page_title: Bellary M. Raghavendra
section_title: Musical Performance
hierarchical_section_title: Bellary M. Raghavendra / Musical Performance
caption_attribution_description: English: Vishesha Utsava 2020 Programme organised by Vishesha Fine Arta
context_page_description: Vidwan Ballari M Raghavendra is a Carnatic vocalist from Karnataka. He has a bachelor's degree in commerce and also a Master's degree in music from Bangalore University. He has served in various capacities across multiple All India Radio stations in Karnataka. Initially joining as a program executive, he later went on to become the Assistant Station Director in AIR.He had the rare previlege of being an A grade artist in devotional and light classical forms of music apart from Carnatic classical music.
  He is popularly known for delivering music compositions with lyrical clarity, emotion and good use of rhythmic patterns After his retirement from AIR, he is currently living in Mysore.
context_section_description: Raghavendra started giving stage performances at a very young age. He gave his first stage performance at the age of 9 years. Raghavendra has produced many music-based programmes such as Aaswaada (on music appreciation), Swarasangama (on teaching music) and many other musical features, which are highly popular among the music-lovers and general public.
  A villager used to go atop a mountain in Challakere inorder to catch the radio signals and record the episodes of Swarasangama. He then used to make his fellow villagers listen to the music lessons regularly. 35 such villagers in Challakere and Arsikere, were not just able to listen to Carnatic music but they were even able to pass the Junior music exams with high distinction through this programme. This  insidence was really a satisfying moment in my career in AIR!
  — Bellary M Raghavendra
   Raghavendra is a dedicated music teacher who has a rare ability to identify and groom music students based on their individual strengths. Popular singer Vijay Prakash of "Jai Ho" (song) fame is known to have learnt Carnatic music under Raghavendra while he was in Mysore.  
  In addition to being a vocalist, he is well versed in Konnakol and Morsing. When Raghavendra moved from Mysore to Dharwad he also learnt Hindustani vocal music from Pandit Chandrashekar Puranikmath a renowned hindustani musician from Gwalior Gharana who retired from AIR Radio Dharwad.Raghavendra often uses expressions of Hindustani music in his concerts especially while delivering devotional compositions of Haridasas. He also has performed jugalbandis with eminent Hindustani vocalists in musical concerts. 
  Raghavendra has presented numerous illustrative talks and demonstrations on music. He has toured Europe and Canada along with TAS R Mani Ensemble. He has been very successful in establishing and promoting classical music in remote areas of Karnataka where the classical form of music was non-existent.
  Vishesha Fine Arts a not-for-profit charitable trust is run under the guidance of Artists like Vani Sateesh, Mysore M. Nagaraj, Mysore M. Manjunath, painters B.K.S. Varma, G.N. Seetharamiah and Sri Bellary M Raghavendra. It is started with an intention to provide Fine arts education in schools; bringing rare concerts to the public; and recognizing the efforts of individuals striving to propagate music in society.
  An annual event called Vishesha Utsava is also conducted under the banner of Vishesha Fine Arts where various artists render their performance. The organization was inaugurated on 29 January 2011 and Sri Mysore Sateesh is the trustee of this organization.
caption: Vishesha Utsava 2020
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