VINJAMURI VARADARAJA IYENGAR

MEMORIAL CHARITABLE SOCIETY

Dr. Vinjamuri Varadaraja lyengar (1915-1991) was a unique person. He was a musician, musicologist, composer and an administrator. He combined in him the greatest values of India's cultural tradition with modern education. He belonged to the Sishya Parampara of Saint Thyagaraja. His first Guru late Piratla Sankara Sastry garu belonged to the Veena Kuppaier School while his later Guru Tiger Varadachariar belonged to the Manambuchavidi Venkatasubbier School. Elsewhere in this book the Guru Sishya tree has been illustrated. Dr. Vinjamuri Varada- raja lyengar imbibed the best of these traditions and throughout his life he not only adhered to them but also propagated them through his singing in concerts throughout the country and abroad, through various writings in newspapers and magazines, through talks and programmes over All India Radio. His adher- ence to Sampradaya Singing was legendary. His article in English "Classical Music of South India" contained in this volume brings out his enormous devotion in all its transparency. As mentioned in that article, to him, Music was a way to salvation and the name, fame and fortune that accompanied were only incidental.

The family members and disciples of Sriman Vinjamuri Varadaraja lyengar have created the Dr. Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar Memorial Charitable Society in order to further the cause of Classical Music in its purest form. The Music Academy Madras, has kindly accepted to present annually a Gold Medal to a senior Carnatic Musician for pallavi singing during their annual festival. A Gold Medal has been endowed to be given to the best Vocal student in M.A. (Music) of the Telugu University, Hydera- bad. The Society intends to conduct an annual concert in memory of late Sri Vinjamuri Varadaraja Iyengar in collaboration with the South Indian Cultural Association of Hyderabad. To start with, a three day festival has been organised to coincide with the first anniversary.

One of the major undertakings of the Society is to publish.........................