Spring 2011 - Priya Sisters Vocal Concert tour

SanKritiLaya is proud to announce the first of the 2011 concert tours - A vocal concert tour by Priya Sisters accompanied by B.V.Ragavendra Rao on Violin and by Neyveli Skanda Subramanian on Mridangam.

Vidhushi Shanmukha Priya and Vidushi Hari Priya, are the renowned musical duo popularly known as the  'Priya Sisters', in the sphere of carnatic music. Born to Smt.V.Lalitha and Sri.V.V.Subba Ram, Priya Sisters  started learning Carnatic Vocal Music since the age of five under the tutelage of their father Sri. V.V.Subba Ram who is a post-graduate in music. Later they had their advanced training under the renowned duo Kalaimamanis Radha & Jayalakshmi. Presently they are under the scholarly guidance of Prof.T.R.Subramaniam. Priya Sisters started performing since 1989 & have given more than 2000 concerts all over India & abroad till date. Besides performing for all the major organizations in India, they have also toured countries like USA, Canada, Maurtitius, UK, UAE, Australia & Sri Lanka.
Busy artists in the national and international circuits, Priya Sisters have traveled widely for concerts in India and abroad, touring countries like U.S.A., Canada, U.K., Mauritius etc. They have performed in a number of prestigious festivals such as the spirit of unity concerts, Duo festival, Festival of Hyderabad, World Tamil conference etc. They were one of the chosen few to have been invited to perform in the 69th and 70th Birthday celebrations of Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba at Puttaparti. They also had the privilege of performing at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi in the presence of the then President of India, Sri. R. Venkataraman.
Priya sisters have been the recipients of the 'Best Female Vocalists' awards from Music Academy, Sri Krishna Gana Sabha and the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai. They have also received the M.L.V. memorial award. They have been conferred the titles 'Sangeeta Sarada' and 'Gayani  Sironmani'. Shanmukha Priya and Hari Priya have received the prestigious 'Ugadi Purashkar 2000' from the Madras Telugu Academy for their achievements in Carnatic Classical Music.
Many recording companies have released a number of  albums of Priya Sisters. Including the popular 'In  Harmony', Bhadrachala Ramdas Kritis, Gaanam, Serene Moments, Annamayya Lahari, Giridhara Gopala, Devi Kritis to name a few.
Their art form is characteristic of the G.N.B.  Bhaani (style), with their  sruti-aligned, attractive,  brigaa-oriented voices lending them ready support to leave an enduring impression on the listener.

Vidwan B.V. Raghavendra Rao hails from a distinguished family of musicians. He was initiated into the niceties of music at an early age of five by his father B.Sudarsana Rao.Attracted by the lure of classical music from his childhood, he trained rigorously on the violin for several years under Guru Shri Balan, Shri Sangeetham Meerasahib and became the disciple of the violin maestro Sangeetha Kalanidhi Shri T.N.Krishnan. Later he received invaluable guidance and concert experience from Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna, arguably one of the greatest musician India has produced in the 20th century. As a young artiste he received the appreciation of the President of India for accompanying the celebrated musical genius. The melodious and mellifluous music that he brings  out through the violin illustrates his strong creative imagination that scales great heights.
He has won several prizes and awards from various  Sabhas in Madras. He has participated in the prestigious  Bharat Cultural Integration Committee's (BCIC) music festivals organized all over India.
Raghavendra Rao has performed internationally and has participated in numerous music festivals of I.C.C.R., and the prestigious "Festival of India" programs. He has widely traveled all over the world, including the U.S.A., Canada, France, Germany, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius and the Middle Eastern countries.
Raghavendra's devotion and his quest for perfection find their expression in his violin-play.

Vidwan Neyveli Skandasubramanian is a disciple of Vidwan Tiruvarar Shri. R. Krishnamoorthy and Vidwan 'Kalaimamani' Tiruvarur Shri. Bhakthavatsalam. He has been giving performances with most top-ranking artists at major Sabhas all over India and abroad. He has traveled and performed widely around the world and is the recipient of many awards. He is a prominent preferred accompanist for many of the
leading vocalists.