by M. Prabhakaran and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik, Rohith presented compositions that included Thyagaraja’s Paramathmudu Velige (Vagadeeshwari/ Aadhi), Papanasam Sivan’s Srinivasa Thiruvenkata ( Hamsanandi/Aadhi) and Mooladhara Murthy (Hamsadwani/Aadhi) and Bharathiyar’s Senthamizh Nadu (Mohana Kalyani/ Aadhi0 Rohith is learning music from Guru Smt. Vasanthi Gopal. G Sundararajan, CFO, Sundaram Home Finance was present on the occasion and handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes.

Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition, email: SundayKutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Purnima presents Park Kutcheri

Purnima, a class 9 student of DAV Public School, Velachery presented a lively mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday (June 1) morning as part of the monthly Open-Air Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance at the chess square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Purnima is learning music at Haridos Giri School of Music. Her Gurus include PS Narayana Swamy, RS Jayalakshmi and CR Vaidyanadhan. She was accompanied on the Mridangam by B. Venkatraman and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik. Starting with Namintha Yayunchi (Jana Ranjani/Adi), Purnima went on to present compositions that included Papanasam Sivan’s Gajavathana (Shri Rajani/ Adi), Pattanam Dikshithar’s Maravakavea (Sama/Rupakam) and Muthuswami Dikshithar’s Kamakshi (Bilahari/Adi).

C Muralidharan, GM- Operations, Sundaram Finance was present on the occasion and handed over certificates and mementos to the artistes. For audition: email sundaykutcheri@sundaramfinance.in

Ajay presents Sunday Kutcheri

14year old Ajay Parameshwaran, a class 9 student of Vidya Mandir, presented a lively Mikeless Kutcheri this Sunday morning (6 April) at the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Ajay, who is learning music from Guru Smt. Jayasree Jayaraaj, was accompanied on the Mridangam by R. Kishore and on the Violin by Parur Ananthalakshmi. Ajay’s compositions included Mahaganapthim (Naattai), Swaminathena (Brindavana Saranga), Mani Uoopura Dhari ( Neelambari)and Jaalandhara (Valajji). The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park is to promote young musical talent aged below 15years and to provide them with a launch pad. The focus has been on developing this as a platform for young ‘unsung’ children and to help them shed their inhibitions and give them the confidence to move up to the next level. Started in February 2006, over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park in the last eight years. Mikes and Speakers are not used in the Sunday Kutcheri as the belief has been that it would bring out the best in the children if they performed without the help of mikes and speakers. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Meenakshi presents Sunday Kutcheri

As part of the monthly Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance, 14year old Meenakshi Viswanathan, a class X student of Sir Sivaswami Kalalaya Senior Secondary School, present a lively Kutcheri sans mikes and speakers this Sunday (2 March) morning at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore.

Meenakshi, who is learning music from Guru Smt. Saraswathi Thyagarajan, was accompanied on the Mridangam by K. Sai Prasad and on the Violin by Thirucherai Karthik. Meenakshi’s compositions included Mahaganapthim (Naatai), Manasa Etulo (Malayamarutham), Ananda Natana Prakasham (Kedaram), Kathaya Kathaya (Kalyani), Enna Solli Azhaithal (Kannada) and Vagaladi (Javali). Hari Krishnan, Head- Karnataka, Sundaram Finance presented certificates and mementos to the artistes. The idea behind the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised by Sundaram Finance is to promote young musical talent aged below 15years and provide them with a launch pad. Over 850 children have presented Kutcheri in the Park over the last 8years. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email, sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Sunday Kutcheri completes 8years

Over 850 Children aged below 15years have presented Mikeless Kutcheri Preethi Sethuraman begins 9th Year with a lively performance at the Nageswara Rao Park

Sunday Kutcheri in the Park, sans mikes and speakers, organised by Sundaram Finance at the Nageswara Rao Park has completed 8years with over 850children all aged below 15years having presented morning kutcheris. To begin the 9th year of the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park organised on the first Sunday of every month between 7am and 8am, 14year old Preethi Sethuraman, a class nine student of Jawahar Vidyalaya, impressed the audience with a lively vocal carnatic music performance on Sunday (2 Feb) morning. Preethi, who is learning music from Guru Smt. Vasantha Shankararaman, was accompanied on the Mridangam by R. Kishore and on the Violin by Parur Ananthalakshmi. Preethi’s compositions included Sri Valli Devasenapathe ( Nata Bhairavi/ Adi), Ganamoorthy (Ganamoorthy/Adi), Thaye Thripurasundari ( Sudha Saveri/ Kanda Chapu) and Om Namo Narayana (Karnaranjani/Kanda Chapu). On the completion of 8years of the Mikeless Format of the kutcheri, TT Srinivasaraghavan, MD, Sundaram Finance said, “We did not want to disturb the peace of the morning walkers with loud music and have consciously stayed away from mikes and speakers. Also being an open-air kutcheri, we believed that, amidst falling leaves and curious birds chirping around the park, we would be able to bring out the best in the children if they performed without the help of mikes and speakers. And hence, we have stuck to the format of the Mikeless Kutcheri.” “This is a platform to help young children, aged below 15years, shed their inhibitions and give them the confidence to move up to the next level. To us, the first Sunday of every month is their ‘Day’. The young children are the ‘stars’ of the show. Hence, we are clearly focussed on developing this as a platform for young ‘unsung’ children.’ A few years ago, Sundaram Finance expanded Kutcheri in the Park to have a Navarathri Kutcheri in the Park series. Sundaram Finance conducts audition to select the artistes. To register for the audition: email sundaykutcheri@gmail.com