Prashanth Iyengar

Last updated

Prashant Iyengar
Born (1973-01-12) 12 January 1973 (age 50)
India
Origin Karnataka, India
Genres Carnatic music
Occupation(s)Musician, instrumentalist, veena
Instrument(s) Veena
Website www.theveena.com

Prashanth Iyengar (born 12 January 1973) is a classical musician and veena exponent from India, in the Carnatic Music genre. He is a performer, composer and teacher. He is the first composer from Karnataka to have composed Varnams in all the '72 Melakarta Ragas. [1] He holds the Limca national record for his marathon veena concert spanning 24 hours at Srirangapatna Temple in the year 2011. [2]

Contents

Early days and personal life

Prashanth's mother Vid. Padmasini Narasimhachar was his first veena guru who followed the Mysore Veena Subbanna tradition. [3] At the age of seven, he could play keertanas like Endaro Mahanubahulu. [1] He later studied under Vid. R. K. Suryanarayana. He has a bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and a Diploma in Computer Engineering. [1]

Career

He worked as the in-charge of the music department in the Directorate of Textbooks, Government of Karnataka. He later went on to become a full-time musician. [4]

His style is known for its rich gamakas along with a rendition that brings out the purity and clarity of notes. [5] [6]

He holds the Limca national record for the rendition of a marathon veena concert spanning 24 hours at the Srirangapatna Temple in the year 2011. [2] He was accompanied by Vid. Ravishankar Sharma (Mridangam), Vid. K S Krishnaprasad (Ghatam) and Vid. D V Prasanna Kumar (Kanjira, Morsing and rhythm pad). [7]

Compositions

Prashanth is a prolific composer who has composed 90 varnas that include the 72 of them in each of the melakarta ragas. [1] He is the first composer from Karnataka to have composed Varnams in all the 72 Melakarta Ragas and second youngest after Dr M. Balamuralikrishna to compose. [4] He has also composed 20 kritis, 10 devaranamas and five thillanas. [1]

Other contributions

Prashanth has authored a book "Varna Lakshana Ranjani" which has the 72-mela varnas and 72 Geethes. The book is published in Kannada, English and Hindi and is hand written by his first guru and mother Vid. Padmasini Narasimhachar. [1]

He started the Sree Rama Centre of Performing Arts for teaching students music appreciation, the art of the veena and vocal renditions. [2]

Awards & felicitations

Related Research Articles

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Carnatic music, known as Karnāṭaka saṃgīta or Karnāṭaka saṅgītam in the South Indian languages, is a system of music commonly associated with South India, including the modern Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is one of two main subgenres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu texts and traditions, particularly the Samaveda. The other subgenre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian or Islamic influences from Northern India. The main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyagaraja</span> Composer in Carnatic classical music

Thyagaraja, also known as Thyāgayya and in full as Kakarla Thyagabrahmam, was a composer and vocalist of Carnatic music, a form of Indian classical music. Tyagaraja and his contemporaries, Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar, are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music. Tyagaraja composed thousands of devotional compositions, most in Telugu and in praise of Rama, many of which remain popular today, the most popular being "Nagumomu". Of special mention are five of his compositions called the Pancharatna Kritis, which are often sung in programs in his honour, and Utsava Sampradaya Krithis, which are often sung to accompany temple rituals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanumatodi</span>

Hanumatodi, more popularly known as Todi, is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 8th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. This is sung very often in concerts. It is a difficult rāgam to perform in owing to its complexity in prayoga. It is called Janatodi in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music. Its Western equivalent is the Phrygian mode. Todi in Carnatic music is different from Todi (thaat) of Hindustani music. The equivalent of the Hindustani raga Todi in Carnatic music is Shubhapantuvarali. The equivalent of Carnatic Todi in Hindustani is Bhairavi thaat in terms of notes, but the two sound very different due to differing uses of gamakas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyagaraja Aradhana</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lalgudi Jayaraman</span> Carnatic violinist/composer

Lalgudi Gopala Jayaraman was an Indian Carnatic violinist, vocalist and composer. He is commonly grouped with M.S. Gopalakrishnan and T.N.Krishnan as part of the violin-trinity of Carnatic Music. He was awarded Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sankarabharanam (raga)</span>

