Question

Write down the life sketch and contribution of M S Gopalakrishnan or S. Balachander

Hint:

Write birth, family, guru, concerts, style and awards in order.

Answer 1

Step 1: Birth and childhood:
M S Gopalakrishnan was born on 10 June 1931 in Mylapore, Chennai, into a musical family. His father was the violinist Parur Sundaram Iyer.

Step 2: Musical training:
His father taught him the violin. He learned both Carnatic music and Hindustani music from his father. He gave his first concert when he was 8 years old. The violinist Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu inspired him.

Step 3: Career:
He played for more than fifty years as a soloist and as an accompanist. He accompanied well known Hindustani vocalists such as Omkarnath Thakur and D V Paluskar. He toured Australia, the US, the UK, the Netherlands, South Africa, Malaysia and Hong Kong. He is named with Lalgudi Jayaraman and T N Krishnan as the violin trinity of Carnatic music.

Step 4: Contribution:
He kept the Parur style (Parur bani) alive. He worked out fingering and bowing disciplines for clear tone and speed, including one-finger playing and development of themes on single-string octaves. His brother M S Anantharaman and his daughter M Narmadha carry the style forward.

Step 5: Honours:
Padma Shri (1975), Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1982), Sangeetha Kalanidhi, Padma Bhushan (2012). He passed away in Chennai on 3 January 2013.

Final Answer:
M S Gopalakrishnan (1931-2013), violinist of the Parur style; birth, training and contribution as above. \[ \boxed{\text{M S Gopalakrishnan: Parur style violinist (1931-2013)}} \]