Chicago Tyagaraja Utsavam (CTU) celebrates its 40th anniversary from 28 May to 5 June 2016. The mission of CTU is to pass on the heritage of Carnatic music to the younger generation of immigrants from India. Accordingly, over 300 children and youth in groups and individually, will perform major compositions of Tyagaraja and other composers.
Around 18 programmes including concerts, dances, lectures, skits and a Student Music Competition are scheduled during these nine days. Programmes include Carnatic vocal recitals by Gayathri Venkataraghavan, V. Sankaranarayanan, R. Suryaprakash, Abhishek Raghuram and Toronto Brothers, upanyasam by Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan, violin solo by Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and a 'sastriya sangeet' duet by Pravin Godkhindi (flute) and Ratish Tagde (violin). Three skits on Tyagaraja are to be presented in different languages.
Prof. Emeritus William Jackson (Indiana-Purdue University) and Prof. Vasudha Narayanan (University of Florida) will deliver lectures on Tyagaraja and India's cultural heritage.
The dance aspect is represented by two Bharatanatyam performances by Illinois-based schools Bharatam and Nrityanjali, Kuchipudi by Ananda Dance Theater, Chicago, and Odissi by Sangita Rangala and Ipsita Satpathy.
Most of the events will be held at the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, Lemont, Illinois. Details available at http://chicagotyagarajautsavam.org.