How does one describe pure bliss? How does one describe the pure joy that a young artiste of about 25 years of age can bring to an audience assembled to hear a concert on a dreary fall evening.  One really had to be there to experience the bliss and joy that Ramakrishnan Murthy, R. K. Shriramkumar and K. Arun Prakash created on a dreary fall evening in Cambridge MA. The concert was a wonderful experience of how a Carnatic music concert should be, uncompromising in its adherence to “Paddhati” or tradition and creating an atmosphere of music and melody that will be remembered for a long time.

Ramakrishnan Murthy, for those who are not aware, was born and raised in Irvine, California and has now moved back to India to be a full time musician. He had his initial training under Smt. Padma Kutty in California. He has been under the tutelage of violin vidwan Delhi Sunderrajan and is now also under the guidance of the violin maestro Shri. R. K. Shriramkumar. It was no surprise that Ramakrishnan was at peace on stage with his Guru providing him amazing support on the violin. Like a kid in a candy shop, he was at home enjoying and gleaning all he could in the company of his Guru to his right and Mridangam Vidwan Shri K. Arun Prakash to his left.

Ramakrishnan opened the concert with a brisk Neelayadakshi in the Ragam Paras – a composition of Syama Sastri. This was followed by a brisk Asaveri (Maapala Velasila), a composition of Saint Thyagaraja. Nidhichala Sukhama in Kalyani was rendered with utmost Bhavam and grace. The niraval “Sumathi Thyagaraja  Kirthana Sukhama” was full of “Sukham & Sowkhyam”.  Following this was a soulful rendition of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Neerajakshi Kamakshi in the Ragam Hindolam. Ramakrishnan then presented Swami Mukhyaprana in Yadhukula Kamboji, a composition of Saint Purandaradasa set to tune by Vidwan R. K. Shriramkumar.  The main was the grand composition of Saint Thyagaraja Karu Baru in the Ragam Mukhari. The presentation of the ragam  and the kirthanam was handled in the most sensitive manner. The neraval line “Sadhu Thyagaraja Vinuta Rama” was rendered so evocatively that one wondered if the bard had himself come to sing the kirthanam for his Lord Rama. A lilting Kamas Ragam Thanam Pallavi followed. The pallavi line
composed by Shri Arun Prakash was most appropriate addressing the importance of humanity in this world.  The 35 minute Pallavi had everything that was required – it was just perfectly executed. Ramakrishnan concluded with Manadirkkugandadu (Sindhu Bhairavi, Tanjavoor Sankara Iyer) and the Periyathirumozi Pasuram tuned again by his Guru Shri Shriramkumar.

The concert had me hooked from the first song. I was amazed at the grip and clarity that Ramakrishnan has on his music giving the audience everything in exact measure and not overdoing a single aspect of his creativity. His manodharma combined with his bhava laden singing gave me great joy thinking as to what we can expect from Ramakrishnan in the years to come.  One cannot forget the role of Shri Shriramkumar not only for his violin accompaniment but also in shaping the ideology of this young maestro. It is so important to have a Guru whom you can learn from but also look up to as an ideal. Being a master of compositions himself, he followed Ramakrishnan so beautifully on the violin and throughout the concert bringing out so many varied nuances in the various compositions presented.  Arunprakash on the mridangam was elegance personified. Arunprakash has always been an artiste who has followed a path in mridangam accompaniment that few would even attempt to pursue – Arun Prakash brings out the best in music embellishing every composition with his sensitive accompaniment. His thani avarthanam was most appropriate for the Mukhari piece – playing soulful nadais and a very sweet Mishram.

It was a wonderful evening of erudite and blissful music. A still very young Ramakrishnan Murthy has a very bright future. Matured way beyond his years, his music reminds me a lot of the venerable legend Shri K. V. Narayanaswamy whose concerts were packed with all the elements in the most appropriate portions. There was not one note out of place, not one thing was overdone and not a moment wasted in the concert.  As Hari Arthanari in his opening remarks pointed out – he just carried us through the evening with his music.

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