Fine Performance by Anupama at Sunday Kutcheri

It was a surprisingly rather cloudy morning in Madras. 13 year old Class VIII student of DAV, Anupama from IV Cross Street RA Puram had arrived at 6am ahead of her maiden Mikeless Kutcheri.The regulars at the Sunday Kutcheri were seated on the Chess Stools by 630am.

Not showing any sign of nervousness, Anupama began the kutcheri with Valachivalachi
(Navaragamalika).It was pleasing to listen to the cool and composed teenager render so beautifully some of the popular compositions.

Accompanied on the Violin by J. R. Shraddha and on the Mridangam by Sumesh S Narayanan, Anupama displayed maturity far beyond her age. Her confident performance was much appreciated by the music connoisseurs and early morning park walkers.

Compositions Anupama presented included Thyagarajar’s Sriganapathini (Saurashtram- Aadhi), Deeskhitar’s Sri Parthasarathy (Suddha Dhanyasi- Rupakam), Papanasa Sivam’s Singaravelan (Ananda Bairavi- Aadhi) and Narayanatheerthar’s Reremanasa (Kapi-Aadhi).

TT Srinivasaraghavan, Managing Director, Sundaram Finance Ltd., presented certificates and mementos to the performing artistes.


Organised, since February 2006, on the first Sunday of every month between 630am and 730am, Sundaram Finance Sunday Kutcheri in the Park provides a platform for children aged below 15 years to display their musical talent.

Sundaram Finance audition committee conducts an audition to select the artistes to perform at the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park.

For audition, email sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Bangalore Student presents Mikeless Concert

On the final morning of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival 2010 (24th January), 10year old Shreya Shankar, a 5th class student of Sri Kumaran Children’s Home made a train trip from Bangalore for her maiden mikeless concert.

She was accompanied by brothers - D. Swaminathan(on the violin) and D. Sivaraman (on the Mridangam).

Shreya’s presentation of songs included Sri Rama Padama ( Amruta Vahini- Aadhi), Himadrisuthey ( Kalyani-Roopakam), Devarnama ( Sindhu Bairavi- Aadhi) and Kanukantini (Bilahari- Aadhi).

Shreya has been learning music from Smt. Shubha Pradha for the last 7 years.

It was the first time a non Chennai artiste (within India) has performed at the Concert in the Park. In the past, a couple of children from Dubai and US have presented the mikeless Kutcheri.

The idea of these mikeless concerts organised by Sundaram Finance is to provide a platform for young children aged below 15 years to perform in front of an informal Park audience and gain confidence.

For audition, email sundaykutcheri@gmail.com

Ashwini presents Concert in the Park

On a chilly Saturday morning ( 23rd January) and the 3rd day of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival, Vidya Mandir student R. Ashwini presented a concert accompanied on the Violin by R. Amirthraj and on the Mridangam by B. Venkatramanan.

Ashwini’s current Guru is Smt. Champa Kumar.

PSBB students present Mikeless Concerts

Students from Nungambakkam Branch

Over the weekend, as part of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival 2010, over a dozen students from PSBB presented Group concerts for an hour in front of a packed audience.

On Saturday evening, it was the students from Nungambakkam, while on Sunday at 6pm it was the students from Tirumalai Pillai Road branch of Padma Seshadri.



TP Road Students

Sankara Vidyashram students present Group Concert

On Friday(22nd January) evening, under the lights at the Chess square of the Nageswara Rao Park in Mylapore, 16 students from Sri Sankara Vidyashram, Tiruvanmiyur presented devotional songs in Tamil and Marathi, Bhajans in Sanskrit and the Thevaram and Thiruvenpaavai.

These students were brought together as a Group by their music teacher Mrs. Sumathi.

Nivedita presents concert in the Park

On Friday(22nd January), the 2nd morning of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival, 14 year old Nivedita Ravi, a class ten student of Sri Sankara Senior sec. School, Adyar presented the mikeless concert in the Park. Nivedita was accompanied on the Violin by Shraddha J and on the Mridangam by Mannargudi V. Shreyas.

Nivedita's presentation included Dikshitar's Parvathi Kumaram(Natakurinji-Rupakam), Thyagarajar's Banturithi (Hamsanadham-Aadhi), Papanasam Sivam's Paadame Thunai (Valaji-Aadhi) and Thanjavur Sankar Iyer's Mahadeva Sivasambho (Revathi- Aadhi).

Nivedita is currently learning music from Smt Vijayalakshmi Subramanium.

Vishwa Vidyalaya Students at Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival

Four Years after they launched the Sunday Kutcheri in the Park (in February 2006) with a group performance, the students of Vishwa Vidyalaya Mat. Higher Secondary School, Vandalur, under the able guidance of their Vice Principal Ms. Vasumathi, took one’s memories back to the launch days as they enthralled the audience with a dedicated presentation of 15 devotional songs in Tamil and Hindi under the lights at the Chess Square of the Nageswara Rao Park watched by a big crowd on the first evening of the Sundaram Finance Mylapore Festival 2010.