The Author
Music is a manifestation of one’s emotion and
creativity with in. For Prashanth, music is an inborn intrinsic
knowledge manifested into reality.
Born into the family of musicians and scholars, the
Musical genetic inheritance blossomed at the very early age of five,
when any one can hardly think of playing the divine instrument due to
complexity involved in playing the instrument. At the age of eight,
could play keertanas like Endaro Mahanubahulu with ease.
Backed by the traditional Mysore Subbanna school of Veena, Prashanth Iyengar
had his tutelage under the guidance of his mother Smt Padmasini
Narasimhachar and mellowed into an artiste under the guidance of Veena
Virtuoso Vidwan Lion Sri. R. K. Suryanarayana.
His constant experiment on the Instrument has helped to envisage and adapt
his own style of playing the instrument with a sensational touch
involving rich gamakas and varied patterns.
The sympathetic wholesome sound Prashanth Iyengar brings out of the divine
instrument is a treat to the listener's ear- the smooth and lustrous
Instrumental tone produced by strokes not harsh but by a judicious
understanding which produces wholesome sound.
His amiability to coherence and blend various forms of music in
the concerts has received accolades from the connoisseurs of music
across the globe. Music,
according to Iyengar, is a symbol of culture. And India, he says, has
gained considerable recognition because of its musical heritage.
The sympathetic co-ordination of assortment of instrumental sound Mr.
Iyengar brings out of the divine instrument is a treat to the listener's
ear- the smooth and lustrous Instrumental tone produced by strokes not
harsh but by a judicious understanding which produces wholesome sound.
Prashanth Iyengar has the credit of having evolved an integrated system of
learning Music, Theatre and Yoga while he was working as the in-charge
of music department in Directorate of Textbooks, Government of
Karnataka.
Iyengar has been working towards revolutionizing
Indian classical music — bound by plenty of rules and theories — to make
it more accessible. As a part of his efforts to simplify the complex
nature of classical music without distorting its structure, Iyengar has
introduced music appreciation courses in his music school, Sree Rama
Centre of Performing Arts, which has succeeded in catching the attention
of many children, youngsters, including IT professionals.
The 25 hour marathon Veena concert by Mr Iyengar on 21
May 2010 at Srirangapattana, has set a new milestone in the history of
Carnatic Music and is indeed a mirror of showcase to his talent,
dedication and years of practice. This has been adjudicated as a World
Record by Limca Book of Records for the longest marathon Veena concert
ever played by an artiste.
As a teacher, Mr. Iyengar has evolved Sympathetic
Training Methodology for Vocal and Veena amassed with the adaptation of
Yoga and Meditation in the stream of learning with judicious
understanding of the wholesome usage and application of music in the
walk of life.