S. Kalyanaraman
| Thanjavur S. Kalyanaraman | |
|---|---|
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| Background information | |
| Born | 2 June 1930 |
| Origin | Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Died | 9 January 1994 (aged 63) |
| Genres | Carnatic music - Indian Classical Music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1949–1993 |
S. Kalyanaraman (2 June 1930 – 9 January 1994), popularly known as SKR, was a vocalist in the Carnatic tradition. Hailing from a famed musical family, where his great-grandfather was Komal Muthu Bhagavathar and his grand uncle was the celebrated vocalist Madirimangalam Natesa Iyer, S.Kalyanaraman became one of the foremost disciples of G. N. Balasubramaniam and established himself as an original musician in his own right.
Born in the ancient city of Thiruvengadu at his mother's residence near [MAyavaram] to N. Srinivasa Iyer, S.Kalyanaraman was born in a well-to-do musical family and received his initial music training under his father. Recognizing the boy's prodigious talents, his father realized that Kalyanaraman needs expert guidance from a respected musician. At that time, the reigning superstar of Carnatic music was none other than G. N. Balasubramaniam or better known as GNB & indeed, Kalyanaraman sang in the GNB bani even before becoming the disciple of his idol. In Chennai, a music teacher better known as Kittamani Iyer identified the boy's talents & upon realizing the impact of GNB's style on the boy's music, he introduced the young Kalyanaraman to GNB. Upon realizing the boy's immense potential, GNB took him under his arms and trained him for 15 years.
Like his master GNB, S. Kalyanaraman's musical acumen is beyond the ordinary and within less than a year of instruction under GNB, he was providing vocal support. GNB once remarked "What's there for me to teach, you are already singing so well".
So versatile was his voice that even before his debut in 1949, Kalyanaraman was already getting attention from the audience as a leading vocal accompanist to GNB. At times, realizing the rich manodharama of Kalyanaraman's musical intuition, GNB would hand him the reins for improvisations in his own concerts. The brief moments of Kalyanaraman's music captivated the audience who came to listen to GNB.
At his debut in the Gokhale Hall in 1949, guru GNB was in the audience and was carried away in musical wonder for Kalyanaraman's originality while retaining the mesmerizing bani of his own. GNB further added "The best respect to a guru is to follow his style in total. The best tribute to a guru is to embellish a style of your own. My dear boy... I am proud you are... indeed your own." Once while listening to Kalyanaraman's rendition of Nilayam Onru Enukku Arulvai, a Suddhananda Bharathi composition, GNB walked up to Kalyanaraman and demanded "Teach me this and give me the notation." So vast was his musical acumen and knowledge that G.B. Duraiswamy (the eldest of GNB sons) used to remark "the way he discussed intellectual queries and doubts with GNB was a treat to watch."
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