https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Kadri_GopalnathKadri Gopalnath - Revision history2026-07-31T07:56:16ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kadri_Gopalnath&diff=118979&oldid=prev>Ser Amantio di Nicolao at 04:24, 27 June 20212021-06-27T04:24:45Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian saxophonist}}<br />
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{{Infobox musical artist<br />
| name = Kadri Gopalnath<br />
| image = Kadri Gopalnath.png<br />
| caption = Kadri Gopalnath performing at Pillayarpatti<br />
| image_size = <br />
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1949|12|6}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Bantwal]] taluk, [[Dakshina Kannada]], [[Karnataka]], India<br />
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2019|10|11|1949|12|11}}<br />
| death_place = [[Mangalore]], Karnataka, India<br />
| instrument = [[Saxophone]]<br />
| genre = [[Indian classical music]], [[film music]], [[jazz fusion]]<br />
| occupation = Saxophonist<br />
| years_active = 1957-2019<br />
| label =<br />
| associated_acts = [[Rudresh Mahanthappa]]<br />
}}<br />
[[File:A still of Shri Kadri Gopalnath who will be presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Carnatic Music - Instrumental (Saxaphone) by the President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam in New Delhi on October 26, 2004.jpg|thumb|Shri Kadri Gopalnath]]<br />
Dr. '''Kadri Gopalnath''' (6 December 1949 – 11 October 2019) was an Indian [[alto saxophone|alto saxophonist]] and one of the pioneers of [[Carnatic music]] for that instrument.<br />
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==Early life==<br />
Kadri Gopalnath was born on December 6, 1949 in Sajeepa Mooda village in [[Bantwal]] taluk of [[Dakshina Kannada]] to Taniyappa and Gangamma was greatest of all of them.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/noted-saxophone-exponent-kadri-gopalnath-passes-away/article29653379.ece|title=Noted saxophone exponent Kadri Gopalnath passes away|date=11 October 2019|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> He acquired a taste for music from his father Taniyappa, a [[nadaswaram|Naadaswara]] [[vidwan]]. As a child, Gopalnath once saw the saxophone being played in the [[Mysore Palace]] band set. Upon hearing the vibrant tone of the saxophone, Gopalnath decided to master it.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/how-the-saxophone-took-to-swaras/article26014548.ece|title=How the saxophone took to swaras|last=Ramani|first=V. v|date=2019-01-17|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-01-19|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It took him nearly 20 years to conquer the complex western wind instrument, and he was eventually crowned as the "Saxophone Chakravarthy".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hugedomains.com/domain_profile.cfm?d=indiansarts&e=com|title=HugeDomains.com - IndiansArts.com is for sale (Indians Arts)|website=www.hugedomains.com}}</ref><br />
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==Career==<br />
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Gopalnath learnt to play Carnatic music on the saxophone from N. Gopalakrishna Iyer of Kalaniketan, [[Mangalore]]. He presented his first concert in the All India Radio, Mangaluru in 1978.<ref name="auto"/> In [[Madras]], Gopalnath came in contact with the vocalist and [[mridangist]] guru [[T. V. Gopalakrishnan|T.V. Gopalkrishnan]], who identified the youngster's potential and tutored him.<br />
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Gopalnath had to make certain modifications to the conventional [[alto saxophone]] to play [[Carnatic music]]. So successful was this adaptation that the great musician [[Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer]], the [[doyen]] of [[Carnatic music]], acknowledged Kadri Gopalnath as a true Carnatic music genius.<br />
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His maiden live performance was for the [[Chembai]] Memorial Trust. The 1980 Bombay [[Jazz]] Festival was a turning point for Gopalnath. [[John Handy]], a jazz musician from California was present at the festival. Hearing Gopalnath play, Handy asked if he could go on stage and perform alongside him. So well did the two mesh, Handy in the jazz style and Gopalnath in the Carnatic style, that it became an instant hit with the audience.<ref name=":0" /> Gopalnath has participated in the Jazz Festival in Prague, the [[Berlin Jazz Festival]], the [[International Cervantino Festival]] in Mexico, the Music Hall Festival in Paris, the BBC Promenade concert in 1994 at London, and has toured all over the world.<br />
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He cut many albums and recorded a number of cassettes and CDs. Together with jazz flautist [[James Newton]], he recorded ''Southern Brothers''. His production called 'East-West' is an audio-video presentation that, as the title suggests, is a fusion of Western and Indian music. This album took 6 months to produce and has compositions from [[Tyagaraja|Saint Tyagaraja]], [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]] and the likes.<br />
