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Artist Information
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Easwaran was born on 1st
April 1947, in the illustrious family of the great Appayya Dikshithar, as
the son of late Sri. Appayya Dikshithar and Smt. Janakiammal. He started
learning mridangam at a tender age of 8 under the tutelage of KUNISERI SRI
U. KRISHNAMANI IYER. He is an Arts graduate of the University of Madras.
Easwaran has been giving public performances
throughout the country and abroad for over 46 years. He also has 20 years
of service as staff artiste in ALL INDIA RADIO as GRADE 1 Instrumentalist
and a TOP RANK Artiste.
Easwaran has regularly accompanied all leading
top ranking artists like Semmangudi Sri R. Srinivasa Iyer, Smt. M.S. Subbalakshmi,
Dr. M.L Vasanthakumari, Sri. D.K. Jayaraman, Smt. D.K Pattammal, Maharajapuram
Sri S. Santhanam, Mysore V. Ramarathnam, Sri K.J. Yesudas, Veena Sri S. Balachander,
Sri Chitti Babu, Sri T.N. Krishnan, Lalgudi Sri Jayaraman, Mandolin Sri.
U Srinivas, Madurai Sri T.N. Seshagopalan, Dr. N.Ramani, Sikkil Sisters,
Sri N. Ravikiran, Sri Kadri Gopalnath, Smt. Sudha Raghunathan, Sri. P Unnikrishnan,
Neyveli Sri Santhanagopalan and many more.
face="Book Antiqua, serif">He has participated in the Radio Sangeet Sammelan
and the National Programs of All India Radio and Doordarshan. He also took
part in the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the Indian Independence held at
Red Fort, New Delhi in 1972.
face="Book Antiqua, serif">Easwaran had the privilege as a “Visiting Lecturer”,
teaching mridangam at the San Francisco State University for six months, during
1979 and at the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Kalluri as a visiting professor for
the year 2002 – 2003.
PRESS REVIEWS
The subdued on the Mridangam associated
with appropriate “Gumkhis” with sollukattus spoke of the softness of laya
supported by Mannargudi A. Easwaran. His masterly way produced sing-song
rhythm and gave full support to the main artist…”
Indian Express 1989
IN Easwaran’s play one could discern an
almost self-effacing involvement and his tani was tellingly short and percussively
pertinent…”
Mannargudi Easwaran creates the impression
all the time that he is a link between the main artiste and percussive melody.
What is Kalpana, raga alapana and swara to a vocalist, is the tani avartanam
to Easwaran. He is the one who realized that sugam in mridangam deepens as
it advances from gross beats to subtle laya patterns…”
Mannargudi Easwaran’s accompaniment technique
sparkles in full spontaneity of free self expression. Nothing he plays which
has not the stamp of authenticity…”
Where Mannargudi Easwaran is the mridangist,
there is always eloquent rich tonal brilliance. The rhythmic patterns for
both kirtanas and swaraprastharas came out with vigour and firmness. The
way he built the laya support enhanced many times the lyricism of kirtanas…”
The swarakalpana, following the song was
like a jugalbandhi between Sanjay and Easwaran, which was enjoyed by the
audience as much as the artists themselves. The tani by Easwaran was also
vibrant….”
TOURS ABROAD
1972 : Toured Singapore,
Malaysia and Australia with Veena Maestro Sri S. Balachander.
1973
: Toured Japan for India Festival with Sri S. Balachander.
1976 : To Iraq and Iran for the Great Festival held at Tehran and Shiras
with Sri S. Balachander
1978 : To the US, the UK and Canada with Smt. Mani Krishnaswami.
1979 : To the US, the UK and Canada with Dr. M.L Vasanthakumari.
1992 : Toured the US and the UK with Master Sashank.
1994 : Toured Malaysia and Singapore with V.V Subramanian for a children’s
charity programme.
1994 : Visited Singapore and the US with Allepay Sri P. Venkatesan.
1995 ; Toured the US with Sri. P. Unnikrishnan.
1996 : Visited Australia with Sri. N. Ravikiran.
1997 : Toured the US with Papanasam Sri Ashok Ramani, Dr. N. Ramani and Sri
Sanjay Subramanian.
: Visited France with Smt. Sudha Raghunathan.
AWARDS AND HONOURS
Kalaimamani” - By the
Government of Tamil Nadu in 2003
Laya Gnana Surabhi” - By
Tirunelveli Sangeetha Sabha
Isai Kadal” - By Karaikudi
Tamil Sangam
Sunadha
Laya Mani” - By Deviprasad Sangeetha Vidyalaya, Kumbakonam
Asthana Vidwan” - By Kanchi
Kamakoti Peetam
Sangeetha Kalamrutha - By
H.H Haridos Giri Swamiji
Best Mridangist Award” - By
Kalarasana – 1993
Best Senior Mridangist” - By
the Music Academy – 2000
Mridanga Laya Mani” - By
H.H Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal
Laya Kaladhara Samrat” - By
Indian Classical Music Federation
Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha” honoured him
for 35 years of service in the music field” - 1995
Mannargudi A. Easwaran,
GF “C “, East Palms, Wingate Gardens,
No 4, School Road, R K Nagar,
Chennai - 600 028. India
Phone : (044) 2464 36 46
Cell no : 98412 29020
e-mail : mannargudieaswaran@hotmail.com
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