Gaana Amrutham

For the second year in a row, we begin our concert year with Carnatic music. Experience the vocal prowess of Vidya Kalyanraman accompanied by B Anantha Krishnan (violin), Vijay Ganesh (mridangam), and Chandrasekara Sharma (ghatam).

After overwhelming turnout and support for afternoon concerts last year, we return with another one. Don't miss the rare opportunity (at least in Calgary) to listen to ragas that come with this time of the day. While the spring flowers bloom, embrace yourself in the colours of Indian classical music with this powerful voice and instruments accompanying it.

Event Information

• Sunday, April 19, 2026
• Doors open at 3:00 pm, show begins at 4:00 pm
• River Park Church (map)

Seating is first-come-first-serve.

This event is FREE for Raga Mala Members, but all attendees require a ticket. So, if you're a member, please register for your free ticket through Eventbrite. For non-members, we charge $15 for students and seniors, and $20 for everyone else. Please bring your valid student ID if you've purchased a student ticket. Limited door tickets will be available. We encourage everyone to get their tickets online.

Not a member?

Door tickets will be subject to availability. To ensure your spot in this magical concert, please get your tickets online.

Artist Biographies

Vidya Kalyanraman:

At some point, Vidya Kalyanaraman’s name started appearing frequently in programme announcements of city sabha-s not only during the December season but off-season too. Vidya was then a sixteen-year old with enormous talent and self assurance. She was an active member of the Issai Mazhalai troupe and Ramjhi encouraged her a great deal as she was then the troupe’s star performer.

Vidya comes from a middle class family. Her maternal grandmother could play the veena, and her parents were interested in music. She started learning from Padma Sandilyan at the age of six. To her guru’s astonishment, Vidya proved to be an exceptionally bright and diligent girl who could grasp all that was taught to her and more. The apprenticeship continued for ten years till Padma sent her for advanced lessons in 2005 to Suguna Varadachari. Since then, Vidya has been in Suguna’s care and has frequently provided vocal support to her guru in her concerts. Vidya has learnt more than a thousand musical pieces from her two guru-s ranging from varnam-s, kriti-s and javali-s to difficult pallavi-s. It includes compositions of pre-trinity composers to modern ones. Few in her age group can boast of such a formidable repertoire. Though Vidya does not have a powerful voice, her music has the requisite ‘azhuttam’ (clarity) and depth. Her voice is quite melodious and facile.

As she was a student of PSBB school, its sister organisation Bharat Kalachar granted her a scholarship to study music for six years from 1999. The prizes, awards and titles won by her are many. She bagged the Young Achiever award from Anna University in 2003. Winning the first prize in the AIR competition in 2005 automatically placed her in the B grade – from which she upgraded herself to B-High. She has won a couple of tambura prizes, and awards from the Indian Fine Arts Society (IFAS) in 2006 and 2007. She regularly won prizes for her performances at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha’s Gokulashtami series in 2005, 2007 and 2008. Some of the titles conferred on her are Yuva Kala Vipanchee (2008), Sangeeta Bhaskara (2008) Bharata Kala Ratna (2008) and Yuva Kala Bharati (2010). She is the recipient of a Central Government scholarship to pursue music.

Vidya is blessed with leadership qualities. While in her teens, she was the president of the Youth Association for Classical Music (YACM) from 2005 to 2008. She anchored several music shows in various TV channels. She performs in all the city sabha-s with many repeat programmes in institutions such as the Music Academy, IFAS and SKGS.

Vidya has travelled widely across India on concert tours. She has also performed in Singapore, Malaysia, the U.S.A. and Canada. She is a familiar figure at the Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana Festival, having performed there for three years.

Vidya has passed her Bachelors’ and Masters’ degrees in music from Madras University and has plans to proceed to the doctoral level. Happily married, she receives total support from her husband and in-laws in her musical pursuits.

B Ananthakrishnan:

B. Ananthakrishnan hails from a reputed musician family. He is the grandson of renowned Violin Vidwan, Late V.K. Venkata Ramanujam Iyengar (Professor – Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University), and son of equally reputed violinist Dr V. Balaji, Head of the Department, Faculty of Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University (Varanasi). Ananthakrishnan continues his training today under the guidance of the well-known Violin Vidwan Sri S. Varadarajan.

He has had the honor of accompanying many legends of Carnatic music and continues to share the stage with all senior artists today. Ananthakrishnan has received great appreciation from reputed critics in major newspapers and magazine publications across India and abroad.

He has performed alongside his grandfather the late Vidwan V.K. Venkata Ramanujam at the young age of seven in Delhi Doordarshan, 1993. He has performed in every major sabha all over India, including The Music Academy Madras, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Narada Gana Sabha, Bharat Kalachar, and Shanmukhananda Sabha (Mumbai), just to name a few. He has done concert tours in several countries around the world including Germany, Belgium, USA, Singapore, Dubai, Doha, South Africa, and Australia. He is a “B-High” grade artist from All India Radio, Chennai.

Ananthakrishnan has won many Awards and accolades such as:

• The title “Mazhalai Medaai” in a national competition conducted by the famous Tamil weekly magazine, “Anandha Vikatan” and a gold medal and citation of Rs.15,000, at the age of seven.
• Villisai Virpanar Award – Kumbakonam Vani Villas Sabha, 2007 – 2008.
• Yuva Kala Bharathi – Bharath Kalachar, Chennai, 2008.
• Youth Excellence Award- Maharajapuram Viswanatha Iyer Trust, Chennai, 2009.
• Best Concert Award – The Music Academy Madras, 2010.
• Best Sub-Senior Violinist Award – The Music Academy Madras, 2011 – 2016.

Vijay Ganesh:

Vijay Ganesh, a seasoned mridangist, learnt this divine art from the age of 6. He had his tutelage under great and illustrious master Vidwan Late Sri. Kumbakonam Rajappa Iyer.

Vijay Ganesh has over the years established himself as a Mridangam player and has performed extensively in music festivals in India and USA. He has accompanied many eminent Carnatic musicians, vocalists and players of instruments. He has also played with outstanding musicians of the Hindustani stream. He is an AIR, Chennai graded artist.

He has won several awards which includes Best Mridangist award from Music Academy, Best Mridangist award in Gokulashtami festival from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, and Awardees of Government of India Cultural Scholarship. This year he is been awarded “youth excellence” for Mridangam from Sri Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer Trust.

Chandrasekara Sharma:

G. Chandrasekara Sharma is an Indian classical music percussionist, recognized for his artistry on the ghatam. Born in 1990 into the renowned musical family of T.H. Harihara Sharma, he received his initial training from his father, violinist Shri T.H. Gurumoorthy. His advanced learning was shaped under the mentorship of his uncle, eminent percussionist Shri T.H. Subash Chandran. Performing professionally since childhood, Sharma continues to appear in concerts and collaborate with leading Carnatic musicians.

G. Chandrasekara Sharma carries forward a respected legacy within Carnatic percussion. Introduced to music at an early age, he developed rhythmic discipline and musical sensitivity under the guidance of his father, later refining his craft through rigorous training with Shri T.H. Subash Chandran. As a nephew of celebrated percussionists Shri T.H. Vinayakram and Shri T.H. Subash Chandran, he draws from a strong lineage while shaping his own artistic identity. Sharma made his debut performance in 2000 and has since built a growing presence on the classical stage. His ghatam playing combines clarity of tone, control of tempo, and thoughtful support to melodic performers. Active in vocal and instrumental concerts, he continues to contribute to Indian classical music through ensemble work and stage performances across the country.

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