2015 marks the 50th year of the
passing of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri G.N.Balasubramaniam (GNB). On 20th
June 2015, SIFAS Alumni with the support of Singapore Indian Fine Arts
Society conducted a remembrance event at the SIFAS
Rehearsal Room to honour this Vidhwan par excellence of the 20th century.
Upcoming artistes from SIFAS Alumni presented songs that were either
popularized or composed by Sri GNB in this remembrance event.
The series of performances began with
a solemn vocal concert by Sri Sharadh Rajaraman, who was accompanied on the
violin by Kum Sharanya Rao and on the mridangam by Sri Srinivasan Krishnan. Sharadh’s
main piece was Ranjani Niranjani Ratna, a composition of Sri GNB. Sharadh’s extensive
manodharmam in Ranjani captured the attention of the morning audience, with his
creative alapana and fluid brigas evoking the style of Sri GNB himself. Kum
Rachana Murali Narayanan’s melodic vocal recital followed. She was accompanied
on the violin by Kum Shreya Gopi and on the mridangam by Sri Srinivasan
Krishnan. Rachana’s neatly-crafted repertoire for the morning included Nera
Nammithi in Kanada, followed by Sri GNB’s composition Ninnu Pogada in
Kunthalavarali. Her soulful rendition of Enna Gaanu Rama Bhajana in Pantuvarali
was supplemented with inventive kalpanaswarams. Her loyal audience was evidently thrilled
with her development into a competent stage performer at such a young age.
Before the second half commenced,
SIFAS General Secretary Dr Kasinathan spoke briefly about the SIFAS Alumni’s
growth and encouraged its efforts in commemorating events like this. He also
introduced a special guest, Sri GNB’s grandson Mr Balasubramaniam, a Singapore
resident who had come to hear of the remembrance event through SIFAS Alumni’s social
media publicity. It was a pleasant surprise to all, and the event proceeded
with Mr Balasubramaniam’s blessings and well-wishes.
The second half comprised of invigorating
vocal concerts by Sri Sudarshan Narasimhan and Sri Nishanth Thiagarajan, who had
both conceptualized and spearheaded the efforts to commemorate this remembrance
event. Sudarshan was accompanied on the violin by Kum Sharanya Rao and on the
mridangam by Sri Muthusubramaniam. He began with Samaanarahithey, a composition
by Sri GNB in the rare ragam: Sarangatarangini. Sudarshan’s main piece in Bhairavi
was expertly explored; his elaborate alapana, brisk neraval and free-flowing
kalpanaswarams embellishing an immaculate rendition of Sri GNB’s composition,
Gathi Verevarmma. The remembrance concluded with a concert by Sri Nishanth, who
was accompanied by Sri Sharadh Rajaraman on the violin and Sri Ganesh Jayabal
on the mridangam. Nishanth’s concert included a mix of classics like Ragasudha
rasa and less popular compositions like Jaya Jaya Padmanabha in Sarasangi. A
soul-stirring presentation of Reetigowlai left the audience longing for more.
