The Iyer Brothers - veenas
“The Iyer brothers…perfect corordination between them….a concert offered in pure traditional style…gave an ear full of bliss..”- Valuthoor Raga Rasikan, SatyamOnline.com
“Perfect co-ordination, robust presentation, strict adherence to vadya-dharma ... and appreciable technique derived after long years of joint practice assure the veena duo, the Iyer Brothers (Gopinath and Ramnath) from Australia, success.”- KSR, The Hindu,
A performance of Carnatic music by the Iyer Brothers is an extrordinary study in precision and unspoken communication. Melbourne-based twin brothers Ramnath Iyer and Gopinath Iyer are disciples of veena maestros Shri R. Pichumani and Trivandrum Shri R.Venkataraman. They have undertaken years of rigorous training from Indian master Shri. Venkataraman. Australia’s leading exponents of the veena, the Iyer Brothers have made a name for themselves in Australia and overseas as a unique duo in Carnatic (South Indian) classical music. Their music is both exciting and complex, beautiful and challenging. The brothers are ‘A’ graded artists of All India Radio, Chennai.
Since 1994, the brothers have been performing together and have been very well received in various centres around Australia and overseas, including the Four Winds Festival at Bermagui, Australian Institute of Eastern Music in Sydney, Port Fairy Folk Festival, Womadelaide, The Boite, SIFAS, Singapore, ACT National Multicultural Festival in Canberra, Australian National Folk Festival and their own performance projects which have been funded by Australia Council and Arts Victoria. The brothers have released a number of CDs with Australia Council support. Their CD, ‘Soulful Strings’ was featured by Doug Spencer on ABC Radio National's ‘The Planet’.
The brothers are annually featured in the December music festival in Chennai, India and have received rave reviews from the press. In 2003 the brothers were judged as the best veena artists in the junior category at the Music Academy (Lakshmi Sundaram award for Veena) and senior category at the Indian Fine Arts Society, Chennai.
In 1990 the brothers established the Pichumani School of Carnatic Music in Melbourne and have been teaching the art of veena playing and vocal music. The students are highly respected and have presented highly accomplished full length solo veena recitals and vocal recitals. This Concert, which includes Mahita Iyer one of the Pichumani school graduates as well as percussionists Sridar Chary and Krishna Nagasundaram, offers enthralling listening and watching.
