B. Uma Shankar : Lead Vocalist

Profile:! !B.Umashankar, a versatile artiste, who hails from a family of musicians,was born on 29th April 1974, learnt music under the tutelage of “Sangeetha Vidwan” Needamangalam (late) Shri.V.V.Subramania Iyer and !“Bombay Sisters” Smt.C.Saroja & Smt.C.Lalitha.!He learned additional special music lessons from Sangeetha kalanidhi.Sri.T.K.Govinda Rao,learned tiruppugazh from !Thiruppugazh anbargal Guruji Sri.A.S.Raghavan, learned some hindusthani bhajans and abhangs from Pandit.Ajoy Chokraborthy and Pandit Samaresh chowdary.! !He has carved a niche for himself as a vocalist, Music teacher, composer, music director, Publisher and an efficient organizer of Music programmes, !Music competitions etc.!! !Qualification:!!He holds a bachelor degree in commerce(B.Com.),!Higher grade diploma in Indian Music and !Masters Degree in Indian Music (M.Music). !He is certified as Qualified Lecturer in Music by! University Grants Commission (UGC), New Delhi.!!An Artiste:!!He took to music in early age of and gave a full length concert at the age of 14. He has given concerts in leading music organisations,!Such as:-!Music academy, chennai,Naradha Gana sabha,Kartik fine arts,!

B Umashankar

Today's Paper » FEATURES » FRIDAY REVIEW

Published: July 5, 2013 00:00 IST | Updated: July 5, 2013 05:31 IST

In maestro’s memory

G.S.Music Umashankar’s concert was a fitting tribute to the late Maharajapuram Santhanam.

Sri Chandrasekharendra Sangeeta Educational Society invited B. Umashankar to give vocal concert in memory ofMaharajapuram Santhanam, sponsored by Maharajapuram Santhanam Rasikas Trust, founded by R. Ganesh ofChennai.This was held at Keyes High School, last week in the company of Madurai S. Balasubramaniyam on violin andChidambaram S. Balachandar on mridangam — both from Chennai.Umashankar is the disciple of Bombay Sisters, Saroja and Lalitha. In his concert he revealed rich voice withconsiderable range and ability to pass through fast gamaka structuring. He opened the concert with Hamsadhwaniragalapana for the composition of Maharajapuram Santhanam Sadasivam . He rendered it impressively with melody-filled sahitya quality and the swarakalpana he presented carried the raga bhava. Nadathanumanisham a Chittaranjanipiece was taken up and presented well with sahitya bhava. The ragabhava was intact. The kirtana rendition wasmeaningful presentation.Ramachandram Bhavayami in vasantha of Dikshitar was the next composition he chose to present. His raga essay waswell gone through and the alapana shaped up well into an inspiring melody. Kirtana rendition stuck to its basics ofsahitya enunciation.

The Hindu

Friday Review Ä Dance

Published: February 6, 2014 16:17 IST | Updated: February 6, 2014 16:17 IST

Adavus in motion

RUPA SRIKANTH

Uma Nambopdiripad Sathya Narayanan. Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

Uma Namboodiripad’s depiction of Narasimha and vamana avatars was unhurried and just right.RUPA SRIKANTH

As Kartik Fine Arts’ tight scheduling allowed for limited performance time, this year’s Nadanamamani awardee, Bharatanatyam dancer and musician Uma Namboodiripad Sathya Narayanan, wasted no time on preliminaries. She jumped straight into the deep with a Swati Tirunal Sanskrit Dasavatara kirtana, ‘Kamalajaasya hrta’ in ragamalika, Adi. The vibrant 50-minute piece, choreographed by Guru Chitra Visveswaran, who kept a protective eye on her protÇgÇ from the front row, presented a dancer who has grown in confidence, energy and maturity. She has adapted and internalised Guru Chitra’s dynamic style that involves adavus-in-motion and introduction of the flick of the head and wrist to finish with a flourish, in a sense.

In tune with the times

This modern-day version of Guru Chitra is conscious of the trend towards maintaining good lines, sitting in proper araimandi especially for thattu-mettu sequences or during the theermana adavus, and infusing adavus with energy. Though some of these trends are not new to the style, there is a studied attempt by Uma to go with the times.

Uma’s capable depiction of each avatara had a well-rehearsed finesse. Of them, the Narasimha and Vamana avataras were stand-out sequences when both the dancer’s sensitive portrayals and the melodious music came togethergloriously. Take the Narasimha story, when Vishnu appears as a man-lion who emerges from a pillar in a courtyard and attacks Hiranyakashipu, laying him across his thighs. He proceeds to tear his stomach, and this is interesting, thedancer used awkward wrist movements and bent fingers to depict the lion’s paws.

Narasimha’s expression is fierce as he disembowels the atheist demon; he remains in this mood for a time until his gaze falls upon the child-devotee Prahlada, when he goes back to a saumya roopa. Every detail was pictured unhurriedly.

The Vamana avatara was the coming together of the whole team: K. Venkatasubramanian set the tone with interesting rhythm and varying the volume-strong for Mahabali and soft for Vamana, like a speaking mridangam; the sanchari was shown with swaras, and vocalist B. Umasankar’s voice rose dramatically as Vamana’s dwarfed form grew large. The same event was then shown from Mahabali’s reaction, as his eyes widened in wonder and fear.

We enjoyed melody from Mudikondan Ramesh (veena) all through the recital, being the only accompanist. SukanyaRavindhar (nattuvangam) was a strong comrade-in-arms with her efficient performance.

The Sringara padam, ‘Ariya Paruvam’ (Hamsanandi, Adi, Periasami Thooran) brought in a change of mood but was bland due to a predominantly padartha (literal) treatment.

