Renowned percussion virtuosos Sri K. Sai Giridhar and Krishna Sriram give select HKUST students a taste of the complex and intricate rhythmic language of South Indian classical music through rudimentary exercises with spoken percussion syllables, or konnakol. Following the exclusive Hong Kong concert of the vocal duo Ranjani-Gayatri and their ensemble, this workshop event takes place in front of a live audience.

The event is free and open to the public.

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Bios 

K. Sai Giridhar, mridangam 

Sri K. Sai Giridhar is an All India Radio Grade A artist specializing in the mridangam (the double-headed South Indian drum), and a disciple of the legendary gurus Sri M. L. N. Raju and Parupalli S. Phalgun. A recipient of the prestigious Yuva Puraskar award from the Sangeetha Nataka Academy, Sai Giridhar has been a part of various jugalbandhis (crossover performances of North and South Indian classical music) as well as other fusion bands with renowned musicians, and has appeared on several CD and DVD recordings. He has travelled extensively both within India and abroad, performing at numerous prestigious venues alongside distinguished artists. 

Krishna Sriram, ghatam

Trained under the legendary ghatam guru V. Suresh, and guided by doyens such as T. H. Vinayakaram, Krishna—known by colleagues and audiences as “Ghatam Krishna”—has been playing alongside mridangists of various styles, accompanying both vocal and instrumental music. In his fifteen-year performance career, his ghatam (clay pot drum) has taken him to prestigious concert venues across India, as well as to the United States, Australia, Europe, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and elsewhere.