“Beats with an emotion only gives a meaningful rhythm for life” ©️rsankaranarayanan

Performer

R Sankaranarayanan is a well known Mridangam performer and one among the leading artistes of South Indian Percussion. His rendition is a power packed extempore playing with dexterity in handling the instrument, finer touches with nuances & rich tonal quality. In addition to that, his ease & fluidity in playing matches his finger’s speed with his stream of thought. Further to it, each and every stroke of his playing, is meant for his clarity with control, sound balance & rendering beats with emotions soulfully. Sankaranarayanan’s diverse variety of phrases & patterns which outpours the resonance with flair & flamboyance adds more aesthetical value & different dynamics of the sound thoroughly.

Sankaranarayanan loves to accompany the style of each performer and try his best to give utmost support musically to enhance and make every concert successful as a team player.

Collaborator

R Sankaranarayanan has accompanied several stalwarts of carnatic music like Chevalier Dr M Balamuralikrishna, Dr T K Govinda Rao, Padma Bhushan Sri P S Narayanaswami, Padmashri Dr N Ramani, Clarinet Everest Sri AKC Natarajan, Dr T V Gopalakrishnan, Padma Bhushan Madurai Sri T N Seshagopalan, Madurai Sri G S Mani, Manakkal Sri Rangarajan, Padma Bhushan Sri T V Sankaranarayanan, Sethalapathy Sri Balasubramanian, Sri O S Thyagarajan, Bombay Sisters, Padma Bhushan Dr Sudha Raghunathan, Padma Shri Aruna Sairam, Violin Maestros Sangeetha Kalanidhis Lalgudi Sri GJR Krishnan & Lalgudi Smt Vijayalakshmi, Violin Maestros & Grammy Awardee Sri Ganesh Rajagopalan & Sri Kumaresh Rajagopalan, Veena Virtuoso Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh, Padma Shri Bombay Jayashri, Chitraveena Maestro Sangeet Samrat Sri N Ravikiran, Violin Maestro Nagai Sri R Muralidharan, Smt Suguna Purushotthaman, Smt Suguna Varadachari, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri Sanjay Subrahmanyam, Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri T M Krishna, Flute Maestro Chevalier Sri. S Shashank, Hyderabad Sisters, Priya Sisters and many more.

Sankaranarayanan accompanies several leading top class young vidwans & vidhushis as well. He has also collaborated in many Jugalbandhi concerts with leading Hindustani musicians like Pandit Ronu Mazumdar, Ustad Shahid Pervez, Pandit Tejendra Mazumdar, Pandit Rakesh Chowrasia, Saxophone Maestro Sri George Brooks & so on..,

Sankaranarayanan had the great fortune to accompany Harikatha Doyens like Smt Banni Bai, Thanjavur Smt Kamalamurthy & Kalyanapuram Sri Aravamudaachariyar.

Hailing from a traditional Nama Sankeerthanam family back ground Sankaranarayanan accompanies his father Veteran bhagavthar, scholar & philanthropist Sankeerthana Kalanidhi Papanasam Sri R Ramani Bhagavathar even now. Other than his father he is so blessed to accompany several stalwarts of Nama Sankeerthanam like Pithukkuli Sri Murugadass, H H Sri Haridass Giri Swamigal (Guruji), H H Sri Namananda Giri Swamigal (Namaji), Gemini Sri Balu Bhagavathar, Sethalapathy Soundararajan Bhagavathar, Thanjavur Sri Thyagarajan Bhagavathar and not to miss his grandfather Nada Sudhaarnava Papanasam Brahmashri Kunjumani Bhagavathar and many more. Also he has accompanied several Thiruppugazh concerts with Brahmasri Delhi Sri Raghavan Guruji, Purasai Sri Arunagiri. Also special mention to Sri V. Lakshminarayana Bhagavathar with whom he has done several years of practice for hours together and also to highlight with him and as individual solo as archive records, documented around six hundred varieties of Thiruppugazh Sandha Talam percussion solo compositions exclusively. He is very much determined on the process of documenting other varities of Sandha talams. In addition to that he has also done lecture demonstrations on them.

According to him, a collaborative mind set is aligning together with all artistes on stage adding more richness to the melody & rhythm by understanding the depth & the emotion of the music to be performed over all. Also enhancing the compositions which are lyrical or notations to elevate the taste of various audiences in ecstasy.

Educator

Sankaranarayanan is teaching many aspiring learners of different age groups. He has passionate and dedicated disciples from various cities across many countries. His teaching deals not just theoretical lessons but also the intricate techniques with variety of styles in practical. He also passes the legacy of his guru’s style with the emotion through beats & finer details of playing with ease & dexterity for songs and solo aspects. He also educates through master classes, workshops & lecture demonstrations. Sankaranarayanan is mentoring several music students to acquire and imbibe the knowledge of music especially South Indian rhythm in Mridangam playing and art of Konnakoal - Vocal percussion and its beauty. Also he instructs many passionate learners in few Music Schools & couple of colleges in India, USA & Canada as a guest lecturer.

Spotlighting Talents

Sankaranarayanan gained good experience & meticulous planning strategies by assisting his Guru in organizing concerts and coordinating the events for several top music organizations for several years. He always encourges all young aspiring talents & performers for their artistry in their respective art form. In addition to that, he is also providing regular platform to promote young musicians & facilitate them to perform live concerts spotlighting best talents almost every month in GTA (Greater Toronto Area) Ontario. He is the Founder Director & C.E.O., of Naadalayam Arts & Music, Toronto, Canada

As Honorary Secretary of Sri Radhakrishna Sankeerthana Samajam Trust, a non profit charitable organization for Indian Fine Arts & Culture, he is assisting his father to promote some of the best talents among young musicians by promoting their music during annual event Sangeetha Mahotsavam Festival at Chennai, UNESCO - recognized one of the Creative City.