Recorded at Darbar Festival on 27 Oct 2018, at London’s Barbican Centre.

Musicians:
- Lalgudi GJR Krishnan (violin)
- Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi (violin)
- Trichy Sankaran (mridangam)
- Giridhar Udupa (ghatam)

Two expert South Indian percussionists trade energetic rhythms as part of a tani avartanam - the extended percussion section in a kutcheri (Carnatic concert).

Dr. Trichy Sankaran is a global ambassador for the mridangam, a double-headed South Indian drum. Crafted from the wood of the jackfruit tree, the instrument has a rich history. It is depicted in ancient temple carvings across Karnataka, and prototypes were used to accompany early Hindu religious ceremonies. Indian epics such as the Ramayana refer to it by name, describing the mridang-like sound of storm clouds.

Few can play it like Dr. Sankaran - a classical master and prolific fusioneer who has devoted his life to furthering its cultural and technical reach. Born in Tamil Nadu, his early musical life followed a typical sequence - childhood training within the family, rigorous instruction from an esteemed guru, and burgeoning acclaim as a young accompanist. But at age 30 his path deviated sharply, as he took up an unexpected invitation to teach Carnatic rhythm in Canada.

He left for Toronto’s York University in 1971, expecting to be there a couple of years at most. But he became fascinated by the challenges of the role, staying for the long term to formulate new methods of rhythmic instruction. He has taken on thousands of students and collaborated widely, working with dancers, jazz groups, classical orchestras, Gamelan ensembles, and West African drummers. He returns to Chennai each year as a star accompanist in the Madras Music Season, but has never moved back to India.

Ghatam Giridhar Udupa learned all of Carnatic music’s main percussion instruments - mridangam, kanjira, morsing, and ghatam - before settling on the latter. He studied under his father Ullur Nagendra ("from the time I opened my eyes I would hear my father practising and teaching") as well as Sukanya Ramgopal and V. Suresh, and considers T.H. ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram to be a mentor. He is part of Layatharanga, a team of Indian classical musicians who blend different forms of classical and folk music, and his Udupa Foundation seeks to promote Carnatic music and cultural heritage.

Subscrobe to the Darbar Player to access the full, uncut performance.