Erode nagaraj

Shri Erode Nagaraj, Asthana Vidhvan of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, learnt the art of Mrudangam initially from Palladam Shri V. Ramachandran and is the disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Padmabushan Umayalpuram Sri K. Sivaraman for the past 14 years.

He is an “A” grade artiste and has taken mrudangam as his fulltime profession. He is working as a lecturer in the “Thanjavur Vaidyanatha Iyer School for Percussion”, The Music Academy, Chennai, since 1998.

He also conducts classes through online to performers and students in the US, UK, CANADA, FRANCE and other countries.

He has accompanied artists like Padmabhushan Sri P.S.Narayanaswamy, Chengalpat Ranganathan, Calcutta Krishnamurthy, Neyveli Santhanagopalan, Sikkil Sisters, Sikkil Gurucharan, V.V. Ravi, Vijay Siva, Sasikiran, Malladi Brothers, S.P. Ramh, Ranjani & Gayathri, Gayathri Venkatraghavan, Lakshmi Rangarajan, Gayathri Girish, Saralaya Sisters, Surya Prakash and many others. He has been performing in All India Radio and Doordarshan and in sabhas like The Music Academy, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, The Indian Fine Arts Society and other well-known sabas from 1994.

Awards

1) First Prize in Talentia – 87, 1987 at Erode, State Level

2) President’s Scholarship, 1994-96.

3) Best Player – afternoon Concerts – 3-1-96, The Indian Fine Arts Society.

4) Kumbakonam Sri Azhaga Nambiah Pillai and Sakkottai Sri Rangu Iyengar award, Sri Krishna GanaSaba, 1-8-99.

5) Vaikom Krishna Iyer award, The Music Academy, 1-1-2001.

6) Best Player Award – Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Saba, Dec.2002

7) Pazhani Sri Subramania Pillai and Sri K.R.Sundaram Iyer award for Best Mrudangist, sub-senior,The Music Academy, 1-1-2004

Notes

References

1. http://www.nscottrobinson.com/southindiaperc.php

2. http://www.chennaionline.com/chennaicitizen/2004/02nagarajan.asp

3. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=- 6320421505137094424

4. “Erode Nagarajan’s genius was evident throughout the concert and reached great heights when he played defining tani in the kanda jathi eka thalam in chathusra nadai” - http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/01/10/stories/2006011000220600.htm

5. “Erode K. S. Nagarajan (mridangam) in association with Guruprasad (ghatam) shared the excellence of the cutcheri with judicious percussive support containing manifold manipulation of patterns and korvais” - http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2003/02/28/stories/2003022801180400.htm

6 .“Erode Nagarajan, then and there, produced Laya appeal by skillfully playing on Mridangam. Erode Nagarajan’s rhythmic support deserves great appreciation. A Mridagam Maestro as he is, his “Thani” received a thunderous applause from the audience - http://sangeetham1.tripod.com/rev0901b.htm

7. “Erode Nagarajan (mridangam) showed his accommodative nature and gave a tani marked by an unflagging adherence to standardised kalapramana’ – http://www.hindu.com/ms/2006/01/04/stories/2006010400180600.htm

8. “Erode Nagaraj ‘s percussionary support was laudable, more particularly so, during Thani Avarthanam. He imparted the necessary impulse to integrate the laya patterns with the vibrant musical quality” –http://sangeetham1.tripod.com/rev1102.htm

9. “Erode Nagarajan gave good support on the mridangam, playing a competent Tani avarthanam in a difficult tala pattern — Adi tala tisra nadai for a tricky eduppu” - http://www.hinduonnet.com/fr/2002/12/13/stories/2002121301400600.htm

10.“Erode Nagaraj on the mridangam lent distinction to percussive support. The patterns served to heighten the impact of the songs - http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file