The steep Learning Curve!

On route to appearing for the B.Music exams... its a steep climb to the learning curve on this trail.

With bits of inspiration from various great people, I am working hard to complete this milestone.

At my first December Music / Art Festival in Chennai 2011

Thank to the Almighty for the opportunity to perform at 3 Sabhas in Chennai for the very first time - 19th, 20th and 21st December 2011. Amidst work and family schedules, this seemed like a tough nut to crack, but managed them quite well.

I started my musical journey at my very first December Music season with the darshan of Lord Shiva at the Mylapore Kapaleeshwara temple, as the first concert hall was right behind the temple. Was lucky to see the arrangement of a 1000 Conches carrying Tirutam for Lord Shiva. I believed this was surely divine blessing prior to treading on the first few steps ahead.

The very first concert at Kartik Fine Arts on the 19th of December 2011, went off well. Himadrisute , Shyamashastri Kriti in Kalyani was the main piece that I presented, accompanied by a Mridangist from Los Angeles and Shri Shankaranarayanan from Bangalore. I received a good review from a critic with respect to the usage of brigas and the range of my voice.

The second concert was held at Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha on 20th December 2011. I was blessed to perform on the same stage and day when my musical inspiration Smt. Sudha Ragunathan performed, in the evening. That was a great moral booster for me and I was delighted. The main piece I performed was a Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi piece in Kharaharapriya ragam. Accompanied by Shrimati Shivkumari on the violin and Shri. Nellai Sri Krishnan on the Mridangam, it was a good concert with good reviews from the audience. I concluded the recital with a Meera Bhajan in raag Gurjari Thodi.

Post my concert in the evening, I got the opportunity to meet with Sudha M'am, after her mesmerizing concert at Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, with all the concert pieces centered around Lord Krishna theme. Transported to the world of Bhakti, it was a treat to listen to her and carry an unforgettable moment with her with me.

The main focus of my third concert at Brahma Gana Sabha on the 21st December 2011 was a Shyamashastri piece 'Pahi Jagatjanani' in Ragam Vachaspati. I concluded the recital with a Thillanna in Ragam Surya composed by Shrimati Rukmani Ramani , daugther of the Vaggeyakara Shri Papanasam Sivan. I was accompanied at this concert by Smt. Aarti Shankar on the violin and Shri. Krishnan on the Mridangam.

To summarize my musical experience at my first December Art Music festival, I would say that it was a great learning experience and an eye-opener to the high expectations of the knowledgeable music rasikas in Chennai, in addition to the fact that I had explored my potential once again.

Launch of my Official Music website

Today, was a milestone in my music journey, as with God's grace, I was able to launch my website www.rohinimahesh.com .

With over a month's work gone into it, feels good to have it done finally!

Hope to get cracking on more music in the future!

Concert at Rasika Ranjani Sabha

It is always a challenge to execute an entire show on your own.

This is exactly what I did at Rasika Ranjani Sabha, Ghatkophar , Mumbai.

This was my first Sabha concert without the guidance and help of my Guru!

However I managed it well.

Concert commenced 45 mins late as the sound organizer reported late that day.

Despite a bit of anxiety setting in, I was able to pull off the show well, with a Thematic presentation base ie all ragas derived from Kharaarapriya. Also ragas with the names 'Ranjani' and Rasika' present.

Had a good response from the audience and Sabha organizers post the concert.

God's grace!

Cheers

A break on the commercial Music circuit

It was in the year 2010, that I was trying once again to get a break through on the commercial music front (chorus to start with, as solo would require a lot of influence)...with Suresh Wadkarji's Ajivasan Academy studios, in Santacruz.

I got the reference of Devotional Album music director, Shri Sanjay Raj Gauri Nandan. Though I got a lead with him on the devotional music front, I have not progressed with creation of a Bhakti album... need to try harder to get this target achieved .... its a deep intrinsic spiritual thirst of mine to release a Bhakti album, where I contribute to praising the Almighty.

Lets see when I can progress on this front.

In pursuit of knowing the magic of "Veena"

Passion knows no limits.. it cuts through all kinds of barriers.

Another dream of mine, was to learn to play the Veena. This desire took shape accidentally in 2010, when I realized that it is compulsory to learn an instrument to pursue the Bachelors in Music course.

With God's grace, I managed to retrieve a beautiful Tanjavoor veena to play and am also blessed to find a teacher who resides in close proximity, Mrs. Radha Ramchandran, who devotes her time, completely to help me grow in the art of playing the Saraswati Veena.

I am happy to have progressed well with her help on this front. I cleared my exams at the University of Madras in Veena as well..which I consider an achievement, having started so late to understand the Veena playing technique.

Music - an eternal love, a deep passion

Dear Music lovers,

Since my college days, I have been writing poems on subjects that I feel very strongly about or connect intensely with.

Here is a poem that I wish to share - that is close to my heart. It has definitely been inspired by my passion for Music as a musician / vocalist / avid music-lover. Read on...


ð Music is the rhythm of nature,
Which delivers it’s best to you the more you nurture,
It’s twist, smooth turns and pleasurable curls,
Letting you forget all your problems and whirls.

ð Music gives you an eternal levity,
The description of which in brevity,
Is sweet honey to your ears,
Bringing into your eyes joyous tears.

ð Music is a mother to the music-lover,
Quenching his/her thirst for music moreover,
Spreading across merriness and bliss to one and all,
Healing the sick while sharing joy with all.

ð Music heals you like a magic potion,
Bringing out your best emotions,
Ultimately soothing your senses,
Thus leaving no sign of any issue tense.

ð Music is God’s holy gift to the human race,
Enabling us to survive this hasty earthly pace,
Music is an inseparable friend to the music lover,
Who rests under realms of peaceful bliss cover.

- By Smt. Rohini Mahesh

Indian Classical Carnatic Vocalist / Singer