THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music is adding yet another milestone to the annals of its history. The Department of Mridangam at the College has entered its golden jubilee year and the College has planned a year-long programme to mark the occasion. “We are planning a Percussion Festival (Thalavadyotsavam). The highlight of the festival will be a four-day workshop on rhythmology,’’ said Prof M. Balasubramoniam, head, Department of Mridangam. The event is tentatively scheduled towards the end of this month. The highlight of the workshop will be the presence of Dr T.K. Moorthy, the senior-most mridangam maestro. Now 86, he was born in Neyyattinkara and was the first disciple of Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer. He has accompanied most of the prominent vocalists in Carnatic music during his career.
Other big names who will be part of the workshop are Umayalpuram Sivaraman, thavil maestro Valayapatti A.R. Subramaniam, ghatam expert T.V. Vasan and ganjira maestro Shyamsundar. There will be a session on ‘kshethravadya’ which will have names like Mattannoor Sankarankutty and Peruvanam Kuttan Marar.
Prof Mavelikkara K. Velukutty Nair, now 85, was the first teacher of the department. He, along with Prof Palakkad C.S. Krishnamoorthy, will inaugurate the reception committee office on the College premises at 10.15 a.m. on Wednesday.
“The highlight of the programme will be the presence of many old students of the College. We are planning to hold programmes at RLV Music College, Tripunithura, and Music College, Palakkad, in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations. A curriculum development seminar is another event we are planning,’’ said Balasubramoniam.
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