The Indian Music Society of Minnesota (IMSOM)
and the Cedar Cultural Center

jointly invite you to join us for an exciting and truly unique evening of
Carnatic
percussion and instrumental music:

"A Musical Odyssey In Rhythm Fantasies"

with

Mridangam Maestro UMAYALPURAM K. SIVARAMAN

& Troupe (see below for details of the troupe)

DATE: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2004
TIME: 7:30 PM

VENUE:
Cedar Cultural Center
http://www.thecedar.org/
416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454

For a map and parking information please visit the link above.

TICKETS:
Advance: Students/Seniors/IMSOM Members: $15.00, General $18.00
Day of concert: All $20.00 (No discounts on the day of concert)

SAVE $$$! Purchase tickets in advance at the IMSOM website (http://
www.imsom.org/html_files/online/adv_tkt_20040910.jsp)
OR
at the Cedar website (http://www.thecedar.org/tix.html).

Current IMSOM members may use their passes at this concert. Please email or call
Kari Askeland (kari@... or 612-879-9695) to reserve your seat(s) if you
plan
to use your IMSOM member passes.

About the Artists and Their Instruments:
-----------------------
Sri Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, one of the leading mrudangam artists of today, is
considered to be in a class of his own, winning critical acclaim from fellow
musicians
and audiences worldwide. He has received great approbation for his new
techniques,
innovations and creative ability in accompaniment, solo renditions, and
jugalbandhi
performances with his North Indian counterparts.

Sivaraman pursued his musical studies through the gurukula discipline under four
great and illustrious masters: Sri Arupathi Natesa Iyer, Sri Tanjavoor
Vaidyanatha Iyer,
Sri Palghat Mani Iyer, Sri Kumbakonam Rangu Iyengar.
Having made his debut at the tender age of ten in 1945, Sivaraman has performed
for
more than half a century, accompanying a prestigious array of vocal and
instrumental
maestros. In addition to playing traditional South Indian Carnatic concerts and
Jugalbandhi's (duets) with North Indian counterparts, Sivaraman has traveled all
over
the world and performed with non-Indian percussionists and musicians, and has
also
composed original musical scores. He has shared the stage with great musicians
like
Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Alla Rakha, Pandit Kishen Maharaj, and Ustad Zakir
Hussein.

Sivaraman has also undertaken the laudable task of conducting original research
on
the art of mrudangam. He has introduced the fiber glass mrudangam to Carnatic
music, improvised a mechanical jig to eliminate human error in the molding of
skins
for both sides of the instrument, and has done research work on tanned and
untanned skins for the mrudangam. His analysis of the ingredients of the black
patch
has given much insight on the overtones produced by different strokes on the
mrudangam. He has also toured India, Australia, and the USA promoting the
Mrudangam and South Indian music by conducting workshops and performing at
various universities and prestigious venues like Kennedy Center Millenium Stage,
Lotus World Music Festival, Percussive Arts Society International Convention,
Drummers Collective, NY, KOSA International Percussion Workshop, and Chicago
World Music Festival.

Sivaraman was awarded the prestigious "Sangeetha Kalanidhi" title in Chennai,
India
in January 2002 and the "Padma Bhushan" award (the third highest civilian award
in
India) in January 2003.

---------------------------
Anaiyampatti Ganesan hails from a musical family and represents the fourth
generation of his family to promote the unique art of Jalatharangam.
Jalatharangam
consists of eighteen porcelain cups of distinct sonorousness, arranged in a
semicircle
before the performer. They are filled with different amounts of water and are
struck
with two wooden sticks to emit distinct notes in various pitches. Ganesan also
has
musical training as a violinist. He has several recordings and titles to his
credit.

----------------------------
E. M. Subramaniam trained under his father and started playing Ghatam at the age
of
8. He has accompanied almost all of the senior stalwart musicians of South India
along with top Mrudangam maestros including Palghat Mani Iyer, Umayalpuram K.
Sivaraman, and T. K. Murthy, as well as top Tabla artists like Alla Rakha,
Kishen
Maharaj, and Zakir Hussain. He accompanied Padmabhushan Umayalpuram K.
Sivaraman during the Festival of Indian Consulate in Paris and New York in 1985.
He
has toured in many countries including the USA, Australia, Europe, Middle East,
Far
East, etc. He has been an approved top grade Ghatam artist of All India Radio
for the
past 39 years. He was awarded the title of "Kalaimamani" by the Government of
Tamil
Nadu in the year 2000.

-----------------------------
M. A. Sundaresan was born into a family of musicians. He took up violin playing
under
the guidance of his grandfather, Parur Sundaram Iyer (father of violin maestros
M. S.
Anantharaman and M. S. Gopalakrishnan), in his unique Parur style. Later on he
was
trained by his own father M. S. Anantharaman. In a career that spans 3 decades,
he
has accompanied almost all of the top musicians of South India. He joined the
service
of All India Radio in 1985. He has traveled widely with high caliber musicians
from
India and has won many titles and awards.

------------------------------
Mattanur Sankaran Kutty Nair (Chenda) and Unnikrishnan (Thimila and Edakka) are
leading multipercussionists from the state of Kerala. Chenda is a hollow
cylindrical
instrument made of soft wood with both ends covered with cowhide. The musical
notes emitted by the instrument are altered by adjusting the strings and small
bamboo rings appended to it. Chenda is played by beating the upper end with two
sticks. Thimila is an hourglass shaped drum made from polished Jack wood.
Leather
braces holding the drumheads are twined around the waist of the drum and their
tension is adjusted to control the sound of the instrument. Edakka is made of
wood.
The drumheads are held in position by cotton strings. Music is created with this
instrument by simultaneously using one hand to beat the drum with a stick and
the
other to manipulate the strings. These three instruments are part of the
characteristic
orchestra of Kerala, and are an essential accompaniment in many traditional
festivals
and rituals
of that state. Nair and Unnikrsihnan have both performed worldwide in
traditional
Kerala percussion ensembles.

For further information:
Shivanthi Sathanandan (651) 698-0774
Ameeta Kelekar (651) 787-0497

We hope to see you at the concert!

Shivanthi Sathanandan
Public Relations Representative
for the IMSOM 2004 Executive Committee

Acknowledgement:
This activity is made possible, in part, by funds provided by, the Metropolitan
Regional Arts Council (MRAC) "Arts Activities Grant" through an appropriation by
the
Minnesota state legislature, the General Mills Foundation "Celebrating
Communities
of Color" Grant, and IMSOM members. This concert is co-sponsored by KFAI Radio
(90.3FM Minneapolis / 106.7FM St. Paul).