Orchestra Vocal : Snigdha Venkataramani is an accomplished Carnatic vocalist and has undergone training under various senior teachers, prominent among them being Padmabhushan Yuva Bharati Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana, Sh. K. Vageesh and Smt. K. Sudha, Smt. Sarada Presents Subramanian and Guru Smt Radhakrishna. She is currently training under vocal duo - Sh. K.N. Shashikiran and Chitravina P. Ganesh, popularly known as the Carnatica Brothers. Contrasts and Parallels She also learnt Theory in Music and Dance from musicologist [Late] Sh. T. S. By Parthasarathy. She received the Junior Scholarship from the Center for Cultural Indumathy Ganesh, Jyothi Lakkaraju, Radhika Shankar and Resources and Training (CCRT), Government of India, and is a graded artiste of the All Nirupama Vaidhyanathan India Radio, New Delhi. She has released two music albums - "SAMARPANAM", of Carnatic music compositions and "NATYA MANJARI", which comprises a repertoire for . January 24th, 2015, 4:00 pm Mission Center of Performing Arts, Santa Clara Flute by Ashwin Krishnakumar was trained in Carnatic classical flute by Sri A V Prakash www.yuvabharati.org in Mysore and by Late Sri B N Suresh in Bangalore and recognized with a scholarship from the Central Govt. of India (CCRT) to pursue advanced training in flute. His accomplished musical career includes several solo concerts and he has accompanied and Slokham various classical dance, light music productions and fundraisers in India and the US. Ragam Revathi Talam: Adhi Composer: Dr. : Balaji Mahadevan had his initial training from Shri K.S.S.Mani (). Ardhanareeswarar stothram He continued to learn from Shri Madhu Sudhanan, Chennai (disciple of Shri Karikudi Ragamalika Talam: Kantachapu Composer: Adi Sankara Mani). Balaji has accompanied many leading artists in Chennai and US and also provide Dancers: All accompaniment for dance programs. He has also played for audio cassette / CD This is an invocatory song that is traditionally performed at the beginning of a recordings and TV shows. Balaji Mahadevan is a graded artist from All India radio, dance recital. This will be followed by Ardhanareeswara stothram, a verse Chennai. He is also skilled in playing , , , Khol. celebrating the contrasting feminine and masculine energies of the Universe. Nattuvangam : Jayanthi Sridharan is a disciple of guru Padmashri Shri Adyar K. Adi Sankara says, “Parvathi’s body shimmers like molten gold while ’s Lakshman and is nurtured in the Kalakshetra tradition. Jayanthi has toured throughout body is similar to sparkling . Her body is smeared with musk and the world, performing and conducting lecture demonstrations on the art of saffron, while his body is smeared with ash. I salute Goddess Parvathi and Lord Bharatanatyam. She has also received extensive training in Nattuvangam. She founderd Shiva, the mother and father of the whole of creation.” Bharathakala Kutiram, an academy for Bharathanatyam in 1992. The school is located in North San Jose and is committed to excellence in the art of, Bharatanatyam. Varnam Bharathakala Kutiram has presented Samarpanam, Nala Damayanthi and Maitreem Ragamalika Talam: Adhi Composer: Lalgudi G Jayaraman Bhajatha productions in North America and India. Dancers: All Violin: Murali Pavithran hails from a family of musicians. He started his violin lessons This varnam portrays the nine rasas displayed by Goddess Meenakshi, an with Smt.Poosarla Manorama. Later he was under the tutelage of Sri. Peri Sri Rama avatar of Goddess Parvathi who lived in the temple town of Madurai. Murthy. He obtained his certificate and degree from the Telugu University. He won 1st The nine emotions are sringara (love), veera (bravery), adbhutha (amazement), prize in Kalasagaram 3 years in a row and Govt. of India Junior scholarship for excellence hasya (laughter), bhayanaka (fear), roudra (anger), bibhatsa (disgust), karunya in music (Violin) for 7 years. He has performed regularly in Doordarshan and All India (compassion) and shantha (peace). This is a unique varnam in which the viewer Radio. He has also learnt vocal music from Mahamahopadhyaya Sri. Kollegal R can marvel at the Goddess's contrasting emotions as she reacts to different Subramanyam () and Smt. T R Balamani (Mumbai). He was also the music situations. director for 3 years at the theatrical productions at the Performing Arts Festival in IIT, Mumbai and he was also a member of the fusion band in IIT. Murali finished his undergraduate degree from IIT Mumbai, and he is now pursuing his PhD in Chemical INTERMISSION Physics at the University of California at Los Angeles. Rusli Radha Ragam Misra Yaman Talam: Adhi Composer: Rangeshwar Ashtapadhi Ragam: Behag Talam:Misrachapu every wish of his devotee throughout the day. Through the sub-text of the Composer: Jayadeva Dancer: Nirupama Vaidhyanathan song, we realize that God indeed searches for and serves his true devotees. Sringara rasa: Viraha and sambhoga sringara Rusli Radha : This delightful Marathi song depicts the situation