Carleton College is pleased to present a rare concert appearance by world-renowned Carnatic veena virtuoso Nirmala Rajasekar on Friday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall. “Nirmala Rajasekar & Friends: An Evening of South Indian Music” will featured Rajasekar on the veena, along with acclaimed musicians VVS Muraru on violin, Thanjavur Sri Murugaboopathi on mridangam, and Ravi Balasubramaniam on ghatam. This evening of South Indian Classical (Carnatic) music is free and open to the public.
Rajasekar is a South Indian Saraswati veena (a plucked stringed instrument originating in ancient India) player and vocalist in the Carnatic music style, renowned as a performer and as a teacher. She has performed to much acclaim around the world and is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Bush Fellowship, a McKnight Fellowship, the Rotary Vocational Excellence Award, and named Best Senior Veena Artiste. Described by the press as a “Carnatic Ambassador,” Rajasekar is credited for her unique musical collaborations and for introducing Carnatic music to many other art forms of the world.
Joining Rajasekar on the Veena Concert Tour are:
- VS Murari on violin—A fourth generation musician who was a child prodigy performing as a soloist by age 10. His grandfather, Vadakkencheri Sri. Veeraraghava Iyer was a noted teacher and musician, as was his father, violin maestro Sri V V Subrahmanyam. Murari is renowned as a dynamic and a contemporary violinist of the immortal art form, South Indian classical music (carnatic music), with an uncompromising adherence to perfection, traditionalism and discipline.
- Sri K Murugaboopathi on mridangam (a barrel-shaped, double-headed drum used in southern Indian music)—Considered one of the topmost mridangam players today. His technique and creative ability in accompaniment, solo renditions, and jugalbandhi programs with his North Indian brethren have earned him critical acclaim around the world. His percussion career has been a colorful spectrum of accompaniment to a legion of leading artistes and virtuosos in Carnatic vocal and instrumental music. He has been instrumental in providing support direction and guidance towards incubating several arts organizations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Australia.
- Ravi Balasubramanian on ghatam (a percussive instrument)—The most sought-after Ghatam artist in North America and known for his energetic and sensitive accompaniment and solos. With over five hundred concerts, Ravi has extensive experience in Carnatic percussion, including performing the Ghatam at top musical institutions such as the Chennai Music Academy and the Cleveland Aradhana for nearly twenty years. He received the title Yuva Kala Bharathi in 2003 from Bharat Kalachar, a music organization in Chennai, for excellence and dedication in the art of Ghatam. Ravi has had the rare honor and experience of performing with leading artistes including San-githa Kalanidhi vocalists, violinists, flautists, and mridangists in India, USA, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia.
This event is sponsored by the Carleton College Department of Music, with support from the Laudie D. Porter Memorial Fund, supporting campus activities devoted to performance and discussion by distinguished performing or creative artists, especially women practitioners in the arts. For more information, including disability accommodations, call (507) 222-4475. The Great Hall is located off College Street on the Carleton campus.
