CARNATICA BROTHERS - PRESS REVIEWS

• Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 29th April 2004
  
  Promising vocalists at Ramanavami concerts...
  
  "Last week young duo Shashikiran and Ganesh, known as "Carnatica
  Brothers" revealed a rich repertoire at the Sree Rama Seva Mandali.
  They sing with relish as evidenced in the opening varna - Sarasee and
  the concert got to an interesting turn in the invocatory Sree
  Vignarajam Bhaje of Uthakadu Venkatasubba Iyer, in the raga Gambheera
  naata. In fact swara for the above composition was also interestingly
  woven.
  
  Another masterpiece of Thyagaraja Teliyaleru Rama was sung in a most
  suitable Kaala pramana and rounded off with swara. A second
  composition of Thyagaraja was followed by Bhajare for good measure,
  with expansive Neraval and swara forays. Sarasa Saamadana was a quick
  one. They chose Malayamarutha Raga, as the piece de resistance of the
  concert, which is not usually chosen for a raga- tana and pallavi. The
  duo combined admirably with sweeping swara passages.
  
  Three youngsters ably supported the duo - Mysore V Srikanth on violin,
  H S Sudhindra on mridanga and Ullur Giridhar Udupa on ghata."

• The Hindu, Chennai, 19th March 2004
  
  "CARNATICA BROTHERS Sashikiran and P. Ganesh had done their homework
  for their Hamsadhwani concert comprising Dikshitar kritis. Correct
  diction and splitting of words without distorting the meaning and
  using only time-tested sangatis put the exercise on a high stature and
  followers of Dikshitar music would have gone home quite satisfied.
  
  Brief intros to the kritis helped the audience to appreciate better.
  The Dikshitar quiz gave added interest, with audience participation.
  
  Mullaivasal G. Chandramouli (Violin) and Thanjavur Ramadas (Mridangam)
  were in the supporting cast. Shashikiran's Shankarabharana alapana was
  succinct and the classic song "Akshayalingavibho" by the duo sparkled
  with neraval and swara at the charanam, "Badarivanamula..."

• The Hindu, Chennai, 2nd Jan 2004
  
  "...Carnatica Brothers (Sasikiran and Ganesh) delivered the musical lines clearly, 
  revealing total involvement and exhibition of scholarship imperceptibly. They struck 
  the best form when rendering
  Syama Sastry's classic swarajati, "Kamakshi Amba" in Bhairavi in the
  style of the sisters Brinda (late)-Mukta duo when the former would
  sing in lower stayi and Mukta in the higher.
  
  Sasikiran, with a voluble sariram, sang in the lower stayi with Ganesh
  in the higher key. The sahitya and swaras rendered flawlessly, the
  exercise brought out the spiritual fervour of the composer as also his
  erudition. Ganesh's alapana was wholesome.
  
  Sasikiran's Kamatch alapana for Mysore Vasudevachar's "Brocheva" was
  both caressing and stylish. It was as well that the song was rendered
  without omitting the chittai swaras (scripted by the composer
  himself). Sasikiran's Mohanam alapanam was noted for well-paused
  sancharas and the song was Tyagaraja's evergreen "Nanupalimpa".
  
  Swaras were crisp and brief. Papanasam Sivan's "Naanoruvilayattu
  Bommaya" (Navarasa Kannada) and "Jagajjanani" (Ratipatipriya) gave
  variety to the concert..."

• The Hindu, Friday, Jan 02, 2004

  "Carnatica brothers N. Shashikiran and P. Ganesh managed to present a
  recital full of that rare commodity called `soukhyam'. This was
  evident from the Sahana varnam. The singers drew strength from stellar
  compositions, rendered with accuracy and feeling, as evident in the
  unique "Devi Brova" in Chintamani, as in the familiar Hamsadhwani of
  "Vatapi Ganapatim". The latter had brightness without stridency.
  
