Date:31/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/31/stories/2006123119810200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Popular Kannada poetry set to music

Staff Reporter

The audio CD brought out by a Hubli-based music academy contains eight songs

Music director is academy founder Shantala Vattam

Academy plans to bring out two CDs every year

BANGALORE: The Hubli-based Shantala Academy of Music and Dance has brought out its first audio CD of eight songs by prominent Kannada poets.

Founder chairperson of the academy Shantala Vattam told presspersons here on Thursday that poems by H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, D.S. Karki, N.S. Lakshminarayana Bhatta, Nagathihalli Chandrashekar, Doddarange Gowda and Rudra Murthy Shastry have been set to music in the CD, "Hrudayaanataraladali".

Music score

All eight songs have been sung by Ms. Vattam, who is a disciple of singer Gangubai Hangal. She is also the music director. Music director and singer Raju Ananthaswamy has written the score for the background music for the songs.

Ms. Vattam, who has a master's degree in Carnatic vocal music, said the CD would be formally released by Mr. Chandrashekar at a function to be held in Hubli on January 6.

Good response

She said she had decided to bring out a CD as there had been a good response from audiences to her live concerts. The academy had plans to bring out at least two audio CDs every year, Ms. Vattam added.

Mr. Ananthaswamy and Dr. Gowda, who were present on the occasion, said they were confident that there would be a good response to "Hrudayaantaraladali".