Though there are many famous violinists in India, Manjunath and Nagraj, collectively known as the Mysore brothers, hold a unique spot in the hearts of classical music fans.
Popularly called the Mysore brothers, they are two of the best violinists today in the contemporary music scene. Born to a violinist, Prof. S. Mahadevappa, they were schooled from a very early age in playing the violin.
Their Prodigious Talent
Manjunath and Nagraj are childhood musical prodigies with technical virtuosity. They were discovered at the age of nine and since their introduction, there’s been no looking back. They possess a technical versatility that has not been seen in recent years, not since L Subramaniam and his brothers, as attested by their fans and peers.
Their main strong points are their technical brilliance, their sheer virtuosity, their artistic imagination coupled with an extraordinary range. In a very short span of time they have come to dominate the Carnatic instrumental scene in India.
Their Education and Techniques
Apart from practically performing and acquiring mastery over the violin, the brothers are known for having excelled academically in their chosen field. They studied Musical Theory together; Manjunath is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Music.
Their fingering and bowing techniques result in beautiful melodies and they have performed in music concerts and festivals in all corners of the globe. Manjunath has represented India at the International Violin Conference in San Diego many times.
Their Career
The Mysore Brothers have collaborated with many accomplished vocalists and instrumentalists from around the world and they excel at the Indian fusion musical tradition called jugalbandhi. They were labeled as a ‘Dream Team’ for bringing academic and technical brilliance together with virtuosity.
Their performances at the Common Thread Music festival in Oregon, USA, the All European Culture Festival in the UK, the Sydney Opera House in Australia and the Theater da la Villa in Paris are some of their notable global concerts.
Awards, Accolades and Collaborations
Here are some of the awards and honors that have been bestowed on the brothers till date.
- The Rajyotsav award from the government of Karnataka
- The Best Violinist award from the Music Academy in Chennai
- The Indian Fine Arts Society Award from the American Institute of World Culture
- The Sangeeta Rathna Award
- The Sangeeta Samrat Award
- The Meritorious Award from the University of Oklahoma
Their unique style and versatility has attracted many and other artistes regularly collaborate with Manjunath and Nagraj.
The western classical and country violinist Mark Connor, the internationally acclaimed composer Jai Uttal, the renowned Italian Guitarist Priyo and rock star Mark Wood are some of the people who have collaborated with the Mysore brothers, drawn by their talent.
