40th Annual Festival Review

The Hindu - 25th Nov, 2009, Visakhapatnam

Get set for some pure music

VMA's annual festival to begin at Kalabharathi Auditorium on Nov,27 -
Staff Reporter

Visakha Music Academy's 40th annual music and dance festival begins at Kalabharathi auditorium on Nov 27, 2009

This year's programmes feature prominent artistes Sudha Raghunadhan (Vocal); Bonala Sankaraprakash and Purbayan Chatterjee (Carnatic-Hindustani Jugalbandi); Mandolin Srinivas (Mandolin); Malladi Brothers (Vocal); Dwaram Durga Prasada Rao (Violin); Madurai T.N.Seshagopalan (Vocal);Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani (TaniAvartanam) and Rajeswari Sai Nath (Bharatanyam).

VMA President A.Prasanna Kumar and Chief Patron S.Vijay Kumar told reporters on Tuesday that the academy established in 1969 was endeavoring to promote the cause of sustaining , propagating and perpetuating the cause of classical music and dance.

It had hosted recitals by great artistes like M.S.subbalakshmi , Semmangudi, Balamuralikrishna and Nedunuri Krishna Murthy and felicitated them.

To marks its 40th year, the academy would conduct the festival for week instead of six days every year. Sadguru Sivananda Murthy would inaugurate the festival. Port trust Chairman Mr. Ajeya Kallam would participate in the inauguration .

Prof. Prasanna Kumar said besides the M.S.Subbalakshmi Pursakar being presented for the past five years, to mark its 40th year the academy would introduce Dwaram venkata Swamy Naidu Purskar in memory of the legendary violinist. The first recipient of the award would be Dwaram Durga Prasada Rao. This year's M.S.Subbalakshmi Purskar would be presented to Malladi brothers - Sri Ram Prasad and Ravi Kumar.

The academy's 'Sangeeta Kala Sagara’ award would be conferred on Sudha Raghunathan and Madurai T.N.Seshegopalan and 'Natya Kala Sagara’ on Rajeswari Sainath. Artist of distinction award would be given away to Mandapaka Nagalaskhmi (mridangam from Vizianagaram)

Light of music

The academy has been promoting light music too for the last four years and so far Rao Balasaraswathi, S.P.Balasubramanyam, P.Sushila and P.B.Srinivos have been felicitated .

Secretary M.S. Srinivas said the academy had been organizing youth festival every year in June and awards for best performances would be presented to D.Lakshmi Prachotan (vocal); P.S.Abhijna (Bharatanatyam); M.V.Mehar Kalyani (Mridangam).