Concerts

Performances

Classical concerts

Manasi’s musical style places emphasis on melody and soul, along with precision in rhythm and boundless creativity. Her classical Carnatic concerts feature a mix of traditional pieces that reflect the ancient tradition of her art, along with devotional compositions from across the length and breadth of the country. Manasi believes in connecting with her audience and always explains the context and significance of each composition, thus enabling audiences who may not be familiar with the intricacies of Carnatic music to also appreciate the form. 

Thematic concerts

 

 Manasi excels in expounding a theme through music, with eloquent explanations in both English and Kannada, depending on the audience.  What sets her apart is her eclectic taste in music, and the ability to seamlessly traverse different musical idioms, languages and philosophies. This is what makes Manasi’s concerts appeal to the purist and the layman alike.

Some of her thematic concerts include:

  • An exclusive ragamalika concert, where all compositions were in more than one raga
  • Lesser known janakas (parent ragas) of popular janya (derived) ragas
  • Thematic concerts on a particular composer 
  • An exclusive concert of women composers
  • “Daasaru kanda Krishna – Mira Prabhu Giridhari” – combining the compositions of the Haridasas and Mirabai
  • “Samarpan” – a tribute to Bharat Ratna MS Subbulakshmi through her iconic songs

Avadhana Pallavi

The Avadhana Pallavi is a unique aspect of Carnatic music that involves deep concentration and multitasking ability. The performer sings a Ragam –thanam –Pallavi while keeping count of two separate talas (rhythm cycles) in the right and left hands, while simultaneously exploring the nuances of the raga spontaneously. Manasi is among the first few artistes in her generation to have practiced this skill and she has rendered the Avadhana Pallavi in numerous concerts to great acclaim.

The Manasi Prasad Ensemble

Combining the essence of classical music with a fusion / contemporary expression, The Manasi Prasad Ensemble brings together established musicians in a high-energy performance.The set includes reinterpretations from Karnatic, Hindustani, Folk repertoire as well as freshly composed pieces with a dash of Konnakkol (vocal percussion) and jazz influences. The compositions are interspersed with a context-setting conversation that brings home the relevance of each composition and the interconnectedness of music. Besides the band’s core members, namely Manasi and ace drummer and percussionist Karthik Mani, the line up consists of a rotating line up of some of Bangalore’s best classical and contemporary musicians.