Sai Kiran and Sai Nivedita impressed with their vocal synergy and a well-chosen repertoire

Sai Sisters Kiran and Nivi are blessed with a pleasant voice. In their 75-minute concert at Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, they impressed with their choice of kritis and presentation style.

Eschewing the usual Mohanam or Sri raga varnams, the duo began with the bright Pantuvarali varnam ‘Sami ninne’, a composition by Shatkala Narasayya. This was followed by a brief sketch of Sriranjani, and Tyagaraja’s ‘Brochevarevere’. There was an extended swarakalpana exchange on the pallavi. Open-throated singing is good, but there’s a thin line that separates it from turning loud. It is important the sisters keep this in mind.

The main piece of the concert was the Kalyani raga kriti ‘Nidhi chala sukhama’, and the raga essay was shared alternatively by Kiran and Nivi. Their flexible voices traversed the octaves with ease. Here too, in the ‘melkalam,’ their voices sometimes sounded shrill. There is no need to touch ‘ati tara sthayi’ for applause. Tyagaraja’s ‘Nidhi chala sukhama’ was rendered well.

Their smart exchanges in niraval at the charanam and the ensuing swarakalpana carried enough flair. Kiran and Nivi concluded their concert with an abhang.

The young vocalists were accompanied by Gayathri Vibhavari on the violin and B.N. Kasinath on the mridangam. While Gayathri’s responses during raga essays and swara passages were measured and restrained, Kasinath provided adequate rhythmic support , and presented a brief tani avartanam.