Sampagodu Vighnaraja

Sampagodu S. Vighnaraja is an Indian Carnatic music, vocalist, flutist and music composer, a popular proponent of the legendary GNB, School.^[1] He is a unique talent and a rare artist of Carnatic classical music and has given many performances, exhibiting extraordinary skills. Besides being a highly talented vocalist, he is also an accomplished carnatic flutist and carnatic Slide guitar.

Early life and training

Born to Smt. Nagalakshmi & Sangeetha Vidwan Sri. D.S. Suryanarayana Bhat, at the tender age of 3 was able to sing Kalpanaswaram (improvisational swaras) for raag Mayamalava Gowla.

He started his early tutelage when he was 5 years old under his father Sangeetha Vaaridhi Sri.D.S. Suryanarayan Bhat who is a direct disciple of G.N.B. School. His father is a composer of many Krithis in Kannada and Sanskrit to his credit. Later 2 years he learnt from Vidhwan D.N.Subramanya Bhat one of his fathers’s disciples.^[1] Vighnaraja is also a self taught flutist and slide guitarist.

He headed the instrument section at Temple of Fine Arts in Kuala Lumpur for 6 years, conducted various workshops for students in Malaysia & Tainan University of Technology, Taiwan. He is the founder director of Surya Global Music Academy at Bangalore and is imparting quality education in the field of music across the globe. He has composed various Varanas, Tillanas among many other compositions.

With prodigious talent in Carnatic music from a very early age, he has specialized in singing complex varnams in six speeds. This has earned him the title of “Shatkaala Kalaa Gaana Prathibhamani" from a reputed organization in Bangalore. He is a graded artist of AIR. He is recognized by the Indian Cultural Centre,^[2] High Commission of India Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and has given many performances.^[3]

Performance

While on stage the charismatic Vighnaraja mesmerizes the audiences with his out standing abilities taking the audience to another realm with his perfect control over laya and melody. He is always ready to serve his improvisational commands modulating to any degree unmindful of the speed. Its timeless and speechless sensation with his pleasing moves and extremely flexible, impressive voice. On flute Vighnaraja is pristine, pure, and delicate. He Renders the flute in rich, soulful and sophisticated form. He has given hundreds of performances in India and abroad like USA, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia and Taiwan including regular concerts at Fort High School Ramanavami festivals, Bangalore Gayana Samaja, and sabhas in Chennai. He has always been accompanied by the reputed artists namely Sri Mannargudi Eshwaran, sri S Varadarajan, Sri Patri Satish Kumar , Dr Jyothsna Srikanth, Sri K V Prasad , Kum, Akkarai Subbulakshmi ,Sri Trichy Harikumar , Sri H.K. Venkatram, Sri Arjun Kumar, Sri Vittal Ramamurthy ,Sri J Vaidyanathan , Sri H.K. Narasimha Murthy, Sri Neyveli Venkatesh , Sri Mysore Srikanth , Sri C Cheluvaraju , Sri H N Bhaskar , Sri A V Anand , Sri Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma , Sri Karaikudi Krishna Murthy , Smt Sukanya Ramgopal, Sri Ghatam Karthik and many others . His style of singing has been praised by critics^[4][5] and many great musicians like L. Subramaniam.^[6]

Awards

• Vighnaraja was awarded the BOH Cameronian Arts Award in 2009 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for Best Vocal Solo Performance.^[7]
• He was bestowed with “SHATKAALA KALAA GAANA PRATHIBHA MANI” by Shree Rama Centre of Performing Arts (R), Bangalore in 2012.
• Was awarded the famous “ARYABHATA INTERNATIONAL AWARD” in 2012.
• He has also received the title “GAANA GANDHARVA” by Malenadu Vidya Samsthe, Chikkamagaluru in February 2015
• “ANANYA YUVA PURASKARA” by Ananya, Bangalore in May 2015.

References