4-Jul: IHS was treated to a lec-dem/ concert on the History of Carnatic Music by the Karnatic Music Forum, Chennai Chapter. The lec-dem was led by the convener of the Music Forum, Kalaimamani Dr. S Sunder, a multi-faceted personality – a practicing doctor, a performing musician, and a television anchor. Accompanying him were Shri V. V. Ravi on the violin, Shri Babu on the mridangam, Shri Rajagopal on the kanjira, and vocalist Ms. Keerthana.
In its mission to promote Carnatic music across generations, the forum has undertaken several initiatives, one of which is visiting schools to introduce and explore the nuances of Carnatic music. The lec-con which spread over roughly two hours was a sort of amalgam of a concert and a lec-dem, and took the audience on a musical journey from the time of the vedas to present-day. In tracking the evolution of what started as pan-Indian musical form, the audience participated in a musical conversation in which they were introduced to eminent composers and were treated to several forms / examples of Carnatic music including divya prabandham, thevaram, ashtapadi, padams, varnams, kritis and keerthana.
Dr. Sunder also gifted the school a copy of his book ‘FAQs in Carnatic Music’.