Kadri Gopalnath facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kadri Gopalnath
Kadri Gopalnath performing at Pillayarpatti
Background information
Born	(1949-12-06)6 December 1949 Bantwal taluk, Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, India
Died	11 October 2019(2019-10-11) (aged 69) Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Genres	Indian classical music, film music, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Saxophonist
Instruments	Saxophone
Years active	1957–2019
Associated acts	Rudresh Mahanthappa

Kadri Gopalnath receiving an award from President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in 2004.

Kadri Gopalnath (born December 6, 1949 – died October 11, 2019) was a famous Indian musician. He played the alto saxophone and was one of the first to play Carnatic music (a type of Indian classical music) on this instrument. He was known for making the saxophone popular in Indian classical music.

Early Life and Musical Journey

Kadri Gopalnath was born in a small village in Karnataka, India. His father was a musician who played the nadaswaram, a traditional Indian wind instrument. Young Kadri loved music. He was inspired to learn the saxophone after hearing a band play it at the Mysore Palace.

It took him almost 20 years to fully learn and master the saxophone. This was because he had to adapt the Western instrument to play complex Indian classical music. Eventually, people called him the "Saxophone Chakravarthy," which means "Emperor of the Saxophone."

A Career in Carnatic Music

Gopalnath learned to play Carnatic music on the saxophone from N. Gopalakrishna Iyer in Mangalore. He gave his first public concert on All India Radio in Mangaluru in 1978. In Madras, he met a famous musician named T. V. Gopalakrishnan. This guru saw Gopalnath's talent and helped him improve his skills.

Gopalnath made special changes to his saxophone to play Carnatic music properly. His adaptation was so successful that even the great Carnatic musician Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer praised him as a true genius.

Big Performances and Collaborations

A major moment for Gopalnath was the 1980 Bombay Jazz Festival. John Handy, a jazz musician from California, was there. He was so impressed by Gopalnath's playing that he invited him to perform together. Their mix of jazz and Carnatic styles was a huge hit with the audience.

Gopalnath performed at many famous music festivals around the world. These included the Jazz Festival in Prague and the Berlin Jazz Festival. He also played at the BBC Promenade concert in London in 1994. He traveled globally, sharing his unique music.

Albums and Film Music

Kadri Gopalnath released many albums, cassettes, and CDs. He recorded Southern Brothers with jazz flautist James Newton. His project 'East-West' was an audio-video show that blended Western and Indian music. This album included pieces by famous composers like Saint Tyagaraja and Beethoven.

The famous film director K. Balachander featured Gopalnath's saxophone music in his 1994 Tamil film Duet. The music for the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. All the songs in the movie had saxophone parts played by Gopalnath. He once said that after this movie, he became very famous and was recognized everywhere.

In 2005, Gopalnath started working with American saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. Their collaboration led to the 2008 album Kinsmen and a tour in the United States.

Gopalnath was also a respected teacher. He taught many talented saxophonists from different parts of the world.

Later Life and Passing

Kadri Gopalnath passed away on October 11, 2019, at the age of 69. He had been unwell for some time. His body was taken to his hometown and he was cremated with full state honors. He is survived by his wife, Sarojini, and their three children. His younger son, Manikanth Kadri, is also a professional musician and music director.

Awards and Recognitions

Kadri Gopalnath received many awards and honors throughout his life.

• In 2004, he was given the Sangeet Natak Academy Award for Carnatic Music – Instrumental (Saxophone). President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam presented him with this award in New Delhi.
• He received the Padma Shri in 2004, one of India's highest civilian honors.
• He was the first Carnatic musician to be invited to perform at the BBC Promenade concert in London in 1994.
• He was given honorary titles like "Saxophone Charkravarthy" and "Saxophone Samrat."
• He received the Karnataka Kalashree award in 1996 and the Tamil Nadu State Award "Kalaimamani."
• In 2004, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Bangalore University.
• The 2008 album Blue Rhizome included a tribute song called "Gopalnath," composed by Karl E. H. Seigfried.
• He received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award in 2013 and the Kamban Pugazh award in 2018.