Dhīraśankarābharaṇaṃ, commonly known as Śankarābharaṇaṃ, is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is the 29th Melakarta rāga in the 72 Melakarta rāga system of Carnatic music. Since this raga has many Gamakās (ornamentations), it is glorified as "Sarva Gamaka Maaṇika Rakti Rāgaṃ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doreswamy Iyengar</span>

Mysore Venkatesha Doreswamy Iyengar (1920-1997) was a Carnatic musician and one of the greatest exponents of the veena in modern Indian history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saraswati veena</span> Plucked string instrument from India

The Sarasvatī vīṇa is an ancient Indian plucked veena. It is named after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is usually depicted holding or playing the instrument. Also known as raghunatha veena, it is used mostly in Carnatic Indian classical music. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family. One who plays the veena is referred to as a vaiṇika.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mysore Vasudevachar</span> Musical artist

Mysore Vasudevacharya was an Indian musician and composer of Carnatic music compositions who belonged to the direct line of Thyagaraja's disciples. Vasudevachar's compositions were mostly in Telugu and Sanskrit. Some of his most popular kritis include Broche varevaru ra in Khamas raga, Devadideva in Sunadavinodini, Mamavatu Sri Saraswati in Hindolam, Shankari Ninne in Pantuvarali, Bhajare Re Manasa in Abheri and Ra Ra Rajeevalochana Rama in Mohanam. He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. K. Srikantan</span> Indian Carnatic classical vocalist

Rudrapatna Krishnashastri Srikantan, known as R. K. Srikantan, was a vocalist of the Carnatic musical tradition of South Indian music. He was awarded the Madras Music Academy's Sangeetha Kalanidhi in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abheri</span>

Abheri is a raga in Carnatic music. It is a Janya raga, whose Melakarta raga is Kharaharapriya, 22nd in the 72 Melakarta raga system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanakangi</span>

Kanakangi is a ragam in Carnatic music. It is the 1st Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Kanakāmbari in the Muthuswami Dikshitar school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Performances of Carnatic music</span>

Carnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, who sit on an elevated stage. This usually consists of at least; a principal performer, a melodic accompaniment, a rhythm accompaniment, and a drone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vachaspati (raga)</span>

Vachaspati is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 64th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system. It is known as Bhushāvati according to the Muthuswami Dikshitar school. It was borrowed into Hindustani music, like many other ragas from Carnatic rāgams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kharaharapriya</span> 22nd Melakartha

Kharaharapriya is a rāga in Carnatic music. It is the 22nd melakarta rāga in the 72 melakarta rāga system. It is possible that the name of the ragam was originally Harapriya but it was changed to conform to the Katapayadi formula. Kharaharapriya has a distinct melody and brings out the Karuna rasam, invoking pathos in the listeners. The Kafi thaat of Hindustani music is the equivalent of Kharaharapriya. Its Western equivalent is the Dorian mode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shubhapantuvarali</span>

Shubhapantuvarali is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 45th melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Shivapantuvarāḻi in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music. Todi (thaat) is the equivalent in Hindustani music. Being sad in tone, it is usually used for sad songs by musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ratnangi</span>

Ratnangi is a rāgam in Carnatic music. It is the 2nd melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. It is called Phenadhyuti in Muthuswami Dikshitar school of Carnatic music.

D. Balakrishna is a Carnatic musician who plays veena in the Mysore tradition.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Govind, Ranjani (17 April 2014). "The food of life". The Hindu. Bangalore. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 R, Anusha (20 April 2010). "24-hour veena marathon to enter Limca Records". Bangalore. DNA. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  3. "Thyagaraja Festival from Today". Kochi. The New Indian Express. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Madokaram Prashanth Iyengar" . Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  5. Ramkumar, Madhavi (21 September 2012). "Deft evocativeness". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  6. Bal, Harish (27 February 2014). "Paens to Thyagaraja". The Hindu. Thiruvananthapuram. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  7. "Marathon veena concert on April 21". Deccan Herald. Bangalore. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2015.