The Valachi thillana (misra chapu, Madurai N. Krishnan) saw the mridangam artist and the dancer in good energy, the former varying tones according to the adavus this time. The vocalist had his moments, but here his voice let him down on occasion.

The recital marks a new chapter in Uma Namboodiripad Sathya Narayanan’s Bharatanatyam career.

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Mylapore fine arts,Sri Thyagaraja vidwath samajam,Sri Purandaradasar bhaktha sabha,Pune sangeetha sabha,Neyveli sangeetha sabha,etc.! Major music festivals, famous Temples, etc., in all over India and overseas.!!He also presented lecture-demonstrations, various thematic music concerts, Multi-lingual music concerts, Carnatic-Hindusthani Jugalbandhi concerts, etc.!!He has given concerts in Doordarshan, All India Radio, Private satellite TV channels, etc.!!He visited to London,France,Singapore, Srilanka for music programmes, musical workshops and music classes etc,.!!He is singing for Traditional bharathanatyam and Kuchpudi dance programmes for popular artistes like “padmashri”Adyar Sri.K.Lakshmanan, “padmashri”Smt.Chitra visweswaran, “Kalaimamani” Madhavapeddi Murthy, etc and scored music and lyrics for many dance ballets.!!An Administartor!! He worked as the principal in Sri Swathi Tirunal Kala Kendram, cannanore, Kerala for 4 years.!He is a visiting lecturer,syllabus co-ordinator in leading universities in india.!He is a fine art consultant for various music institutions and educational institutions.!He is a member of various prestigious musical organisiations.!!An Educator:!He has founded “Gaana Surabhi”, in the year 1996, a premier institute for imparting Carnatic music, wherein he trains students from basic level to!

Kalyani was Umasankar’s main raga of the concert for a Tamil kirtana Onnai Ellalal of Papanasam Sivan. He presentedneraval too in the number and the swarakalpana that followed made the number attain heights, to the delight of theaudience.His performance was excellent. Violin support by Madurai Balasubramanyam and mridamgam by ChidambaramBalashankar was praiseworthy.G.S.

Keywords: Uma Namboodiripad, Narasimha, Kartik Fine Arts

Printable version | Feb 7, 2014 3:04:48 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/dance/adavus-in-motion/article5660217.ece

É The Hindu

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traditional music concerts, diploma, degree examinations in music, research study in music and music teaching, from around the globe.!!Many of his students won prizes in major music competitions and given full length music concert in music festivals in leading music sabhas, and teaching music in and around globe.!!He has given music coaching in various music organisations and educational institutions!!Titles and honours:!!He was selected as a “Talented Youth Artiste” by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka manram in the year 1996.!He is a receipient of “Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar Award for “Merit worthy Performance” at Sri krishna gana sabha, Chennai, in the year 1997.!!He has been conferred with the Titles, !“Aasthana Vidwan” of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam by H.H. Sri Sankaracharya swamigal, !“Gaana Varsha” by Sri Kamakshi Swamigal, !“Isai Thenral” by Sri Devi Nagamuthu Maariamman Bhaktha Sabha, “Naadha Siromani” by Kavi Eesadasan, !“Sahrudhaya Ranjaka” by Bharat Vikas Parishad,!“Bala Rathna” by Sri Balaa Peetam, Nemili,!“Daasa Kala Mani” by Sri Purandaradasar bhaktha samajam !“Sangeetha Guru siromani” by Sukhi nikethan arts academy!“Sivaji Award”for carnatic music by Marumalarchi Arts academy!“Tabla Tatachari memorial award” from VVT Foundation!

for his services rendered in Carnatic music. He is a receipient of BODHAKA Award several times for Best music teaching from Maragatham Sankaranarayanan Trust,chennai!!!A Composer:!!He has composed a “Saptha thala malika Geetham”in Tamil in praise of Sri Purandaradasa and!Varnams in different ragas,Krithis in rare ragas,Thillanas, bhajans !etc.,!!He has scored music and composed lyrics for many dance ballets, school music choirs, etc.,!!A Publisher:!!He compiled and published an unique music book named as “Abhyasa gaana Bodhini” with traditional fundamental lessons, special voice therapy lessons and new geethams, in association with “sangeetha vidwan” Sri.P.B.Shrirangachari.!!An Organizer:!!He has founded “Needamangalam V VS Foundation”in the year 1997, in memory of his guru Needamangalam V.V.Subramania Iyer, for promoting the cause of carnatic music ,which focuses on nourishing young talents.!Under this foundation, he has organized Music competitions, Thyagaraja utsavams, Dikshitar jayanthi, Lecture demonstrations, Musical Discussions,etc., Eminent personalities Sri T.K.Govinda Rao, Dr.Smt.Mani!

Krishanaswamy, Thiruvengadu Sri A.Jayaraman, Bombay Sisters Smt.C.Saroja & Smt.C.Lalitha, Sri.T.R.Subramaniam, Dr.T.K.Murthy, Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna,Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy etc., are participated in their major events.!!Audio releases:-!!He released two audio CD’s “Arunachala Sri Ramana” and “Ramana Perinbam” for Sri Ramana Kendra, Tirupathi comprising the classical devotional songs in praise of Bhagawan Ramana maharishi. !!He released a set of 10 audio CD’s “Meyvazhi Deiva arul paadalgal” comprising the songs composed by Meyvazhi Aandavar, released by Meyvazhi Aandavar Ashram.!!He released an Classical audio CD comprising popular and rare THILLANAS composed by various composers for Music Syndicate.!!He released 2 classical devotional Audio CD “Sri Madhavam” comprising the songs composed by Sri.Madhavachariar.!!He released 2 classical audio Cd “Varahur venkatesa perumal purappattu mahotsavam”comprising the songs composed by Narayana Theerthar and other great composers.! !!