Mysore/Mysuru: As part of its 149th Cultural Outreach Programme, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (BVB), Mysuru, in association with BVB Bengaluru and Infosys Foundation, Bengaluru, has organised a Santoor Concert by Vid. M. Thyagaraju at BVB auditorium in Vijayanagar 1st Stage on Aug. 23 at 6 pm.

He will be accompanied by Vid. R. Dasappa on tabla, M.S. Jayaram on mridanga, Kiran Kumar on ghata and Tumkur Yashaswee on violin.

Profile: Born in 1968, Vid. Thyagaraju had a great interest in music and started learning at a young age. He learnt vocal from Vidushi Dr. Gowri Kuppuswamy and violin under Vidwan Mahadevappa and Mysore Manjunath. He is also skilled in Violin, Mandolin, Keyboard, Vocal, Karnatak and Western music.

He is doing practical researches for more than three decades to play Karnatak music on Santoor, basically a Hindustani instrument. An All India Radio graded artiste in Santoor, he holds a Bachelor’s in Music (Vocal and Violin), University of Mysore, Master’s in Music (Vocal and Violin), Bangalore University and Fifth Grade in Western Music from Trinity College of London.

Santoor, a rare stringed instrument, is not familiarised with music-lovers of South India. In mid 20th century, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma adapted the instrument to Hindustani classical tradition and became the most famous Santoor player.