SMT. PADMAVATHY ANANTHAGOPALAN

Smt. Padmavathy Ananthagopalan, one of the leading vainikas of our times, hails from a family of musicians. Her ancestors are the direct disciples of Saint Thyagaraja and it is no wonder that music runs in her blood. The only veena player in a family of violinists, Padmavathy is the sister of the illustrious violin maestro, Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. She was meticulously trained by her father, Sri.V.R.Gopala Iyer. Her brother has also been a constant source of inspiration and guidance. Living in an environment of culture and tradition, Padmavathy started performing at the very young age of 12. Ever since, veena has been her life, her passion, her everything.

Padmavathy considered Padmabhushan Late Dr. S. Balachander as her 'Manaseeka Guru' – her source of inspiration and was also privileged to perform along with him. He sent her on a teaching assignment to Singapore for a period of 8 years to work as a professor for vocal and veena at the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society. Her husband, Sri. A. S. Ananthagopalan also accompanied her and worked as a professor for violin at the same institution. While at Singapore, she published two books in collaboration with the Indian Fine Arts Society for the benefit of students of music called 'Shadjam' and 'Rishabam'. Padmavathy is a very great teacher and many of her students are successful concert performers in veena, vocal and violin.

She returned to India in 1983 and established a school exclusively for music in 1988 known as 'Sri Sadguru Sangita Vidyalaya'. The vidyalaya has been functioning very successfully for the past 10 years and has turned out highly proficient students. Recently she authored a book for the beginners in Carnatic Music known as 'Abhyasa Manjari'. Following this successful venture, she came out with a series of cassettes known as 'Abhyasa Ganam'.

Smt. Padmavathy plays the veena in the Gayaki style. She emulates all the nuances and gamakas found in the vocal music. She has specialised in Thanam playing and has established a style of her own. Padmavathy is an 'A' grade artist and has been featured regularly in the AIR and T.V. networks. She has performed all over India and abroad. In 1990, she toured the United Kingdom. In 1995, she was invited for a concert tour by one of the premier organizations for music in United States called 'Bhairavi'. She successfully completed the coast to coast tour along with her niece and disciple Veenai Jayanthi. During this tour she also played at the much-reputed Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana festival. In 1996, the duo again went on a major concert tour to the United States, Malaysia and Singapore.

Smt. Padmavathy has many awards and titles to her credit. She was recently awarded the titles 'Gana Saraswathy' and 'Nada kanal'. Padmavathy is constantly researching and is coming out with innovative ideas to popularize the veena all over the globe. She has designed a new portable veena in which the instrument could be dismantled without loss in tonal quality and can be carried very easily to any part of the world. At 64, Padmavathy continues untiring to spread the message of Carnatic music all over the world.

PADMABHUSHAN DR. S. BALACHANDER

S. Balachander, born in Madras on 18th January 1927, enjoyed the privilege of having had ancestors who belonged to and lived in Tanjore area, acclaimed as the seat of culture and fine arts in South India.

From the very early age of five Balachander started showing very great interest for Classical Music, and a greater desire to play upon some musical instruments. The first one he ever attempted upon being a Kanjira, a small circular percussion instrument.

A child prodigy as he was, within one year of practice, he started accompanying his brother (a merited vocalist) and other musicians on the Kanjeera during regular concert engagements, in sabhas, in temple festivals, in devotional congregations, etc. From that early age of six started Balachander's career as a concert musician on a steady growth, from day to day, from success to success, from instrument to instrument. To explain the last, one after the other, Balachander –untutored – learned to play, as the years rolled by, several musical instruments ranging from Tabla, Harmonium, Bul-bul-thara, Mridangam, Thar-shenai, Dilruba, Tabla-Tarang and Sitar.

In Sitar, he was a full-fledged solo-concert-artiste between his age of twelve and Sixteen, and on Sitar (The North Indian instrument) it is interesting to note that Balachander performed south Indian classical carnatic music.

From the age of fifteen, for nearly three years, Balachander served as an artiste in the staff of "All India Radio", Madras, where he had the unique opportunity of playing on all the instruments mentioned above, during broadcasts almost daily, rivaling in solo recitals, participating in orchestral ensembles, accompanying several artistes, deliberating on Rhythm as a weekly special program on percussion instruments alone, and composing and conducting musical pieces of his own.

This hectic period of playing on all these instruments came to a sudden end – an end brought off by the entry of Veena into Balachander's life. This also coincided with his leaving the services of "All India Radio".

Realizing the greatness of this wonderful instrument, the Veena, Balachander felt from the first moment he started playing on it, that this instrument demanded his undivided attention, his every skill, his utmost concentration, and his profound respect. This resulted in his becoming an established concert-Veena-player within two years of his taking up the instrument.

Though Balachander did not have any master or tutor, even to guide him during the initial stages of Veena-playing, he has never for once felt it as a handicap. In fact, he said, on the other hand – "By the grace of God, it gave him the unique opportunity to practice on his own, strive by himself, and ultimately bring credit for himself for his achievement of having evolved a new trend, and a new style, and a new school of Veena-playing". Balachander has thus created a style of his own, considered and accepted to be hitherto unknown unattempted and unexcelled.

Balachander is also credited with the great achievement of having secured a unique place for Veena as a 'pucca' concert-instrument (on par with even the concert vocalists), where tens of thousands have come to hear him during some of his recitals, whereas prior to this Veena was treated mainly as an instrument for 'chamber-concerts' for the benefit of only a selected few listeners.

Hence, it is no wonder that Balachander was considered to be one of the topmost Veena-players of India today, in the exposition of classical carnatic music. He also possessed a substantial knowledge of North Indian Classical Music, apart from having a keen sense of appreciation for western classical music.

As a composer and a conductor of his own musical works, Balachander created music for certain choice films, and orchestral pieces for and from 'All India Radio' stations. Such of his compositions, which are rare in their variety and beauty, are earnestly sought after, eagerly awaited for, and extremely appreciated.

But, it is the 'Veena', in his own words and true feelings which was his uppermost, his life. His life, his everything.