Music fest in the memory of last maharaja

MYSORE: The city is remembering one of the cultural icons who helped it transform into a cultural hub.
When he was 19 years old, Chamaraja Wadiyar, the Yuvaraja of Mysore, toured Europe where he got hang of the Western music and acquainted with many artistes. Two years later when he ascended the throne following the death of Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1940, he continued with his passion for music. The maharaja was initiated to the Carnatic music and he started playing the veena. His fantasy with the world of Indian classical music continued as he learnt nuances of Carnatic music and composed kruthis.
The Mysore Music Association is celebrating the last Maharaja of Mysore's tryst with music by holding a three-day music carnival starting Friday. As was his style-- both the Western and Indian classical music-- the event is structured to attend to lovers of both genres. The music festival is in memory of the Maharaja, who was hailed as a patron saint of art and literature, M Lakshminarayan, the president of the association, says. Scion of the Mysore royal family Srikantadatta Narasimharaaja Wadiyar is the chief patron of the Association.
History has it that the Maharaja after graduation in 1938 from the Maharaja's College went on a tour of Europe where he got to know the Western music. He was honorary fellow of the London-based Trinity College of Music in 1945 and four years later founded Medtner Society in London to record all of Russian composer and pianist Nikolai Medtner's works. It is said that he wanted to become a concert pianist, a dream that remained unfulfilled as he had to rule Mysore State when his uncle-Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar died when he was 56 years old. It was noted musician Vasudevacharya, the Asthan Vidwan, who taught him the nuances of Carnatic music and he mastered the veena with the help of Vidwan Venkatagiriappa.
The musical hosted in his memory at the Jagan Mohan Palace auditorium will start at 6.30pm and include Mysore police band which will play Carnatic and Western music, an ensemble of the Western music comprising the piano and jazz and instrumental fusion led by the city-based noted artiste-duo Mysore M Nagaraj and Mysore M Manjunath. It will have the violin, flute and the keyboard.
THE LINE-UP
July 15 - Mysore Police band (Carnatic and western music)
July 16 Saturday- Ensemble of western music
July 17- Instrumental fusion
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WEEKEND FARE
The Suttur mutt will organize a Carnatic vocal music conert by Srikantam Nagendra Shastri at its Mysore unit located at the foothills of the Chamundi Hills on Friday at 6pm. This is part of the Beladingala Sangeeth series of the religious institution. A professor of Kannada at Maharani's Arts College, Bangalore, Shastri will be accompanied by H K Narasimhamurthy on the violin and H S Sudindra on the mridangam.
A Yakshagana show depicting the killing of demon king Mahisha by Chamundi will be showcased at Sri Ramakrishna Ashrama on Sunday at 5.30 pm. The ashrama is presenting the show Mahishasura Mardini presented by Karkala-based Sri Mahaganapathi art and cultural foundation.
The Kannada and culture department will organize devotional music concert on Friday at 5 pm at Sri Sharadi Sai Shakti Sannidhi in Ramakrishnanagar E and F block. Vasantha Venkatesh and team will present the event.