Mudicondan Venkatarama Iyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mudikondan Venkatrama Iyer
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| Born | 15 October 1897 Mudikondan, Tiruvarur district, Tamilnadu
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| Died | 13 September 1975 (aged 77) Chennai, Tamilnadu
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| Occupation | vocalist |
| Children | Kamakshi,Mathuram |
| Parent(s) | Chakrapani Iyer, Kamakshi |
Mudikondan Venkatarama Iyer (born October 15, 1897 – died September 13, 1975) was a famous South Indian Carnatic music singer and a deep expert in music. He was also known as Mudikondan, which was the name of his home village.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Venkatarama Iyer was born in Mudikondan, a small village in Tamil Nadu, India. His parents were Chakrapani Iyer and Kamakshi. His father was a singer of Hindu religious songs. His grandfather, Srivanchiyam Swaminatha Iyer, was also a talented musician known for his lively singing style. Venkatarama Iyer's uncle, Bommalattam Mani Iyer, was another well-known musician in the family.
Learning Music
Mudikondan's father wanted him to study English and go to college in Chennai (which was called Madras back then). But after his father passed away, Mudikondan had to leave college and go back to his village. That's when he decided to get proper training in Carnatic music.
He learned a lot from different teachers:
- He got help from Konerirajapuram Vaidyanatha Iyer.
- He learned about tala (rhythm) and laya (tempo) from a master drummer named Ammachatram Kandaswami Pillai.
- Simizhi Sundaram Iyer taught him about bhava (the emotional expression in music).
Because his teachers came from different famous music traditions, Mudikondan learned a very wide range of Krithis (musical compositions).
He was also very smart and could speak many languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit, and English. He even knew a bit about Astrology and Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), and he often made herbal medicines at home.
Music Career Highlights
Mudikondan gave his very first concert in Cuddalore when he was 17 years old. In 1919, he performed his first concert in Chennai.
He was especially good at performing Ragam Thanam Pallavi, which is a complex and creative part of Carnatic music. He knew so much about music that he could answer any question without needing to look at a book. He lived in his village and taught many students there.
From 1935 onwards, he regularly attended the yearly meetings of the Madras Music Academy. He was an expert in both the theory (Lakshana) and practice (Lakshya) of Carnatic music. He taught people the correct way to perform different parts of a concert, like niraval, ragam, tanam, and pallavi.
In 1948, he moved to Chennai and became very active in the Music Academy. In 1949, he received the very important Sangeet Kalanidhi award. He became the Vice-Principal and later the Principal of the Teachers' College of Music in 1956. He also wrote many articles about music.
His lectures and demonstrations at the Music Academy were always very popular with students and other musicians. He retired from the Teachers' College of Music in 1972 but continued to teach there as an honorary professor. His student, Vedavalli, also received the Sangeet Kalanidhi award in 2000.
Awards and Recognition
Mudikondan Venkatarama Iyer received several prestigious awards for his contributions to music:
- Sangeetha Kalanidhi, 1949, from the Madras Music Academy
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 1961, from the Sangeet Natak Akademi
- Sangeetha Kalasikhamani, 1971, from The Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai
Later Life and Death
Mudikondan passed away on September 13, 1975, in Chennai after a short illness. He was 77 years old.
