Friday

R.K.Srikantan - A Brief Introduction




Sri Srikantan was born in 1920 to a distinguished traditional family of musicians of Rudrapatnam in Hassan District in Karnataka which is situated on the banks of river Cauvery.He is the youngest son of late Sri Krishnasastry who was a great scholar in Sanskrit and Kannada, a noted poet, a versatile artist and also a Harikatha vidwan.His grandfather Sri Narayanappa of Bettadapura was also a great musician and a close friend of Sri Veena Seshanna of Mysore.After taking lessons of music from his father at a tender age and later from his illustrious brother Sri R.K.Venkataramasastry - a leading violinist and a disciple of T.Chowdaiah - he came under the influence of all leading musicians of yore from the south.The noteworthy features of Sri Srikantan's music are his sruthi suddham, clear cut pronunciation of the sahityam and his bhava-laden krithi renditions.He has been particularly instrumental in popularizing the Devaranamas of all Haridasas especially Purandaradasa. The point to note here is his strict adherence to the rakthi ragas - the ragas which are the life and soul of Carnatic Music. All the Devaranamas tuned by him are in the time honored ragas like Todi, Bhairavi, Mohana, Kalyani, Dhanyasi, etc.Sri Srikantan belongs to the shishya parampara of Thyagaraja himself :
Thyagaraja Walajapet
Venkataramana Bhagavathar
Mysore Sadasiva Rao
Veena Seshanna
R.K.Venkatarama Sastry
R.K.Srikantan.
His pure paataantharams are a treat to the ears.Sri Srikantan is a guru of a very high repute.
A strict taskmaster that he is, he refuses to accept any thing less than 100% from his shishyas !!
He has also been a recipient of many awards and titles including the much coveted Sangeetha Kalanidhi.Sri Srikantan belongs to a near extinct breed of Carnatic musicians who strive and achieve perfection within the time honoured bounds of tradition or sampradaayam.

Vidwan R.K.Srikantan Trust


Vidwan R.K.Srikantan Trust was established in 1995 on the day the maestro was felicitated by his disciples & well wishers on the occasion of his 75th birthday at Bangalore, with the avowed objective of promoting and preserving the rich heritage of Indian Classical Carnatic Music in its wider perspective and also promotion of youth and non resident Indians.

The Trust has the following ambitious plans

1. Conducting national level workshops and seminars.
2. Providing free music lessons to the economically backward deserving students.
3. Training overseas students and provide them with residential facilities.
4. To build a library and archive
5. Publications
6. Production of CDs and Cassettes.
7. To train students in devotional music helping them to build character & inculcate values.
8. To conduct annual Music Festival

The trust currently conducts annual Sankranthi Music Festival in the month of January, featuring following programmes.

1. Felicitations to veteran musicians of repute,art patrons & critics.


2. Inaugural lecture on an interesting and important aspect of carnatic music by a noted musicologist.


3. Publication of monographs, and book on music and also cassettes to be made available at the connoisseurs at cheaper price.


4. Arranging concerts by promising young talents and senior musicians


The trust also aspires to have a own building to fulfill these dreams.


With such a grandiose and ambitious plan on the anvil the trust needs a whole hearted co-operation and patronage from the public & connoisseurs alike and hence welcomes liberal financial support to enable us to achieve our aims listed above.


Donations and endowments will be duly and gratefully acknowledged by way of insertion of their names in the invitation and also display of name boards in the auditorium. Names of donors from abroad contributing 1000 dollars and above and from India contributing Rs.10000 and above would be displayed on boards in the auditorium. Donations can be made in favour of Vidwan R.K.Srikantan Trust by cheques.


Public donations would be exempted from Income Tax under 80G.


Trust Address:


Vidwan R.K.Srikantan Trust (R)


#4,Puttaranganna Layout, Shesadripuram,


Bangalore -560020,India. Phone: 080-23368190