Dr.K.G.Vijayakrishnan, Professor, Centre for Linguistics, School of Language Sciences, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad is a linguist by profession and a vainika by training. He started learning the veena at the tender age of six from his mother Late Srimati Karpagavalli Gopalakrishnan who learnt the art of veena playing from the musicologist of Kritimanimalai fame Late Sri Ranga Ramanuja Ayyangar. It is well known in music circles that Sri Ranga Ramanuja Ayyangar’s veena technique is derived from the famous Veena Dhanammal style of veena playing.
Thus Vijayakrishnan’s style can be traced to the unique Dhanammal bani of veena playing which is noted for the delicacy of the strumming and the intricacy of the left hand technique. This style is also famous for blending the veena with the voice. True to this tradition of veena playing, Vijayakrishnan has retained its chamber music orientation, adhering to the Dhanammal tradition of the Friday evening open house recitals. Vijayakrishnan gave his first recital at the age of nine in New Delhi and has been giving recitals ever since both in India and abroad.
AWARDS & CONCERTS
- Adjudged the best instrumentalist in the sub-senior category in Music Academy, Madras (1975, 2002)
- Accredited player for the All India Radio, Hyderabad
- Sri Krishna Gana Sabha
- The Indian Fine Arts Society, Kalasagaram (Secunderabad)
- Sri Swati Tirunal Sangeetha Sabha (Trivandrum, latest in 2006)
- Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar Trust (Trivandrum 2006)
- Angayarkanni Sabha (Madurai)
- New York, Los Angeles, Lincoln- Nebraska (where his recital was the inaugural programme of the local chapter of SPICMACAY), Paris, Berlin, Utrecht, Amsterdam.
- Lecture demonstrations on music appreciation (State Bank of India, Hyderabad),,
- Lecture demonstrations on music appreciation, University of Paris (France)
- Lecture demonstrations on music appreciation, University of Konstanz (Germany).
