BANGALORE: Perhaps the only father-son flautist duo of Karnataka, B K Anantharam and Amith Nadig have carved a special niche for themselves in the music industry. Anantharam has been recognised as an able performer, teacher and organiser.
He has Carnatic classic music in his veins. To use a cliche, Anantharam’s musical journey began when he was six. His two brothers, including B K Chandramowli, are adept musicians. Inspired by his famous vocalist-mother Rajamma Keshavamurthy and vocalist-father B M Keshavamurthy, he had a grounding in vocal music which helped him in fashioning his vocal-based flute play. He was fortunate to have C M Madhuranath (a prominent disciple of flute Mali) as his Guru to master the subtleties of flute play. Anantharam also benefited from training under great flautists like B N Suresh and M R Doreswamy. He was also guided by late violinist Anur S Ramakrishna and ace vocalist Dr R K Srikanthan. A short stint with veteran flute maestro Dr Ramani was also rewarding.
He endeared himself to the rasikas with his artistry and scholarship. His concerts within and outside the country have won him a great following. A recognised artiste of Akashwani and ICCR, Anantharam has been performing along with his son Amith for more than a decade. He has brought out many CDs including a unique audio visual CD. He has built a compact and small auditorium on the roof top of his house.
He has been training a good number of students under the banner of Vamshi Sangeetha Academy Trust. Besides performances, he has been teaching music, organising workshops, camps, seminars etc, for the propagation of the Indian classical music. Annual music festivals are being held and deserving artistes are being honoured with titles and awards. He has been actively connected with other music organisations. His ambitious programme of taking music to the people under the banner of ‘Maneyangaladalli Sangeetha Satsanga’ has been a fruitful one.
A multi-faceted music activist, B K Anantharam has been selected to preside over the five-day 41st Sri Shankara Jayanathi music conference of Sri Thyagaraja Gana Sabha, Rajajinagar being held from April 25 to 29 at Sri Vani Vidya Kendra, Rajajinagar. He will be conferred with the title of ‘Kala Bhushana’ at the valedictory programme to be held on Sunday morning. In the same programme other accomplished personalities Usha Ramamurthy (Gotuvadya), Govindaswamy (violin), Shivamurthy (gamaka), Phalachandra Sastry (veda) and H R Usha (Education) are also being felicitated.
drmsuryaprasad@gmail.com