Visakha Music Academy has presented its prestigious Sangeetha Kala Sagara award to Hyderabad-based veena exponent Ayyagari Syamasundaram, marking the grand finale of the 52nd edition of its six-day annual music festival at Kalabharati on Wednesday.
Veteran veena exponent Mallapragada Jogulamba along with office-bearers of the Academy presented the award and felicitated him. The academy chose him for the award in recognition of his long and committed service to the cause of classical music over decades.
The popular and much-awaited six-day annual festival with its rich mix of vocal and instrumental concerts by artistes of repute was once again a good draw. For aficionados of classical music in the city, who stood starved of good events of music for over one-and-a-half-years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fest turned out to be a lively aural treat in full measure. The artistes too seemed eager to present their best after the pandemic forced them into a hiatus.
In the vocal segment, Gayathri Venkataraghavan, Kolluru Vandana and Pratha Krishna Murthy treated the audience to a memorable fare, while in the instrumental genre, Sikkil Mala Chandra Sekhar (flute), R. Dinakar (violin), and Ayyagari Syamasundaram (veena) presented melodies of lasting appeal.
On the occasion, the academy presented its artiste of distinction award to young vocalist Moola Srilatha and its Outstanding Services award to Vaddiparthi Narasayya for his yeoman service to the academy over decades. President of the academy S.V. Rangarajan, secretary M.S. Srinivas and V. Lalitha Chandrasekhar took part. Dr Perala Balamurali compared the event.
