About Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram
Sri Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram hails from the family of traditional Natyacharyas (Dance teachers) representing the seventh generation of a legacy of ancestors patronised by King Serfoji of Thanjavur, the royal courts of Baroda and Ramanathapuram and which has been imparting Bharatha Natyam in traditional Thanjavur style for the past 300 years, his great grandfather was the illustrious Panchapakesa Nattuvanar author of Abhinaya Navaneetham.
He has imbibed this great art form from his grandfather, Bharatha Vidwan Guru Kuppiah Pillai, his uncle Natya Kalanidhi, Kalaimamani Guru A.T. Govindraj Pillai, his uncle Bharatha Vidwan Kalaimamani Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai.
Harikrishna had his initial training under his elder cousin Guru G. Vasanth Kumar, and also imbibed the art from his elder cousin Guru M. Vishwanath after which he underwent rigorous training under his illustrious father, Natya Acharya Guru Kalyanasundaram.
Some Important Solo Dance Performances in India & Abroad
Mridangam Mastery & Global Tours
Initiated at the age of 4 to undergo intensive training in mridangam, under the great Mridanga Vidwan Karaikudi Chandramouli, in Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha from 1980. Harikrishna under the guidance of his Guru emerged as one of the promising talents of the future. A Gold medallist in the West Zone Inter School Competition, he was the youngest to perform at the Raj Bhavan for the Governor of Maharashtra, along with a Czech violinist, at the age of 17.
For the past seventeen years, he has been a regular feature of the Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir troupe, accompanying his father Guru Kalyanasundaram, his uncle Guru T.K. Mahalingam Pillai and his cousins Guru G. Vasant Kumar and Guru M. Vishwanath, on the mridangam. He has performed at major festivals of India, to name a few: The Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees Festival (New Delhi), The Dover Lane Music Conference (Calcutta), The ITC Festival (Madras), the Pune Festival, Nritya Sangam (Hyderabad), Kinkini Festival (Bangalore), The Goa Tourism Festival, The Jammu Festival of Music & Dance, The Modhera Festival Of Dance, and The Heritage Festival (Tripura). He has regularly toured abroad for the past ten years at major centres of arts in more than 25 cities in USA and Canada, Singapore, Nairobi and Qatar.
The Rare Triple Feat
Harikrishna holds the unique distinction of having performed a rare triple feat at the highest level as a mridanga vidwan, as a solo classical dancer and also as a nattuvanar (wielding the cymbals & dance choreography) in prestigious festivals in various cities in India and abroad, (many at different dates but at the same venue): Natyanjali Chidambaram, Thanjavur Brihadeeshwara temple, South Zone Cultural Centre, important temple festivals in Kumbakonam, various venues in New Delhi and Mumbai, and also in many cities in the United States of America.
As one of the directors of Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir, Guru Harikrishna is actively involved in teaching, conducting performances and arangetrams, creating new work and staging them for which he has received rave reviews for his choreography and nattuvangam. Choreographer, composer and conductor, he has acquired extensive knowledge and expertise through long years of training, research and performances. Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram has a distinctive approach to creating new classical repertoire and has created several new compositions for dance which have been showcased by dancers in India, USA and Canada.
Academic & Vocal Excellence
Harikrishna is a commerce graduate from the R.A. Podar College of Commerce and Economics, and has completed a diploma course in Sanskrit from the Mumbai University. Harikrishna is undergoing intensive training in vocals under the guidance of Smt. Alamelu Mani, of the Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. T. Brinda school. Currently, Harikrishna is pursuing advanced studies in Sanskrit under Prof. P.G. Shukla, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and appearing for his Kovid exams in Sanskrit literature and Bhagavad Gita.
Choreography of Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram
As one of the directors of Sri Rajarajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir, Guru Harikrishna is actively involved in conducting performances and arangetrams, creating new work and staging them for which he has received rave reviews for his choreography and nattuvangam.
Vaishnava Jan
A Thematic presentation which brings out the virtues of Peace, Non-violence, tolerance and devotion as told to us by the great saints of India.
Dance for Peace
A grand Bharatha Natyam and Kathak Jugalbandhi for the launch of Lokakshemam, a non-profit arts organization.
Kavya Natyam
An evening of classical Bharatanatyam celebrating the timeless classics of Tamil poetry presented in Toronto, Canada, produced and presented by Lata Pada and Sampradaya Dance Creations.
Master Teacher & International Repertoire
As a dynamic master teacher he has regularly been touring North America and Canada and teaching in master classes and dance camps by Shakti Dance Academy of Viji Prakash, and has been part of several productions presented by Viji Prakash in Los Angeles (such as Sankeerna Alarippu and 10 ½ beat Thillana).
In Canada, he has been regularly conducting master classes at Sampradaya Dance Academy of Lata Pada, and been part of several productions by Lata Pada in Toronto.
He is extremely popular for his repertoire which among works of established musicians also consists of some of his own musical works to name a few: Sri Rama Kavuthvam, Charukesi Jathiswaram, Keeravani Varnam, and the 10 ½ beat Nasikabooshani Thillana (such a tala cycle performed first time ever on the dance stage) among others.
Press on Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram
"The season also saw the emergence of a young choreographer in Harikrishna, who not only proved that he is a good choreographer, but also a music composer and master teacher to keep track of. The young guru is a multi-talented personality with his skill in playing mridangam, singing, as well as those already mentioned, music and dance choreography. Harikrishna’s wife Vidya, with her mellifluous singing, is a great asset to the family. Guru Kalyanasundaram can take pride that the great Thanjavur tradition of this family of nattuvanars has been passed on to the next generation effectively."
"It was heartening to see young Harikrishna, son and disciple of Guru Kalyanasundaram of Rajarajeswari school present a couple of items with lot of commitment to their artistic lineage."
Evoking Nataraja:
"A special feature on the commitment of Indian male dancers from different dance styles and photography, a dramatic synthesis of two incredible art forms and a celebration of their common commitment to aesthetics."
Bhakti Bursts Forth:
"……the dance was sensitively tuned by Harikrishna Kalyanasundaram……"