The annual edition of Concerts for a Cause organised by the Prathyarpana Foundation brings together three musical pieces at the ADA Ranga Mandira. The Saralaya sisters, Kavita and Triveni, and violinist HK Venkatram are behind the foundation. “It is not just bringing music and musicians to present melody, but presenting them in aesthetic formats to highlight features for understanding and experiencing them differently,” says Kavitha Saralaya.
A 30-minute student choir led by 20-year-old vocalist Bhargavi Venkatram would flag off the show. More than 100 music students including vocalists and violinists will perform in a choir which will present 15 Nottu Swara compositions by Carnatic composer Muthuswamy Dikshitar. Nottu Swara are a set of compositions inspired by western music.
“When we thought of our own students performing the Nottu Swara numbers, we thought of a choir where straight notes could infuse imagination and flair to the presentation,” says Triveni, Bhargavi’s mother and initial guru. “Then we thought young people would be able to relate to the Nottu Swaras if presented in a harmony. We asked Bhargavi to handle the arrangement for a youthful perspective.”
For Bhargavi, a student of TM Krishna and a winner of AIR national Youth Music competition in 2015, the challenge was irresistible. “I was excited, but also slightly nervous of the responsibility. I started with choosing the pieces. As I had only half an hour, I chose 15. The basic pieces are presented in harmony with interesting patterns and speeds with percussive bits coming from Anoor Vinod and Anoor Sunaad,” says Bhargavi.
It took nearly two months of continuous practice. Bhargavi is happy that the end result, which includes an Indianised version of ‘God Save the Queen’ byDikshitar is fun and relatable.
Kavita and Triveni are also presenting Mahakavi Jayadeva’s Ashtapadis with B Raghuram on violin, HS Sudheendra on mridanga and SN Narayanamurthy on ghata, with a power-point presentation. Apart from presenting a dozen compositions explaining the love of Radha and Krishna, the sisters will discuss the descriptive features that encapsulate these melodies.
One more presentation to look forward to would be a Bharatanatya presentation, Gems from the Mysore Court...A seat of Atheism, by Lakshmi Gopalaswamy.
The Prathyarpana Foundation was formed to address social causes with music. The three musicians wanted to use music to help the underprivileged and old age homes through benefit charity shows.
Venkatram was bitten by the social cause bug and that drove him to initiate his wife, Triveni, and her sister, Kavitha to form the Prathyarpana Foundation. “We created a record of sorts in our first edition when we were able to collect ₹ 1.5 lakh with a concert by vocalist TM Krishna,” says Triveni. “We donated the proceeds to the old-age home, Tara. We personally check on the spaces that need help.”
This year the proceeds of Concerts for a Cause will go to the underprivileged children’s shelter, Sparsha Trust in Jayanagar that provides care, shelter, education and all-round skill development to needy children of single mothers, construction workers and orphans. Concerts for a Cause will be held on November 10 at ADA Ranga Mandira at 6 pm. Passes will be available at the venue.