Sruti is proud to present a grand Carnatic Vocal Concert by Malladi Brothers, accompanied by Sayee Rakshith (Violin) and Tumkur B. Ravishankar (Mridangam)

Malladi Brothers (Vocal)

Vidwans Malladi Brothers Sreeramaprasad and Dr. Ravikumar were born into a family rich in Carnatic music tradition. They received initial training from their father Sri Suri Babu and additional training from Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Pada Pinakapani and his well-known disciple, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Nedunuri Krishnamurthy.

A large repertoire of Carnatic compositions, vibrant and powerful voices have made Malladi Brothers highly sought after. Their musical intellect, melody & aesthetics provide for a most scintillating concert. They have sustained a classic and symbolic expression of Carnatic music, receiving prestigious awards including the Isai Peroli by Karthik Fine Arts; Aasthana Vidwan of the Avadhoota Datta Peetham; Naadha Bhushanam from Shanmuganandha Fine Arts; Naadha Mani from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Ravikumar was recently awarded a Doctorate degree by Andhra University, India.

Malladi brothers have traveled extensively around the world, promoting and preserving the rich traditional music heritage they represent.

Sayee Rakshith (Violin)

Sayee Rakshith started his musical journey at an early age of ten. He initially learnt violin under Shri T.V. Ramani and continued training under the tutelage of Shri K.G. Rajesh and Sangeetha Kalanidhi A. Kanyakumari. He has performed duet concerts with his guru as well accompanying leading artists in concerts across India and abroad.

Sayee has been a part of the band ‘Staccato’ since 2018 and continues to collaborate with leading musicians across various genres. He has also been playing in the film industry for leading music directors.

Sayee has received several awards including Lalgudi Jayaraman Endowment award from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha; Best accompanist award by Karnataka Fine arts council; Won the First prize in the national competition conducted by All India Radio for Carnatic Violin; Best concert award for the HCL concert series from the Music Academy, Madras.

Tumkur B. Ravishankar (Mridangam)

Ravishankar hails from a family of Mridangam artists. He started learning mridangam from his father Vidwan Tumkur T.V. Bhadrachar and had advanced training from the mridangam maestro Vidwan Karaikudi R. Mani.

Ravishankar has traveled extensively in India and abroad. He is a sought after Mridangam artist and has won several awards to his credit. He is currently a graded artist on the All India Radio & Doordarshan.

List of Songs

Track 1 – Varnam – Anandha Bhairavi

Track 2 – Raghunayaka – Hamsadhwani

Track 3 – Sri Kamakshi – Devagandhari

Track 4- Devi Sri Tulasamma – Mayamalavagowla

Track 5 – Chetasri – Dwijavanthi

Track 6 – ikaka valasina – Balahamsa

Track 7 – Mohanarama – Mohanam

Track 8 – Kumaran Thaazh – Yadukula Khamboji

Track 9 – RTP – Nasika Bhushani

Track 10 – Takkuvemi – Saurashtram

Track 11 – Kandena – Maand

Track 12 – Pahi Pahimam -Jonpuri

Track 13 – Vishwanatha – Bhajan – Pahadi

Track 14 – Narayana the???

Track 15 – Chandrasekhara – Sindhu Bhairavi

Track 16 – Uyyala Lugavayya – Nilambari

Track 17 – Mangalam

Concert Review

Malladi Brothers Concert Review

By Uma Sivakumar

Malladi Brothers, Vidwan Sri Sreeramprasad and Vidwan Sri Ravikumar, marked their return to the Sruti stage after five years with an outstanding concert on May 13, 2023, coinciding with Mother’s Day. They were ably accompanied by Vidwan Sayee Rakshith on the Violin and Vidwan Tumkur Ravishankar on the Mridangam. The duo started with a lesser-known Varnam, ChaluvUda NinnE in Ananda Bhairavi, composed by Ambachatram Kannuswamy, capping off the caraNam with a flurry of crisp half Avarthanam swarams. Thyagaraja Swami’s evergreen Hamsadhwani kriti, RaghunAyaka, was rendered with immense sowkyam at an ambient medium tempo and the swaram exchanges with the emphasis on the nishAdam were enjoyable. 

A fantastic exposition of dEvagAndhari was followed by “Sri KAmAkshi Shaila RAja Tanaye”, a krithi of Spencer Venugopal in Misra ChAppu, which the brothers indicated was notated by Sripada Pinakapani and taught by their father, Malladi Suri Babu through Sangeetha SikshanA program of All India Radio. Sayee Rakshith matched the brothers note for note all through the krithi.  Next up was a briskly rendered dEvi Sri tuLasamma in Mayamalava Gowlai. Neraval was done on “pAvani brahmEndradhulu” and the swarams culminated in a simple yet impactful kOrvai with a combo of khandam, misram and sankeernam. 

The highlight of the concert for me was a wonderful AlApana of DwijAvanthi by Sri Ravikumar. ChEtasri BAlakrishnam was the song of choice, with some beautifully woven swarams at “nava thulasi vanamAlam” with variations of the “ni sa dhA ni rI” phrase. ika kAvalasinadEmI in BalahamsA was the loosener before the duo launched into the main piece of the evening – a beautiful mOhanam AlApana followed by a briskly rendered mOhana rAmA of Saint ThyAgarAjA. Swarams were rendered in two speeds at the Pallavi line. Tumkur Ravishankar played a thundering thani – the subtle and deceptively simple transitions to thisram with a nicely woven reductive kOrvai were delectable and the fast paced thisram sequences with multiple 9+3 combinations were equally delightful.  Following this was the pApanAsam Sivan masterpiece, Kumaran tAL PanindhE in Yadukula KhAmbOji. 

The rAgam-tAnam-Pallavi for the evening was in Nasikabhushani set to Chathusra Jhampa thALam, khanda nadai with eduppu after 8 mAthrAs. The Pallavi “pAhimam Sri rAjarAjeshwari KripAkari Shankari” was also fittingly chosen as a Mother’s Day tribute. rAgamalika swarams were rendered in Reetigowlai, Valachi, Lalitha, Janaranjani, and finally Sivaranjani (bringing back fond memories of their beautiful Sivaranjani ending for the misra thriputai Pallavi from their older Sruti concert).  The brothers then presented a nice mix of semi-classical songs starting with BadrAchala rAmdas’ “TakkuvEmi Manaku” in sUryakAntham followed by PurandaradAsA’s “KandEnA gOvindanA” in mAnd. Narayana Theerthar’s “pAhipAhimam paramakripAlo” in JhOnpuri and the kAsi Sivan Krithi, Hey VishwanAtha in PahAdi were both presented soulfully. The duo then engaged the audience in an interactive sing-along with “NarAyanathe NamO NamO”. The concert ended with “ChandrasEkarA IshA” in Sindhu Bhairavi. 

Malladi Brothers are known for their impeccable adherence to classicism and patAnthram, and as always left an indelible mark with yet another outstanding concert true to their principles and legacy. Thanks to the Sruti board for presenting the Brothers again. 

Uma Sivakumar is a Carnatic music singer and teacher, avid rasikA, past president and a long-time supporter of SRUTI.