- Nirmala Rajasekar
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Nirmala Rajasekar 
This is a picture of Nirmala Rajasekar performing live in the prestigious Janaranjini Sabha in Kumbakonam, Tamil NaduBackground information Origin Chennai Genres Carnatic, World music Occupations Musician, Composer, Vocalist, Vainika Instruments Veena Labels INNOVA Website http://www.nirmalarajasekar.com/ Nirmala Rajasekar is an Indian veena player in the Carnatic music style. She is a world-renowned performer and a teacher of Carnatic Music as well. The press has often described her as a "Carnatic Ambassador" because she has introduced Carnatic Music to many other art forms of the world. She feels that "...music is the universal language of the world..." and that it must be shared.
Contents
Brief Profile
Nirmala Rajasekar began her training in Veena at age 6 in Chennai from well known practitioners such as Sri Deva Kottai Narayana Iyengar and Smt. Kamala Aswathama. After moving to Bangalore, she learned at the Gana Mandira School in Basavangudi Smt. G Chennama and Smt. E. P. Alamelu.
At this time, the violin Vidwan Sri A. D. Zachariah guided her, and she began her career as a soloist at age 13. Later in Chennai, she was guided by the revered veena vidushi Smt. Kalpakam Swaminathan with whom she continues to study. Her vocal Gurus are Sri B.Sitarama Sarma and Sri T.R. Subramanyam.
Rajasekar has performed in many prestigious venues such as the United Nations and Carnegie Hall, New York City, USA; Northrope Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN; Walker Arts Center, Minneapolis, MN; BBC, London, England; Kongresshaus, Zurich, Switzerland; Musee Rietberg, Zurich, Switzerland; Bali, Indonesia; Music Academy, Chennai, India; Naradha Gana Sabha, Chennai, India; Chembur Fine Arts, Mumbai, India; Bangalore Gayana Samaja, India and the Ravindra Kalakshethra, Bangalore, India.
Nirmala is the artistic director of the school Naadha Rasa, Center for Music. The words 'Naadha Rasa' means the 'essence of tone.' Her school brings Carnatic Music around the entire state of Minnesota, from the famous Minnesota State Fair to the local libraries.
Nirmala also teaches Carnatic Music in many schools and colleges around the world. She has judged numerous music contests around America.
Nirmala has received much recognition for her contributions to the music world, for not only performing and teaching Carnatic Music, but also for introducing it to other art forms in the world. Today, she is one of the leading veena artists.
Awards and recognitions
In 1990 Nirmala was given the topnotch ranking of ‘A grade Artist’ by All India Radio India’s premier gradations boards.
Nirmala was selected as a BUSH Artistic fellow in 2006 by the Bush Foundation thus becoming the first Indian classical musician to receive this honor. India Association of Minnesota chose her to receive their 2008 Achievement award – Nirmala received this at a special event in March 2008 from the First lady of the State of Minnesota for her work as a performer, composer, teacher and for building bridges among various communities in the State of Minnesota.
She has received several grants and commissions including Artists Initiative and Cultural Collaboration Grants from the Minnesota State Arts board, Composers’ grants from the Jerome Foundation, Playwrights Center, St.Olaf College and Compas. She was invited in July 2008 to write for the new music ensemble Zeitgeist. She created the work Thillana Shuffle for quartet on this occasion.
Several organizations in India have felicitated Nirmala for her contributions to the world of music. The Rotary Club of the midtown Trichy awarded her a Vocational Excellence award in December 2008. She was given a Best of the festival concert award in Jan 2009 for the Winter music festival by the Indian Fine Arts Society.
In Jan 2007, the India-based arts journal Apoorva Ragam bestowed upon Nirmala the title ‘Veena Sudar Oli’ (‘Beacon light of Veena music’). She was conferred with another award and honored with the title ‘Nadha Kala Vipanchee’ (preserver of the pure tone of music) by Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna.
Albums and Recordings
Solo albums
Nirmala Rajasekar's first solo album was Melodic Expressions and was released in India.
In 2004, she released her second album, Strings in Unison a veena/violin duet with Sri Mullaivasal G. Chandramouli.
In 2007, she released her third solo album, Song of the Veena in her homestate of Minnesota, USA. The album was released under the American Composers Forum label Innova Recordings. When the cd was released, it was met with much appreciation from the public.
Currently, Nirmala is working on her next album that is to be named Into the Raga. She has planned to release this one internationally as well.
Collaborative Recordings
With the famous American poet Robert Bly, Nirmala has recorded a cd of poetry and music called Poems of Mirabai. In the collaborative project, Rajasekar tuned Mirabai's poetry, and Bly translated them to English. One of the poems Rajasekar tuned, Mayi Re Meh Tho Liyo, has been done in the ragam Desh, and it is considered to be one of her trademark songs.
In another project, Nirmala Rajasekar was featured on the cd, Words will heal the wound a release by Speakeasy Records in Minnesota.
In the documentary film Vishnu: The temple elephant Nirmala not only did the music, but co-authored it as well.
Reviews
Nirmala Rajasekar has been praised by the press countless times. She has often appeared in such newspapers like The New York Times and The Statesman. A few comments are written below:
"A hallmark of Nirmala’s art is a vibrant vocal presence in the music of her Veena"– The Indian Express, Chennai, India.
“She literally makes the Veena sing” - The Statesman, New Delhi, India.
“With Professional Grace..." - The Hindu, Chennai, India
“Nirmala Rajasekar's veena concert made certain things immediately plain. She must have actively pursued this instrument over the years — a genuine lifelong passion — to attain this present level of expertise and self-confidence, which combined well with her presentation methods.” - Hindu.com
“Chaste and sumptuous Kiravani from Nirmala Vainika Nirmala Rajasekar regaled the audience with her exemplary performance at Narada Gana Sabha Hall." -chennaionline.com
References
- Official Website
- A personal interview with Nirmala Rajasekar
- A New York Times article on Nirmala Rajasekar's collaborative work
- [Nirmala Rajasekar's 2009 Biography, printed copy.]
External links
Categories:- Carnatic instrumentalists
- Living people
- People from Chennai
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