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Film director [[K. Balachander]] used Gopalnath's services in his [[Tamil film]] ''[[Duet (1994 film)|Duet]]''. The film had music composed by [[A.R. Rahman]] and all the songs had saxophonic instrumentation by Gopalnath, mostly in [[raga]] [[Kalyanavasantam]]. He once said about this album: : "I played some 30 ragas for Rahman. He wasn't satisfied. Finally I played Kalyanavasantam, and he said, "Thats it!". After that movie I became known. I was in all the papers. It became difficult to travel in buses and trains. Of course I enjoyed the mass appeal."<br />
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In 2005, Gopalnath began a collaboration with American saxophonist and composer [[Rudresh Mahanthappa]], which resulted in the 2008 album ''Kinsmen'' ([[Pi Recordings]]) and supporting US tour.<br />
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Gopalnath was also a famed teacher, having taught many prominent saxophonists around the world.<br />
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==Death==<br />
Gopalnath died on 11 October 2019 due to cardiac arrest at the age of 69 at a private hospital in [[Mangalore]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/saxophone-wizard-kadri-gopalnath-dies-at-69-767578.html|title=Saxophone wizard Kadri Gopalnath dies at 69|date=11 October 2019|website=Deccan Herald}}</ref> He was ailing for a long time before his death, and could not attend many concerts. His dead body was taken to ancestral village on 13 October, and was buried there with full state honours. He is survived by his wife Sarojini and three children, among whom, his younger son [[Manikanth Kadri]], is also a professional musician and music director.<br />
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==Awards, titles and tributes==<br />
Gopalnath was presented with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Carnatic Music - Instrumental (Saxophone), by the President Dr. A. P. J Abdul Kalam, in New Delhi on October 26, 2004.<br />
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Many titles and honours had come his way, the most cherished being the Asthana Vidwan of [[Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham|Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam]], [[Sringeri Sharada Peetham|Sri Sringeri Sharadha Peetam]], [[Ahobila Matha|Sri Ahobila Mutt]] and [[Karpaka Vinayakar Temple|Sri Pillayarpatti Temple]]. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] in 2004.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6U68ulwpb?url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 November 2014 }}</ref><br />
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Gopalnath had the distinction of being the first Carnatic musician to be invited in the [[The Proms|BBC Promenade concert]] in 1994, in the Royal Albert Hall at London. The [[Asian Music Circuit]], U.K, sponsored his recital.<br />
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Among his other distinctions are:<br />
Saxophone Charkravarthy, Saxophone Samrat, Ganakala Shree, Nadapasana Brahma, Sunada Prakashika, Nada Kalarathna, Nada Kalanidhi, Sangeetha Vadya Rathna, Karnataka Kalashree in 1996, Vocational Excellency Award from the Rotary of Madras, Tamil Nadu State Award "Kalaimamani" and Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 1998.<br />
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He received an honorary doctorate from [[Bangalore University]] in 2004.<br />
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The 2008 album ''Blue Rhizome'' by the New Quartet features a tribute to the saxophonist called "Gopalnath" (composed by [[Karl E. H. Seigfried]]).<br />
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He received the [[Sangeetha Kalasikhamani]] award for the year 2013 given by The Indian Fine arts Society, Chennai.<br />
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He received the ''Kamban Pugazh'' award for the year 2018 given by All Ceylon Kamban Society, Sri Lanka.<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[http://www.kadrigopalnath.com Official Site]<br />
*[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/06/01/arts/music-kadri-gopalnath.html NY Times review of a concert]<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120927183054/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-15/news-and-interviews/29661517_1_classical-music-instrument-songs Interview in Times of India]<br />
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070404063817/http://www.musicindiaonline.com/music/carnatic_instrumental/s/artist.176/ Songs from musicindiaonline.com]<br />
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{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Art}}<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gopalnath, Kadri}}<br />
[[Category:1949 births]]<br />
[[Category:2019 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Carnatic instrumentalists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian saxophonists]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in arts]]<br />
[[Category:Mangaloreans]]<br />
[[Category:People from Dakshina Kannada district]]<br />
[[Category:Tulu people]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian musicians]]<br />
[[Category:Musicians from Karnataka]]<br />
[[Category:Indian male classical musicians]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century saxophonists]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century saxophonists]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century male singers]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century male musicians]]</div>>Ser Amantio di Nicolao