Prashanth Iyengar

Prashanth Iyengar (born 12 January 1973) is a classical musician and veena exponent from India, in the Carnatic Music genre. He is a performer, composer and teacher. He is the first composer from Karnataka to have composed Varnams in all the '72 Melakarta Ragas.[1] He holds the Limca national record for his marathon veena concert spanning 24 hours at Srirangapatna Temple in the year 2011.[2]

Prashant Iyengar
Born (1973-01-12) 12 January 1973
India
OriginKarnataka, India
GenresCarnatic music
Occupation(s)Musician, instrumentalist, veena
InstrumentsVeena
Websitewww.theveena.com

Early days and personal life

Prashanth's mother Vid. Padmasini Narasimhachar was his first veena guru who followed the Mysore Veena Subbanna tradition.[3] At the age of seven, he could play keertanas like Endaro Mahanubahulu.[1] He later studied under Vid. R. K. Suryanarayana. He has a bachelor's degree in Pharmacy and a Diploma in Computer Engineering.[1]

Career

He was working as the in-charge of the music department in the Directorate of Textbooks, Government of Karnataka. He later went on to become a full-time musician.[4]

His style is known for its rich gamakas along with a rendition that brings out the purity and clarity of notes.[5][6]

He holds the Limca national record for the rendition of a marathon veena concert spanning 24 hours at the Srirangapatna Temple in the year 2011.[2] He was accompanied by Vid. Ravishankar Sharma (Mridangam), Vid. K S Krishnaprasad (Ghatam) and Vid. D V Prasanna Kumar (Kanjira, Morsing and rhythm pad).[7]

Compositions

Prashanth is a prolific composer who has composed 90 varnas that include the 72 of them in each of the melakarta ragas.[1] He is the first composer from Karnataka to have composed Varnams in all the 72 Melakarta Ragas and second youngest after Dr M. Balamuralikrishna to compose.[4] He has also composed 20 kritis, 10 devaranamas and five thillanas.[1]

Other contributions

Prashanth has authored a book "Varna Lakshana Ranjani" which has the 72-mela varnas and 72 Geethes. The book is published in Kannada, English and Hindi and is hand written by his first guru and mother Vid. Padmasini Narasimhachar.[1]

He started the Sree Rama Centre of Performing Arts for teaching students music appreciation, the art of the veena and vocal renditions.[2]

Awards & felicitations
  • Limca national record marathon veena concert spanning 24 hours at Srirangapatna Temple (2011).

References
  1. Govind, Ranjani (17 April 2014). "The food of life". The Hindu. Bangalore. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  2. R, Anusha (20 April 2010). "24-hour veena marathon to enter Limca Records". Bangalore. DNA. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  3. "Thyagaraja Festival from Today". Kochi. The New Indian Express. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  4. "Madokaram Prashanth Iyengar". Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  5. Ramkumar, Madhavi (21 September 2012). "Deft evocativeness". The Hindu. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  6. Bal, Harish (27 February 2014). "Paens to Thyagaraja". The Hindu. Thiruvananthapuram. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  7. "Marathon veena concert on April 21". Deccan Herald. Bangalore. 13 April 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
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