Percussion Ensemble Of the Percussive Arts Centre (PEPAC)

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This is a non-theatric group involving percussion instruments.  

Till recently, percussions were considered only for their supportive role, and only recently, it is recognized that percussion have an independent identity of their own, as in Western Ensembles. 

Percussion Ensemble of the Percussive Arts Centre has been presenting several innovative attempts. “Laya Vrushti” an audiocassette had been released which attempted to reveal the potentialities of the different instruments & stimulate exploration of new dimensions in percussion music. This innovation attempted to establish a step towards the identification of the independent personality of the different instruments. This ha been released by “Sangeetha” Master Recording Company Madras. 

The present attempt is to establish a “Harmony with melodic and rhythmic structures in Percussion Ensemble” with Karnatak Classical Music. Whenever a Varna or Krithi is rendered (in Vocal or instrumental recitals), the percussionists support them individually and collectively playing free hand extempore depending on their individual manodharma. When 2 or more percussionists play together, especially in an Ensemble, while the different percussionists play to their own manodharma, there cannot be a uniform content in their play. When the audio aspect of this is examined, there is a lot of overlapping in their combined effort.  

To avoid this and to produce a combined concerted out-put of all the different percussions, an attempt has now been made for the first time, to plan and notate the percussion themes to suit and support the “Kalpitha Sangeetha” (Composed music). The established classical masterpiece the Atta Taala, Bhairavi Varna and the noted Krithi “Gam Ganapathi”, in Hamsadhwani set to thrisra nadai Adi have been selected for this novel experimentation, in the first attempt.  

The planned, notated themes have been written down, directed and rehearsed individually and collectively by all the percussionists. Then they are rehearsed with the vocals and a “harmony of these melodic patterns of Kalpitha Sangeetha (composed music is attempted with the planed-rehersed-thythmic structures”. 

Laya Kalaa Prathibha Mani Anoor R. Ananthakrishna Sharma who happens to be the Director of this Ensemble has composed the intricate structures and musical, rhythmic patterns for the Ensemble. 

Memorable Programmes given by the Ensemble:

6/9/2002                 – Mangalore University

26/12/2001              – TVG’s Academy of Indian Music and Arts

27/12/2001              – Platinum Jubilee Music Conference of the Madras Music    Academy presided by Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman

31/12/2001              – Mylapore for Music Education Trust

8/3/2002                 – 32^nd Musicians’ Conference of the Karnataka Gana Kala Parishat

13/3/2002               – Ananya GML Cultural Academy

24/3/2002               - Presentation at Nayana, Kannada Bhavana, under the immediate presence of representative of South Zone Cultural Centre, Thanjavur. 

Participants of the Ensemble:

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