Frequent mridangist for MMI. Vellore Gopaalachaari Raamabhadra
Vellore G. Ramabhadran
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Vellore Ramabhadran during a concert in Chennai
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Born
| Gopalachari Ramabhadran
(
1929-08-04
)
4 August 1929
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Died
| 27 February 2012
(2012-02-27)
(aged 82)
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Nationality
| Indian
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Occupation
| Mridangam Artiste
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Known for
| Mridangam Artiste
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Parent
| Konnakol
T. P.Gopalachari,
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Vellore G. Ramabhadran
(4 August 1929 ? 27 February 2012) was a
Mridangam
artiste from
Tamil Nadu
, India.
[1]
He was awarded the
Madras Music Academy
's
Sangeetha Kalanidhi
in 2004.
Early years
[
edit
]
Born in
Vellore
, he showed interest in
Carnatic music
even at an early age. His father
Konnakol
T. P. Gopalachari
, a musician himself, was running a Music Sabha
[
citation needed
]
in
Vellore
. This sabha conducted competitions in Carnatic music among children. Maestros like Kancheepuram
Naina Pillai
,
Palghat Mani Iyer
and Pudukottai
Dakshinamurthy Pillai
judged competitors and awarded prizes.
M. S. Subbulakshmi
has given a concert in this Sabha in 1936
[2]
Young Ramabhadran was fascinated by the music concerts and started learning Mridangam from his father at the age of eight.
During
World War II
people living in Madras (presently,
Chennai
) evacuated the city and moved to interior towns and villages. In 1942, Thiruparkadal Srinivasa Iyengar moved from Chennai to Salem. It gave an opportunity for Ramabhadran to learn vocal music from him.
[2]
Ramabhadran moved to Chennai in 1950
and took residence at
Mylapore
.
Performances
[
edit
]
In his first stage appearance, he accompanied
Madurai Mani Iyer
on the Mridangam. During the 1940s there were not many
Sabha
s in Chennai. He accompanied Madurai Mani Iyer in concerts held at various temples throughout Tamil Nadu.
Ramabhadran has performed as an accompanying Mridangam artiste to Carnatic music doyens
Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar
,
Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar
,
Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer
,
Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer
,
Musiri Subramania Iyer
,
G. N. Balasubramaniam
,
K.V.Narayanaswamy
,
M.Balamuralikrishna
,
Maharajapuram Santhanam
,
T. V. Sankaranarayanan
,
T. N. Seshagopalan
, B. Rajam Iyer,
[
citation needed
]
P. S. Narayanaswamy
and to Illustrious Instrumentalists like
T. R. Mahalingam
,
N. Ramani
,
Lalgudi Jayaraman
and
T. N. Krishnan
.
[1]
He has also performed with North Indian Music artistes
Zakir Hussein
,
Alla Rakha
,
Amjad Ali Khan
and
Hariprasad Chaurasia
.
[2]
Concerts abroad
[
edit
]
Ramabhadran went to United States for the first time in 1962 with
Veena
maestro
S. Balachander
, N. Ramani, and Umayalapuram K Sivaraman. They performed in many cities and universities from coast to coast.
[2]
He performed in the Festivals of India held in the U.K., USA and U.S.S.R.
[3]
Unforgettable experience
[
edit
]
Ramabhadran recalls performing a concert for the prisoners in the
Palayamkottai Central Prison
in 1948 is an unforgettable experience. He accompanied
M. M. Dandapani Desikar
in that concert.
Likewise a remarkable experience for him was the receiving of
Sangeetha Choodamani
award from the top Mridandam Vidwan Palghat Mani Iyer in 1975. The award was accorded by the Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai.
[2]
His thoughts
[
edit
]
Ramabhadran opines that Mridangam is an accompanying instrument and it should not interrupt the main artiste. The Mridangam artiste can show his skill during the few minutes he/she is given for "Thani Avarthanam" (Solo interludes).
Performance in Tamil film
[
edit
]
Ramabhadran accompanied
K. J. Yesudas
on the mridangan for the song "Mari, mari, ninne" in the Tamil film
Sindhu Bhairavi
produced by
K. Balachandar
. The film scene shows actor
Sivakumar
as the singer and
Delhi Ganesh
as the mridangam artiste.
Awards and honours
[
edit
]
Death
[
edit
]
Vellore G. Ramabhadran died on 27 February 2012, aged 82.
[7]
Disciples
[
edit
]
Vellore Ramabhadran has trained many mridangam players. His three most senior disciples are Prakash Rao, currently residing in New Jersey, USA, and Ramesh Srinivasan, currently residing in California, USA, and Anantha Kulathupuzha, currently residing in Trivandhapuram KERALA.
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]
- "Mari Mari Ninne" song video
on
YouTube
- Ramabhadran Solo
on
YouTube
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International
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Artists
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Other
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