Admirable classical performances P

rashant Ramachandran’s Mrudanga

Arangetram was held at the Performing Arts Centre, Rowville Secondary College recently. He is a sishya of guru Sridhar Chari of the Laya Vidya Centre for percussion in Melbourne.

Prashant has been a regular performer at several Melbourne Carnatic music events, so his arangetram was an event that was look forward to by the music community. He did not disappoint: Prashant got through the three hour concert with consummate ease, without putting a foot (or finger) wrong. The arangetram was crisp and well presented, with a selection of kritis that included all the important talams that practitioners of mrudangam need to master.

Vocalist Kasturi Rangan - and Mysore Srikanth on the violin - travelled from India for the occasion, and their melodious music presented Prashant with ample opportunities to shine and demonstrate his prowess on the mrudangam. The tani avarttanam – the most important solo segment - followed the Todi raga kriti Dasarathi Nee, and got the full classical treatment from Prashant. He waved patterns of every combination, tempo and complexity, holding the audience in thrall for the entire half hour. The RagamTanam-Pallavi was in Brindavana Saranga and Kanda Triputa talam, - and Kasturi Rangan gave it the full monty: Prashant was equal to all the percussion challenges that were thrown at him. He showed his mettle in his excellent accompaniment of the slow melody - the Ahiri kriti Maayamma, as well the quicker paced ones. A delightful debut performance overall.

Bharatalaya Academy’s Annual Concert was held at the Darebin Arts Centre over 2 days on September 26 and 27. This was the Academy’s 29th Annual Concert, and in more than 3 decades of its existence, it has trained hundreds of dancers and held 108 arangetrams, and no major Indian cultural event is complete without its dancers.

Over two days, several Bharatanatyam and Odissi dances were presented, with solo items from recent arangetram graduates.

Even the very young and novice students acquitted themselves well and it is to the school’s credit that they perform wellchoreographed items that are more than mere adavu routines. The Ashta Lakshmi number by the senior students – performed on both days -with sanchari bhavas depicting the churning of the ocean with the Mandara mountain – was a masterpiece of both choreography and performance – and music.

Over 80 students participated in the event, of a Mother’s Group this year, which is an older group of women- most of them mothers – who have been learning the art form for some time.

Vocal was by Ahilan, Murali Kumar and his student Anita Das on the violin, Balasri Rasiah and his son Hariharan Balasri on the mrudangam; with Nattuvangam by Chandrabhanu, with help from Ambika Docherty and Nisha Leela Sinha Roy. Chitra Sudarshan

India aims at energy partnership with US on Manmohan Singh visit WITH THE US showing a better appreciation of India’s position on climate change, New Delhi hopes to have in place an energy partnership when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh comes on a state visit in November.

The ultimate objective is to “have some articulation and finalisation of institutional partnership in the field of energy, environment and climate change”, Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said winding up his visit to the US.

“We are hoping that between now and November, we would be in a position to give operational content to many of these ideas. It would be reflected suitably in some statement after the two heads of state meet in November,” he said.

“India is a responsible player wanting a fair and equitable (climate change) agreement and prepared to play a leadership role in this regard, given its unique position in world affairs,” said Ramesh noting that “in the last month and a half, there has been a noticeable shift in narrative as far as India is concerned”.

“We have a long way to go,” he said. But “The fact that the US is saying emission cuts is not the only way for countries like India to reflect their domestic obligations internationally is a big step forward.” The United States’ readiness to appreciate India’s actions taken unilaterally and voluntarily as part of a domestic legislative agenda is also a better appreciation of that today than may be a couple of months ago, he said.

“We have to take forward this dialogue. We will be in close touch with our American counterparts,” he said adding: “Today we have a better understanding of what the US is doing and certainly the US has a better understanding of what we are doing.”

Ramesh, who met US officials on climate change and several influential lawmakers, said: “The important thing is change in perception of India” in the US. During his visit to New York and Washington, Ramesh had two rounds of discussions with Todd Stern, special US envoy for climate change. He also met Energy Secretary Steven Chu, besides a number of lawmakers - John Kerry, chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Congressmen Edward Markey and Jim McDermott.

Casual Producer –Gujarati Language Program

Casual Position ($28.98 per hour) sbs.com.au/jobs

A radio story: Established in June 1975 and now the world’s most linguistically diverse radio network, SBS Radio currently broadcasts in 68 languages across Australia and globally online.

SBS’s Audio and Language Content Division is looking for casual relief Producers for the Gujarati Language Program.

As part of a team, you’ll be involved in creating and broadcasting audio content for the Gujarati-speaking community. You’ll be required to research, write, produce, sub-edit, translate and present audio content on radio and online.

You’ll need to be proficient in written and spoken Gujarati and English (successful applicants will be required to pass a language assessment). A background in journalism and broadcasting is preferred. These positions involve rostered shift work and successful candidates must be able to undertake shift work (which may involve evening and weekend work).

We’re not offering permanent positions, just casual relief work. For more information and to apply visit www.sbs.com.au/jobs. Applications addressing the Selection Criteria must be lodged on the SBS website by 5pm on 27 October 2009.