Gokul Chandramouli and Shankari Krishnan - Mulund fine arts - concert review

Review by Bhanu Kumar in Mumbai Mirror dated 16th June 2010 :




It was a day dedicated to music. Morning session of talent recognition concert by Gokul Chandramouli and evening session by senior vocalist Sankari Krishnan from Chennai, both concerts hosted by Mulund Fine Arts Society at the Bhakta Sangham temple complex hall, Mulund West on June 13.

The morning concert presented by Gokul Chandramouli had a good crowd in spite of Sunday morning. A B-Tech graduate in electrical engineering, presently he pursues his post graduation in Energy systems from IIT Mumbai. Trained by his maternal grandmother Bhagwathi Mani in the formative years, Gokul continues learning music under his paternal uncle an illustrious vocalist Neyveli Santhanagopalan.
“Music runs in the genes from both sides and Gokul has been performing from the age of fourteen. Recently he performed in Pune,” informs his father Chandramouli.“He is the recipient of Yuva Kalakar award in the year 2008 and D K Pattammal Best singer in the metropolis award and has also won a tambura award, all from Shanmukhananda Sangeet Sabha. All this besides many prizes and laurels in music, Gokul is a winner throughout,” says his mother Sudha Chandramouli.
Gokul presented Vatapi Ganapati and the Ragam Tanam Pallavi in Thodi was well rendered. Endowed with a good musical voice Gokul exhibited the good training received and practice that he has put in. He was ably supported by Sharada Murali on the Violin and Rajesh Sreenivasan on the mridangam. His mother Sudha played the tambura. “Gokul has been able to balance studies and singing, doing justice to both,” adds his father.
The concert was supported by Music Forum, an organization that encourages young artistes by showcasing their performances in Mumbai. The audience went home and came back in the evening for the second session of music.


Sankari Krishnan, disciple of musical maestro Lalgudi G Jayaraman displayed high standard of singing that was a combination of meticulous training and creativity.
Beginning with a brisk Andolika Varnam, she went on to present a Lalgudi pancharatnam in ragam Thodi. The ragam tanam pallavi in Ragam Madhyamavati was very well delineated. For the tail piece items, she chose Enna Thavam, a Kavadi Chindu and concluded the concert with a Kanada thilllna.
“The concert was of a very high standard and kept the audience spell bound,” says Hema Veeramani, music teacher from Mulund. Sankari was accompanied on the violin by B Anantharaman and S Sankaranarayanan on the mridangam.
“We do avoid programs during rainy season as members find it difficult to attend but it did not rain on that day and many could attend this pre monsoon program,” says N Rajgopal, president of MFAS.