User:Akhilnandakumar/T S Nandakumar

About Mridanga Vidwan T S Nandakumar
Shri T S Nandakumar hails from Ambalapuzha in Kerala and is related to the renowned Naadaswaram exponents the (late) Ambalapuzha brothers. He underwent training under Shri Kaitavanam Madhavadas in the Gurukulavaasam tradition. At a young age he won prizes at several competitions and national youth festivals and also accompanied leading artistes. Coming to Mumbai even as a teenager he has risen to fame through the display of pure talent and finesse in his performances and dedication to the cause of imparting knowledge. It is a fact today that he is the most sought after Mridangam teacher in Mumbai.

Apart from being active in the regular concert scene, Shri Nandakumar is a regular featured artiste in both the All India Radio and Doordarshan. He is also the principal Mridangam teacher at sabhaas such as the prestigious Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Music Triangle, Gana Kala Vidya Nilayam, and Nadaalaya in Mumbai.

Excellence in teaching:

It is difficult to come across many teachers who take so much pride in the achievements of their shishyas. Apart from teaching the intricacies of the art, Shri Nandakumar takes efforts to provide a concert platform to all his students. It is with this view that he started "Vadya Laya Vrinda", a composite unit drawn from teen-aged talents, which has presented "Taala Vadya Kacheris" (percussion based concerts) in many cities in India. Notably, the performances in the Madras music festival under the auspices of Narada Gana Sabha and in the Talavadyotsava of the Bangalore Percussive Art center have been greatly appreciated. Vadya Laya Vrinda has also come out with the audio cassette series titled "Jewels of Rhythm (I-II)" produced by Gitaa Cassettes, Madras and "Jewels of Rhythm III" produced by AVM Audio, Madras.

In 1998, Shri Nandakumar established TSN's Percussive Arts Centre which aims to offer exclusive and specialized training in percussion instruments such as Mridangam, Ghatam, Kanjira etc. The Karnatic music community of Mumbai showed their appreciation of the efforts of such able teachers by felicitating Shri Nandakumar recently.

Honours and Awards:

Music Triangle, a prominent organization in Mumbai, conferred upon Shri Nandakumar the title Sruti Laya Sudhakara during their Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1998. The title Gurushikamani was conferred on him by Padam. The Life Time Achievement Awards and many others Press reports: The Times of India, August 1999. The Hindu, September 2001. Listen to T. S. Nandakumar at www.musicindiaonline.com.

"Vibrative Rhythms" A new release from Mridangam Maestro T S Nandakumar. This CD offers a glimpse into the concept of one man percussion ensemble. Guru Nandakumar performs on the Mridangam, Tavil, Kanjira, Morsing and the Ghatam. The CD offers 11 tracks showcasing a unique blend between Carnatic Classical, Hindustani and Western music. Drop a line in the comments section to obtain a copy of the CD.