Trichur C. Narendran


Thrissur C. Narendran is a Mridangam artiste from Kerala, India. His intricate rhythmic patterns, sense of proportion, sharp anticipation, short & carefully thought out phases of silence, and the ability to give the Mridangam the much-needed soft touch sets Trichur C. Narendran a apart. Narendran has also accompanied more than five generations of musicians.

Early life

Narendran was born to Late Venugopala Raja of Manakulam Palace and sister in an ambience of Music and Art.

Musical training

Born in a family of musicians and scholars, Narendran was initiated into an early training in Mridangam by Sri Kongorppilly Parameswaran Namboodiri who spotted his talent during a dance rehearsal at an annual family get together at Manakkulam Palace, and started teaching Narendran the basics of Mridangam when he was just seven.
It was David Bhagavathar of Kunnamkulam who instilled in him the interest in music and inspired him to seriously take up the Mridangam. Later it was Sri E P Narayana Pisharodi and Koduvayur Radhakrishnan who trained him further.
Narendran had the rarest privileges to be one of the early disciples of Palghat R Raghu from 1973.
It was the scholarship awarded by the Government of India that provided the fecundity for him to learn the finer and the most intricate techniques of mridangam playing from Mridangam Maestro Padmashri Palghat R. Raghu.

Career

Narendran has been exposed to the concert platform from a very early age of 10.
It was at the age of 17 that he won first prize in A I R Music competition. In the Commercial CD released by A I R of Palghat K V Narayanaswami, with M S G on the violin, Narendran has provided mridangam accompaniment. He was on the staff of All India Radio from 1992 to 2011. He is a Top rank artiste of All India Radio.

Awards and Accolades

Narendran moved to Chennai in 1973. He is now retired from All India Radio and settled in Chennai.