  The Tyagaraja masterpiece, "Endaro Mahanubhavulu'' (Sriraga) retained
  its arthabhava as well as ragabhava, embellished by Ganesh singing in
  the higher sthayi while Shashikiran kept the base line strong. The
  brief but melodic alapana in Kannada was in tune with the traditional
  pathantara of "Sri Mathrubhootam'', embellished by apt neraval on the
  line "suvasitanava''.
  
  Ganesh had a preference for a faster tempo than the one that
  Shashikiran revelled in, as the slower speed offered more scope for
  gamaka and bhava. The alternate singing also allowed the latter to
  explore the lower sancharas leaving the upper to Ganesh.
  
  This was particularly effective in ragam-tanam-pallavi (Chakravakam,
  chaturasra triputa) where the brothers demonstrated their easy
  competence in changing speeds in the singing and in the rhythm cycles.

• The Hindu, Chennai, 19th Dec 2003

  "Carnatica Bros - Sashikiran and Ganesh have found a vibrant style..."

• The Hindu, Chennai, 3rd Jan 2003

  Impressive alapana
  
  "The main item of the concert by Sashikiran and P. Ganesh for Mylapore
  Fine Arts Club was the Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi in Natabhairavi. The
  alapana by Sashikiran was quite impressive, considering the fact that
  Natabhairavi is a little difficult to handle in an extensive
  manner..."

• The Hindu, Chennai, 26th Apr 2002
  
  "K. N. Shashikiran, vocalist of repute and his cousin P. Ganesh, a
  chitraveena expert (following in the footsteps of maestro Ravi Kiran)
  and vocalist have teamed together to become the latest duo singers
  with each, however, not giving up his original calling. Their concert
  for Hamsadhwani showed their potential to join the galaxy of stars in
  duo singing. The concert also revealed a few shortcomings that should
  be overcome with more practice and frequent joint sessions. Both are
  endowed with a wealth of vidwat that should help in their new venture.
  The role model for duo singing is undoubtedly the celebrated Alathur
  Brothers of yesteryear. Though Shashikiran and Ganesh have a long way
  to go to achieve that stature there are encouraging indications, one
  of which is the high musical sense they have acquired with intense
  training. This was reflected in the intricate RTP they rendered in
  Malayamarutam in Khanda triputa. They did well to sing the Bhavayami
  ragamalika "Ramachandraneedaya" (Surati) and Purandhara Dasar's
  Dasavatar mangalam, underlining the divine mood of the Rama Navami
  week. Muthiah Baghavatar's Kannada song "Bhuvaneswariya" (Mohana
  Kalyani) "Muralidhara Gopala" (Maand-Perisamy Thooran) were
  noteworthy efforts. The duo had great support from the veteran violinist 
  M. S. Anantaraman, who as usual paid encomiums to the young pair.

• The Hindu, Chennai, 28th Dec 2001

  Aesthetically rich
  
  The vocal recital of the duo, K. N. Shashikiran and P. Ganesh
  registered as a performance of a serious kind by an accomplished pair
  of emerging youngsters. They sang with a discipline developed through
  an instinct for an aesthetically rich style of classical Carnatic
  music.
  
  Deriving support from the inspiring accompaniment provided by the
  senior violinist, Parur M. S. Anantharaman, P. Ganesh drew a sedate
  sketch of Saramathi as preface to the duo's deft diction of the piece,
  "Mokshamu" of Tyagaraja. The vocalists' presentation of the piece,
  "Ninnusevinchine" (Yadukulakambodi) of Subbaraya Sastri on Lord
  Parthasarathy of Triplicane was expressive of their grasp of its bhava
  moving with delicate laya intricacies.

• The Hindu, Chennai, 7th Dec 2001
  
  The success of a duo concert depends a great deal on a good rapport
  and perfect understanding between the two artistes. These were present
  in abundance in the concert of Sashikiran and Ganesh. The opening
  varnam, "Ninnukori" (Mohanam) and the Neelakanta Sivan's "Sambho
  Mahadeva" (Bowli) were neat and crisp... The resonant voice of
  Sashikiran in ``Palintsu" (Madhyamavathi) with sruti alignment added
  lustre.