when Radha and Thillana Krishna have an argument and turn away from each other. The poet is Ragam: Amrithavarshini Talam: Adhi astounded to see that the whole of Gokul grieves to see the couple apart from Composer: Ranganayaki Jayaraman each other. Dancers: All The poet wonders, “Who will let go of their anger first and speak the first This is a rhythmic finale to the program celebrating rhythmic complexity. word? Will it be Krishna or Radha?” In the end, their anger dissolves, with the MANGALAM two lovers enjoying each other’s company in solitude. Ashtapadhi – Kuruyadunandana : Jayadeva’s ashtapadhi is a rare example of Artists sambhoga sringara , capturing the intimacy when two lovers unite as one. Radha tells Krishna with a feeling of authority borne out of her deep love for Indumathy Ganesh received her initial training under Padmashree Chitra Visveswaran. him, “O Krishna, it is you who needs to set right all that has been disturbed In addition to staging several solo traditional Bharathanatyam concerts, Ganesh has during our time together. Use your hands to apply sandal paste, to decorate my choreographed and presented several thematic productions including: Glory of Rama, Bhakthi Shakthi – The Strength of Devotion, Arpana, Dance of Shiva, Shakthi, Swapna body with designs and apply kohl to my eyes that have lost their lustre.” and Recollections. She has also collaborated with other dancers in the San Francisco Bay Area to choreograph and present fundraisers for the community. She is the director of Nrittakaranamala Nrityollasa Dance Academy. Ragamalika Talam: Adhi Jyothi Lakkaraju obtained her initial training in from Guru Sri Chinta Composer: Snigdha Venkataramani Dancer: Radhika Shankar Radhakrishna Murthy and his son Sri Chinta Adinarayanan Sarma. Later, she received This is a rhythmic exploration of karanas and adavus . In the Bharatanrithyam advanced training in Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam from Dr. Uma Rama Rao. She style founded by Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, karanas found in temple received “Singara Mani” and "Nrithya Bharathi" titles, in recognition of her excellence. sculptures form the basis for the movement vocabulary. Similar to adavus or Smt. Jyothi established Natyalaya Kuchipudi School of Dance in the year 2000. Natyalaya steps, karanas are units of rhythm that can be used in dance choreography. In dance team has showcased Kuchipudi artform 3 times for the years 2010, 2011 and this song, karanas and adavus have been used to project soft movements 2014 at the prestigious San Francisco Ethnic dance Festival and was nominated for the following the lasya style and strong movements that follow the tandava style prestigious Isadora Duncan Dance Award in 2010. of dancing. Radhika Shankar , a Bharatanrityam artiste, has trained under the world renowned

Padmashree Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam at Nrithyodaya Dance Academy in Chennai. God as the seeker Radhika has given solo performances at several bay area venues and also produced "Art Mahabharatha and ‘Kannan en sevagan’ of Karanas" a thematic production. She has also performed at Yuva Bharati. Radhika was Ragamalika Talam: Chatusra Ekam a key participant at the Golden jubilee celebration of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam’s Composers: Sage Vyasa and Subramania Bharathi Nrithyodaya Dance Academy in Chennai, India and was given the award of "Bharata Dancers: Indumathy Ganesh and Jyothi Lakkaraju Nritya Seva Mani". In addition to her Bharatanrityam, Radhika works as a senior District The next two songs depict God in a contrasting manner different from what Technical Manager at SYNOPSYS. She teaches Bharatanrityam in Fremont, California. audiences are used to. Instead of showing the devotee as seeking God, here, Nirupama Vaidhyanathan received training in Bharatanatyam under Swamimalai we show God seeking and even fulfilling the wishes and vows of his true S.K. Rajarathnam and Kalanidhi Narayanan. Nirupama has performed and toured India, devotees. the United States and Afghanistan. Nirupama is a multi-faceted artist, - dancer, In the Mahabharata, Lord Krishna takes a vow at the outset that he will not lift choreographer and arts writer. Her essay on the poetry of Meerabai and St. Teresa of a weapon in battle. Bheeshma declares, “If I am your true devotee, I will make Avila has been published in the book, 'Voyages of Mind and Soul: Selected Female Icons sure that you lift a weapon before the end of this war.” As the war unfolds, to of India and Beyond' by Cambridge Publishing Group in 2014. She runs the Sankalpa fulfill his devotee’s vow, Krishna lifts a chariot wheel as a weapon, thus School of Dance in Fremont, where she trains youngsters to pursue this art form with revealing that God will fulfill a devotee’s every wish. passion and commitment. In Bharatiar’s ‘ Kooli miga ketpaan’ , this truth is again brought out through humor. The poet depicts Lord Krishna as a mere servant willing to take care of