Nada Nidhi, a veena school founded by Guru Srikanth Chary, is gearing up to celebrate its 35th anniversary on Sunday, 18th August in Fremont. Guru Srikanth Chary and his students will showcase the beauty and inimitable quality of the veena in this free program to be held at Ohlone College in Fremont.
Srikanth Chary says, “For this special celebration, I wanted to research and present a theme that would appeal to a wide audience. Regardless of how you approach Carnatic music, whether it is from a religious perspective, whether you are drawn to the lyrics, or if you are drawn to the grammar built into the melodic structure, there is something indescribably unique when you listen to the instrument itself and that is what this program will celebrate. The veena has a beautiful, deep sound and through the theme titled Nada Mahima: The Glory of Sound , I wanted to explore how music appeals to us.”
Theme of Sound
The songs chosen for Nada Mahima revolve around the theme of sound. Srikanth says thoughtfully, “The creation of the Universe is associated with the primordial sound, Om. In India, we associate Hindu deities with specific sounds and instruments – Shiva with the damaru , Vishnu with the conch, Saraswathi with the veena, and Krishna with the flute. At a fundamental level, I wanted to explore the impact of sound on us as human beings. What are the songs and sounds that make us joyful and stay peaceful?”
His answer led me to wonder about the emotional impact of ragams and I asked him about how this can affect our moods and feelings. “In music,” said Srikanth, “the minor notes can create a sense of deep pathos, sadness, or introspection, while the major notes convey joy. But, even within one ragam , in the way you combine notes, you can convey different emotions; any of the popular Carnatic r agams like Sankarabaranam, Kalyani, Kharaharapriya or Kambodhi – they do not merely express one central emotion.”
A Nada Nidhi performance (image courtesy: Guru Srikanth Chary)
“Depending on how you execute it,” he added, “they can be used in versatile ways to reach us emotionally. In fact, in the program, one of the songs is set to a very simple ragam, Lavangi which only has 4 notes; in this song, the music manages to convey the power of Goddess Durga with one syllable denoting her ability to vanquish enemies, while another conveys the peace that chanting the Hreem mantra can bring within us. Vastly different emotions can be conveyed through one ragam itself!”
The Lalgudi ‘bani’
Srikanth trained under master gurus in India which has shaped his exacting style of music training. His gurus include Devakottai Narayana Iyengar, Smt. Kalyani Sarma, Kum. A. Kanyakumari and Sri. Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. It was under the violin maestro Sri. Lalgudi G. Jayaraman with whom Srikanth trained for almost 3 decades, that he follows this bani closely in his music. The Lalgudi bani emphasizes musical clarity with the instrument closely following the human voice so that the voice can be literally “heard” through the instrument’s notes.
Students of Nada Nidhi veena academy at a concert (image courtesy: Guru Srikanth Chary)
In his teaching, “There are no simple songs to start with” says Srikanth. “The path of learning can be tough sometimes, but there are many rewards for teacher and student when one sticks to this. As a teacher, it is extremely rewarding to watch the training in class come together onstage.”
He shared a memorable moment. “Once, during a competition, the meetus that guided the veena’s strumming ended up flying off of a student’s fingers! Watching how students adapt to challenges during a concert, while paying close attention to execution and finesse – just watching this gives me great satisfaction and joy. Usually, parents enroll students to help children develop an affinity for Indian culture. But, after 2 or 3 years, students develop an independent connection to the music itself; their questions become nuanced and the beauty of the music draws them into this new world. To see this engagement in young minds is gratifying for me,” he says.
A path to success
Srikanth’s approach to teaching through small group classes setting high standards of excellence has paid off. Over the years, Nada Nidhi students have won numerous awards at the Cleveland Tyagaraja Music Festival and the Papanasam Sivan competitions. The awards and sincere appreciation from peers highlight the musical standard maintained by Srikanth in his performances and through his teaching.
Students of Nada Nidhi Academy onstage (image courtesy: Guru Srikant Chary)
The event promises to be a celebration of the beauty of music as it flows from an ancient Indian instrument, the veena. At the same time, the event also celebrates the guru’s passion, his ability to connect with and inspire second-generation Indian-American students, and the larger community that has supported this effort. Above all, it celebrates a classical music tradition that we can all be proud of.
Hope you can join us at Nada Mahima to celebrate the glory of sound through the musical notes created by the veena.
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