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The Hindu, Chennai, 28th December 2005
Perfect foil for each other
With voices that blended easily Shashikiran and Ganesh offered value-based music
"Practice has mellowed the voices of Shashikiran and Ganesh. They have understood the effective use of strong and light phrases.
Both are endowed with pleasant voices that blend easily - with Ganesh strong in upper registers and Shashikiran in the mantra sthayee. These changes have added value to their music.
The highlight of their morning concert was a competent Ragam-Tanam-Pallavi in Shanmukhapriya. Ragam as well as tanam were executed by Shashikiran. The alapana was replete with kaarvai, brikhas and akaras.
The pauses between the phrases were neatly provided to elevate the overall impact. The pallavi "Un Darisanam Kidaikkumo Dhayanidhi Saravana Bhava Guhane" was set in kandajathi triputa talam, two kalai with half eduppu.
All the technical aspects of pallavi-singing were addressed with meticulously compiled swaras by both Shashikiran and Ganesh.
Senior violinist M.S.Anantharaman played for this young duo showing innumerable subtleties in raga and swaras. Young Rohan Krishnamurthy (U.S.) played on the mridangam with good grasp."
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The Hindu, Chennai, 31st December 2004
Lively concert
“Carnatica Brothers, K. N. Shashikiran and P Ganesh, treated the audience to a lively concert. Commencing the recital with a classy varnam in Reetigowla, the brothers sang “Pranavakaram" (Arabhi), a sparkling piece by Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, and Tyagaraja's “Kannatandri" (Devamanohari) at a brisk pace.
This was followed by a scholarly alapana of Begada by Ganesh after which they rendered Subbaraya Shastri's masterpiece, ``Shankarineeve." Kamakshi, the Bhairavi swarajati of Shyama Shastri, rendered next, surprisingly lacked coordination.
Malayamarutam was the main raga of the concert in which Shashikiran explored the lower and middle octaves and Ganesh handled the higher registers.
The multiple speeds in the pallavi were handled with ease followed by dazzling ragamalika swaras in Behag and Chandrakauns.”
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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."
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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..."
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The Hindu, Chennai, 2nd January 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..."
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The Hindu, Chennai, 2nd January 2004
Rare commodity
"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. “
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The Hindu, Chennai, 19th December 2003
"Carnatica Bros - Sashikiran and Ganesh have found a vibrant style..."
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The Hindu, Chennai, 3rd January 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..."
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The Hindu, Chennai, 26th April 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.”
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The Hindu, Chennai, 28th December 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.
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The Hindu, Chennai, 7th December 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.”
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