The first featured concert of the 2010 season started on a high note with a grand concert by Sri.Vijay Siva, ably accompanied by Sri. R.K.Shriramkumar on the violin and Vaidyanathan Jayaraman on the mridangam.
Sri Vijay Siva began the concert unconventionally with Jaanaki Ramana (Suddha Seemanthini, Thyagaraja). This was followed by a novel krithi in Khamas "Sree Saradamba Bhaje" by HH Sankaracharya of Sringeri Sarada Mutt. The concert was full of rare (or rarely heard) compositions, including Ayyane Natananm (Saveri, Gopalakrishna Bharathi) and the main piece "Kailasapathe Maampahi Bhookailasapathe" (Kalyani, Mysore Vasudevacharya). Ragam Tanam Pallavi was in Bilahari. After a couple of small and exquisite items, Sri Vijay Siva evidently planned to end the concert with another rare piece on Gandhi, "Shanti Ahimsa Murthe" by Mayuram Viswanatha Sastry. But at the request of members of the audience, he proceeded to end more conventionally with a Tillana and mangalam.
Sri. R.K.Shriramkumar's playing was beautiful as usual - this is the third time Shruti Laya members have been privileged to hear him play, and his playing only seems to better each time you hear it! Vaidyanathan Jayaraman excelled not only at the tani, which was full of fireworks, but throughout the concert with his sensitive playing.
All in all, it was a memorable first concert, and Shruti Laya rasikas will have many more programs to look forward to this year.