Vocalist Sanjay Subrahmanyan — one of the foremost south Indian classical vocalists — will receive the coveted ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ award of The Music Academy this year. He will preside over the 89th annual conference of the Academy to be held between December 15, 2015 and January 1, 2016.
“He is the unanimous choice of the executive committee of the Academy and in selecting Mr. Subrahmanyan we have restored the practice of awarding the title both to veteran and young musicians who are at the peak of their career. The practice existed till the late 1970s. Mr Subrahmayan is a vocalist par-excellence and torchbearer of his generation of Carnatic musicians,” said N. Murali, President, The Music Academy.
Following the recognition, 47–year–old Sanjay Subrahmanyan will join the galaxy of great musicians such as Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer, Semmangudi R. Srinivasa Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniam, M.L. Vasanthakumari and M. Balamuralikrishna who were awarded the title before they turned 50. As an artiste who made a mark in his early performing years, Mr. Subrahmanyan is known for his high-energy and consistently crowd-pulling shows. His music stands out in its uncompromising classical content. His novel interpretations of several lesser-known ragas and his particular interest in engaging with Tamil compositions won him critical acclaim over the years.
Mr. Subrhamanyan, a chartered accountant by training, chose to become a full-time musician 2000. “It is a great honour and I have no words to articulate my feelings,” he told The Hindu on Sunday. “I have had a good relationship with the Academy, which is a great institution serving the cause of music and dance. It is a great recognition and acknowledgement of my music,” he said, adding that he owed his success to the blessings of his gurus such as Lakshmi Narayanan, Rukimini Rajagopalan, Calcutta Krishnamurthy and Semponnarkoil S.R.D. Vaidhyanathan.
He said the award would inspire him further to uphold the greatness of music.
Mr. Murali said the award would be conferred on Mr Subrahmayan at the Sadas slated for January 1.
The Sangita Kala Acharya awards will go to vocalist Mysore Nagamani Srinath and percussionist T.H. Subashchandran. Nagaswaram artiste Seshampatti Sivalingam and veena artiste Kamala Aswathama will get the T.T.K. awards. The ‘Musicologist’ award will go to Gowri Kuppusamy and the Pappa Venkatramaiah award for violin will be given to M.S. Mani. Noted dancer Alarmel Valli will be conferred the Natya Kala Acharya award on January 3 on the occasion of the inauguration of the dance festival.
