Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu
Encyclopedia
Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu (b. 8 November 1893 to d. 25 November 1964) was one of the most important carnatic violinists of the 20th century.
, India
and was raised in Visakhapatnam
. He was appointed Professor of violin
in the Maharaja's Music College in Vijayanagaram, at the young age of 26, and became its principal in 1936.
He was partially blind. He played at the National Physical Laboratory
auditorium, New Delhi in 1952, to raise funds for the Blind Relief Association.
Yehudi Menuhin
, a world renowned violinist, was greatly impressed when he heard Dwaram play at Justice P.V. Rajamannar's house. The famous playback singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao learned Carnatic music under Naidu.
He was known for his extremely well developed soft bowing technique combined with a firm fingering technique.
He wrote several interesting articles on music
, like an essay on the "Peculiar characteristics of the tambura".
He cautioned his disciples against missing practice even for a day. “If you don’t practice for one day, you will notice your mistakes, if you don’t practice for two days the audience would notice your mistakes!!”. He often used to say, "Music is an audible tapas."
Sri Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Memorial Trust was established in Chennai.
Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Kalakshetram was established in Visakhapatnam.
Statues of this great musician have been erected in Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
Early life and background
Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu was born in November (Deepavali day), in BangaloreBangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and was raised in Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
. He was appointed Professor of violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
in the Maharaja's Music College in Vijayanagaram, at the young age of 26, and became its principal in 1936.
Performing career
He was the first one to start the violin solo concerts. His first solo concert was given in Vellore in 1938.He was partially blind. He played at the National Physical Laboratory
National Physical Laboratory, India
The National Physical Laboratory of India, situated in New Delhi, is the measurement standards laboratory of India. It maintains standards of SI units in India and calibrates the national standards of weights and measures....
auditorium, New Delhi in 1952, to raise funds for the Blind Relief Association.
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
, a world renowned violinist, was greatly impressed when he heard Dwaram play at Justice P.V. Rajamannar's house. The famous playback singer Ghantasala Venkateswara Rao learned Carnatic music under Naidu.
He was known for his extremely well developed soft bowing technique combined with a firm fingering technique.
He wrote several interesting articles on music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, like an essay on the "Peculiar characteristics of the tambura".
He cautioned his disciples against missing practice even for a day. “If you don’t practice for one day, you will notice your mistakes, if you don’t practice for two days the audience would notice your mistakes!!”. He often used to say, "Music is an audible tapas."
Sri Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Memorial Trust was established in Chennai.
Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Kalakshetram was established in Visakhapatnam.
Statues of this great musician have been erected in Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
Awards
- Madras Music AcademyMadras Music AcademyMadras Music Academy, or simply Music Academy, is one of the premier and early Music Academies in the South Indian city of Madras, now Chennai. It plays an important role in encouraging and promoting primarily the Carnatic Music south Indian art form. It also played an important role in revival of...
presented him with Sangeetha KalanidhiSangeetha KalanidhiSangeetha Kalanidhi or Sangita Kalanidhi is the title awarded yearly to an expert Carnatic Musician by the Madras Music Academy. This honour is considered one of the highest awards in Carnatic music.-----Sangeetha Kalanidhis:-External links:*...
in 1941. - Andhra UniversityAndhra UniversityAndhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
conferred on him Kala Prapoorna in 1950. - He received Sangeet Natak Academi Award in Fine Arts in 1953.
- Padma Shree Award was conferred on him in 1957.
- Indian Postal Department has released a commemorative stampPostage stampA postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
on his birth centenary in 1993. - Raja-Lakshmi Award for the year 1992 by Sri Raja-Lakshmi FoundationSri Raja-Lakshmi FoundationSri Raja-Lakshmi Foundation is a Charitable Trust that promotes Arts, Sciences, Literature, Medicine, Journalism, Humanities and other intellectual pursuits and to honour distinguished persons in these fields. Established in 1979 in Chennai by P.V...
, Chennai was awarded to Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu Memorial Trust.
Family
- Eminent Musicologist Dwaram Bhavanarayana RaoDwaram Bhavanarayana RaoDwaram Bhavanarayana Rao was famous Violinist and son of legendary Padmasri Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu.He is born to Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu and Venkata Jaggayyamma on 15 June 1924 at Bapatla. He was educated in Chennai. He was trained by his father, and the late Prof. P...
is his son. Dwaram Anantha Venkata Swamy and Dwaram Lakshmi are his children. - Dwaram Narasinga Rao Naidu is son of Dwaram Venkata Krishnaiah Naidu, who was the elder brother of Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu. He worked as violin lecturer and principal of M.R.Government Music College at Vizianagaram for many years. Dwaram Durga Prasada Rao, Dwaram Satyanarayana Rao and Poosarla Manorama are his children.
- Dwaram Durga Prasada Rao is eldest son of Dwaram Narasinga Rao Naidu. He has worked as principal of M.R.Government Music College at Vizianagaram.
- Dwaram Anantha Venkata Swamy is his grandson. He is a Civil EngineerCivil engineerA civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
working in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant. - Dwaram Lakshmi is daughter of Dwaram Bhavanarayana Rao. She is Vocalist presently working as professor in Padmavathi Mahila University.
- Justice Meenakumari ,is grand daughter of Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu and presently working at Patna High Court.