Nada Nidhi school marks 35 years
Carnatic music is a classical music style that originated in Southern India over 2,000 years ago. Today, Srikanth Chary is teaching it out of his home in Fremont. His music school is called Nada Nidhi which translates to the Treasure of Sound. This year, Nada Nidhi is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a free music concert open to the public at the Jackson Center at Ohlone Community College on Sunday, August 18 at 3pm.
Chary teaches music on a stringed instrument called a veena, which his grandfather also played. Though Chary never heard his grandfather play the instrument, he was fascinated with his grandfather’s veena and started playing with it as a very young child. He began veena lessons at the age of six, and Carnatic music became his lifelong passion. He performs at concerts and was encouraged to start a music school when parents asked if he would teach their children to play Carnatic music. Typically, he has one to four students in his classes. Once students get beyond the mechanics of learning to play the veena, Chary guides them to develop skills based on their individual musical goals. Improvisation, or manodharma, is a large part of Carnatic music. As Chary explains, “In this kind of music there is a blend of pre-composed music and extemporary music. So, you create, and you improvise when you’re on stage in addition to performing pieces that have been composed centuries ago.”
Longtime student Smriti Swaminathan, was inspired to learn to play the veena from watching the popular Indian musician Rajhesh Vaidhya on television – both she and her parents admired him. When they approached Chary about starting their daughter on veena lessons, he let them know that his style of music was very different from that played by her idol, but that did not deter her. Swaminathan and her parents have grown to love the more traditional style of Carnatic music that Chary teaches. “The more and more I progressed in vocal music as well as veena, they realized it was a lot different from what we see on TV,” Swaminathan shared, referring to her parents. “The more I enjoyed it, the more they enjoyed it.”
Carnatic music is one of the oldest musical traditions in the world and Chary’s students will perform their personal renditions of it at this concert. “A lot of the songs we will be performing during the program talk about the pervasiveness of sound, the nature of sound, how does sound affect us,” said Chary, “So that’s the theme we’re going to be exploring during this concert.” The concert is called Nada Mahima which translates to the Glory of Sound. Enjoy an afternoon filled with soulful melodies and captivating performances that explore timeless Carnatic classics and improvisations.
Nada Mahima
Nada Nidhi 35th Anniversary Concert
Sunday, Aug 18
3pm
Jackson Center at Ohlone Community College
43600 Mission Blvd., Fremont
Order FREE tickets at:
www.ticketleap.events/tickets/nadanidhi/nada-mahima-nada-nidhi-35th-anniversary
