Composers and Musicians

Shertallay K.N. Renganatha Sharma


Shertallay K.N. Renganatha Sharma, born in 1966 is currently a  Senior Lecturer in Music, Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Vidyalayam, College of Music, Tallakulam, Madurai.  He holds BA(Music) – Ist Rank–1987 and MA Music–1st Rank–1989 both from Government College, Chittur, Palakkad(Calicut University), M.Phil – Indian Music – 1990 from Madras University, and is his Ph.D at Madurai Kamaraj University.  He had been getting training in “Gurukula’ method since 7 years under the tutelage of his father Shertallay.  K. Narayana Iyer, who belongs to the great Semmangudi Music tradition.  He is an ‘A’ Grade artist of All India Radio (Prasarbharathi) & Doordarshan.   He received Central Government Scholarship for advanced training in Music.  He has also received “Tambura” from Indian Fine Arts, Chennai during 1990 music conference and cash award for the expertise in the performance of ‘Ragam –Thanam-Pallavi from Music Academy, Chennai in the year. Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar Memorial Award for Youth Artist from Sri Ragam Fine Arts, Chennai was conferred in the year 1999.  The Title “ISAI JNANA Tilakam” has been conferred by  “KARTHIKAI VIZHA MANDRAM”, UDUMALAI Pettai, TAMILNADU in 2001, and “MADHURA GANA SUDHA” from Sri Vaikkathu Mahadva Ashtami Vizha Mandram, MADHURAI, in  2002.  Since 1999 he has been signing at the Navarathri Mandapam and he is a great proponent of Swathi Thirunal krithis.  Here are two review excerpts on his concerts.

“K.N. RENGANATHA SHARMA hails from a musical family and possesses a melodious and wide ranging voice, capable of any maneuver. The highlight of the concert was that enchanting Bhairavi raga alapana rendered exhaustively in his ringing voice delicately brought out many lilting nuance, bravura passages and meandering phrasings. The composition Janani Maamava of Sri Swathi Thirunal stood out for its majestic rendering. The sangathis were methodically delivered, giving the composition an architectonic structure. In the niraval and the swara pratharas he displayed commendable virtuosity by weaving non-misra swara patterns instead of the usual fox trot patterns. The two bhajans of Sri SWATHI THIRUNAL clothed in Hindusthani ragas were proof of his mastery over that idiom also. In a manner SHARMA’s concert evoked mixed reactions in me. How many gifted musicians, young in age, are there today but why do sabhas pitch their preferences, only on tried names and box office attractions.” (-Review of the concert under the auspices of the SWARALAYA at the constitution club, NEW DELHI by Sri SUBBUDU the great music critic in THE STATESMAN on 12-05-1997)

Performing on the final day of the Swathi Thirunal Sangeethothsav, Prof. Renganatha Sharma dedicated his well- contoured concert exclusively to Swathi Thirunal Kritis. He presented the kriti ‘Puhi Sowre’ in Nattai Raga before moving on to “Gangeya Vasana Dhara” in Hamirkalyani Raga, of which the raga alapana was deftly handled. Coming to the main part of the concert, Sharma went into a well detailed raga-alapana of Thodi. The artiste fully exploited his inherently vibrant and rich voice to paint a beautiful image of the Raga swarupa. The kriti ‘Bharathi mamava’ (Adi) with it’s brilliant Jathi interwoven chittaswara was sung with a well-structured niraval at the customary phrase, ‘Sarada vidhu mandala’ and while singing the kalpana swara one saw the artiste using the interesting and complicated combinations.

(-Review by Smt. LEKHA NANDAKUMAR in the daily ‘THE HINDU’ on December 7th Friday –2001 of the concert held in SWATHI MUSIC DAIS, CALICUT, on 18th November 2001.)


 


 
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