The violin virtuosos' musical odyssey started at a tender age of seven and five respectively. Guess the names of the violin duo? Ganesh and Kumaresh. I am not exaggerating if I say that they were born with the violin.
Their father Rajagopalan was a violinist who imparted musical education to his sons. He was a hard task master who would sit with his children during marathon practice sessions. Their mother also played a pivotal role. The young talent was spotted by evergreen hero, the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the inimitable M G Ramachandran. He was so impressed with the prodigies that he made them the State Artistes of Tamil Nadu in 1983. They had reached the pinnacle of fame in their teens.
Their appointment as State Artistes was a morale booster, quips Ganesh, the elder of the duo. From then on, there was no looking back for them. They had joined the bandwagon of vidwans as State Artistes, which was a proud moment for them. Their passion for music has made them drown in the ocean of
'nadam'.
The brothers have played in the Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt in the presence of the Sankaracharyas, which had elevated them to sublime heights. It is a sort of a spiritual awakening, declares
Kumaresh.
Their musical career, spanning over three decades, is filled with memorable events. When the sage of
Kanchi, the Mahaswamigal, was camping at Rameswaram, there were many musical celebrities waiting to have a rendezvous with him. But, to the surprise and happiness of the brothers, the he selected them to play violin for almost five hours during his
pooja. "It is our most valuable and cherished moment," declares Ganesh whose unswerving faith in the Mahaswamigal gave them this golden opportunity.
Ganesh and Kumaresh have travelled throughout the world.
Sitarist non-pariel Pundit Ravi Shanker lauded Ganesh and Kumaresh in London during a concert when they played raga
Bilahari. The audience includedGeorge Harrison's (of Beatles fame) wife. Ravi Shankar heaped praise on the duo and spoke at great length about their 'musical exercise'. The RTP
(ragam, thanam, p allavi) in Bilahari was the piece-de-resistance.
An eventful programme with the Badshah of
rythym, tabla wizard Zakir Hussain, at Los Angels proved to be very momentous for them. The Walt Disney Hall is acclaimed for its excellent acoustics. It was a rare honour for them, their being the first Indians to perform there. Should we not be proud of them ? Playing to Indian audience is enriching and satisfying but playing to an audience abroad is fulfilling and rewarding, opine the brothers. The foreigners are prepared for imbibing and exploring many facets in music.
Ganesh and Kumaresh join a select band of musicians who had a tete-a-tete with show biz (film world). Their foray into films was welcomed by the multitude because they possess an arresting screen presence. The brothers have stormed the world of music with their delightful and mesmerising fusion concerts. They have teamed up with Zakir
Hussain, ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakaram, crowd-puller Drums Sivamani, George Brooks, and others in fusion ensembles which exhibit their creativity and sharp intellect.
They have been awarded the
Kalaimamani, Sunandha Siromani, Sangeetha Sarangi for their musical expertise. Ganesh has accompanied all leading musicians. He is also an 'A' Grade vocal artiste in the AIR.
The violin duo are also famous composers. The audience ask for an encore when they play their own compositions, especially Thillana (fast musical piece).
They have released many albums. Their thematic presentations like
'Colours of India', 'Navarasa' (nine basic emotions), 'Celebrations', 'Spark', 'Raga
Pravaham', speak volumes about their musical instincts. Their latest effort, 'Carnatic Chills', is in the post-production stage. Music should be a reflection of society, feels
Ganesh. The sweltering summer of Chennai gave them a brain wave to cool Chennaivasis with their melodius music and thus Carnatic Chills was conceived.
Harmony is their watchword. They are keen on reviving our rich cultural heritage and preserving our musical treasure for posterity. Dedication and devotion is the mantra of their success. Their role model is their father
Rajagopalan.
They can be contacted at their Chennai office:
Ganesh/Kumaresh
11, Vishnu Gruha
LB Road
Tiruvanmiyur,
Chennai - 600 041
Phone: 0091 44 24911849
Mobile: 9444049118
Bangalore office:
61, 1st A Main,
MICRO Colony
BTM Layout,
Bangalore - 560 076
Telefax: 009180 26783067
Mobile: 36721299
E-mail: ganesh@yahoo.com | kumareshr@yahoo.com
Website : www.ganeshkumaresh.com
Ganesh and Kumaresh
