Hailing from a family of musicians, Acharya Ratna Sri Anikode Krishna Sundaram Murali (A. S. Murali) is one of the most sought-after leading vocalists of today in the field of South Indian Classical Music (Carnatic Music). Sri A. S. Murali has performed more than thousand concerts with a global career of great repute spanning over two and a half decades. Sri Murali started his journey in music from his parents Sri. A. K. Sundaram and Smt. Parvathi and continued under his uncle Sri A. K. Ganesha Iyer and Kalaimamani Smt. S. Rajeswari. Later, his musical skills were honed by none other than Padmabhushan, Sangeetha Kala Acharya Sri.P.S.Narayanaswamy, who himself is a leading sishya of the doyen, Bhishma Pithamaha Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, thus becoming the torch bearer of one of the most traditional schools of Carnatic music with a rich musical lineage. His fascination towards laya and the distinctive sound of the pot instrument - “Ghatam”, drew him to get trained under Ghatam Maestro Sri T. V. Vasan. This was instrumental in shaping Sri Murali’s musical career. Sri Murali is an “A Graded Artist” of the All India Radio, Chennai – both in Carnatic vocal as well as Ghatam, hence making himself a complete musician. His resonant and mellifluous voice and strict adherence to classicism have enriched his art progression over the years. His music is marked with a very high level of aesthetics in conception and execution. He is known for his tremendous blend of Manodharma (imaginative) and Sampradaya (traditional) Sangeetham (music) in his concerts. His complete involvement and his ability to unfold ragas with ease have left many listeners getting lost in his music.
Sri Murali has received numerous awards and accolades from various leading institutions globally, few of which include “Asthana Vidwan” of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, “Sangeetha Bhushanam”, “Yuva Kala Jyothi”, “Sri Sushmeendra Puraskar”, “Gandharva Kala Rathna”, “Senior Fellowship in Music” by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. His music has been applauded and enjoyed by audiences in various parts of the globe such as the United States of America, Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Japan, Australia, various Middle East countries, South America, New Zealand, etc.
Sri Murali invariably falls in the list of senior and favorite students of his guru and has also been one of the few preferred by his guru Sangeetha Kalacharya Sri P. S. Narayanasamy, to accompany him on vocal support during his concerts. Academically, Murali is a qualified Cost accountant and holds a First Class Post graduate degree in Carnatic Music.
Apart from being a mainstream performer, Sri A. S. Murali is also one of the most sought after teachers in the Carnatic Music fraternity. He has produced hundreds of students, all over the world, who have been proving themselves in various fields of music. He has also been to several countries on various tutorship programs and have trained students in such a way that their whole perspective on Carnatic Music changes for betterment. His teaching techniques are unique and most appealing such that, any student who joins him seldom wishes to leave his classes. He has also been awarded several awards for his dedicated teaching. Sri Murali has also been a panelist in the selection committee for the Department of Arts and Culture, Government of India. Currently, he is working as a Lecturer in the Department of Vocal Music in the most reputed Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts, (Kalakshetra Foundation) Chennai.
