Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan

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Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan (b. 1935) is a violinist from south India. He plays south Indian classical music on his violin. Kunnakudi is his place of origin. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri. He is a top performer, arresting violinist, innovator and an artist of varied interests. He was born in 1935 to Sri Ramaswamy Sastri and Smt. Meenakshi at Kunnakudi, an important Lord Muruga Kshetram of Tamil Nadu. His father was an eridite scholar in Sanskrit, Tamil and Carnatic Music and a great Composer and Exponent of Carnatic Music and Kathakalakshepam. So, for Kunnakudi, Vedha Sastram and Sageetharn have become the main discipline besides schooling. His father was his first teacher.

Even at the early age of 12 his sound knowledge made him to accompany great stalwarts like Shri Ariyakudi, Shri Semmangudi and Shri Maharajapuram.

He is known for his dexterity and subtlety in handling the instruments. He is catering his art not only to the Erudite scholar in music but also to the layman. His play reflects his own different moods and the demands of his audience with whom he establishes and enjoys rapport. He dwells with ease and competence at the highest and the lowest octaves.

Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan has deep faith in the therapeutical merits of music.

Sacred Ash, and a big Saffron Dot on his forehead are his trademark symbols.

Kunakudi Vaidyanathan stopped accompanying vocal artistes in 1976 to concentrate more on solo concerts and is famous for his experiments on violin, which he refers as fingering techniques.

Besides continuing his profession, he joined the film orchestra with modern Theatres, Salem. In 1963, his Carnitic base and light music knowledge helped him to join in HMV as a freelance Music Director mainly for producing Bakti Songs. To prove his new region of Music, he chose celluloid media and produced Tamil Musical films of his own. The feature film ‘Todi’, his full length presentation of rich music with T.N. Seshagopalan is a success.

Honours have pursued him. He was awarded the prestigious "Padma Shri" title by the Indian government, Sangita Mamani, Best music director award and more than 200 other awards.

[edit] External links

• Listen All Songs

Interview with Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan Interview with Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan