|
 In a one-of-its-kind event, Mumbai Carnatic classical musician Vasumathi Badrinathan will feature in the renowned Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, Morocco. The only Indian artiste to perform this year, Vasumathi has been invited to represent India and its culture on this prestigious global platform.
The Fes Festival, organised by the King of Morocco, will celebrate 13 glorious years this season. The festival boasts of international legends such as Barbara Hendricks, Johhny Clegg and Bartabas, to name a few. "It is indeed a great honour to present my music and represent India at this prestigious festival," says Vasumathi Badrinathan. Vasumathi's concert is scheduled for June 8 at the famous Batha Museum in Fes, where she will present the traditional Carnatic repertoire.
A multi-hued performer: Vasumathi Badrinathan is a multi-hued performing artiste of rare sensitivity and versatility. As a vocalist of Indian classical Carnatic music, Vasumathi artistically blends tradition and creativity in her singing. Subsequent to the initial grooming at a very young age from her mother, late Padma Seshadri, Vasumathi learnt Carnatic music from T R Balamani in Mumbai, India. Vasumathi's style is one derived from fine tradition, which was passed on by her mother and she enjoys a rich traditional repertoire by virtue of her training. With more than two decades of performing experience, Vasumathi is a regular performer in the Madras music season and several other festivals within India.
An international artiste: Vasumathi has toured extensively the Asia-Pacific and Europe and has been presenting concerts in France for the last nine consecutive years. Early this year, Vasumathi was invited by France-3 Television channel in Paris to participate in their international edition of their extremely popular show 'Questions pour un Champion'. Reunion Island invited her to participate in their annual festival for 10 days, wherein she presented several concerts, lecture-demonstrations and workshops. TV5, the French Television channel, awarded Vasumathi a prize for 'Best Poetic Adaptation' for her creation of a musical piece on India, based on the novel 'The City of Joy' by French author Dominique Lapierre. This musical piece was converted into a video film which included a personal interview with Dominique Lapierre. TV5 featured Vasumathi as an artiste in their popular show 'World City – Bombay'. Presently, Vasumathi is working with a Jazz musician in Paris, to create a fusion album which will combine Indian classical music with world music.
 Vasumathi presents her research work in the form of lecture-demonstrations in various national and international forums, seminars and conferences, radio and television. Some of her well-known and popular productions are:
Stree Gaanam – Women composers in Carnatic Music
Swar Samvad – a confluence of Hindustani and Carnatic music
Music of the Mystics
Saga of Raga, Padams & Javalis and Spirituality in Indian Music to name a few.
A recipient of the junior fellowship given by the Department of Culture, Government of India, Vasumathi was awarded several titles including Sur-Mani, Singara Mani, Padma Kala Sagara & Padma Bharathi. Vasumathi has been featured in 'Kalai Malar' on Jaya TV and on CNBC, Vijay TV, TNT Television – Paris, etc. Being a graded artiste of the All India Radio, Vasumathi is also an empanelled artiste of ICCR. She has four music albums to her credit, namely, Swara Dhwani, Tamilmarai Isai (Alwar Pasurams), Nayika (Telugu Padams) and Tamil
Padams.
R Rangaraj
|
