Saxophonist and Padma Shri Awardee Kadri Gopalnath Passes Away

Kadri Gopalnath was celebrated for popularising the saxophone in Carnatic music.

Kadri Gopalnath is celebrated for popularising the saxophone, a jazz instrument, in Carnatic music.

(Photo Courtesy: The News Minute)

Padma Shri awardee and noted saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath breathed his last in the early hours of Friday, 11 October, days after he was admitted to a Mangaluru private hospital. He was 69 and was hospitalised for age-related issues.

His last rites are slated to be held later in the day, in order to wait for the arrival of one of his sons from the Middle East.

Among other awards and accolades, he had won the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award, Karnataka Kalashree and had played at the Jazz Festival in Prague, the Berlin Jazz Festival, the International Cervantino Festival in Mexico, the Music Hall Festival in Paris, and the BBC Promenade concert in 1994 at London.

Following his death, senior journalist Madhavan Narayan recalled, “He turned a jazz instrument into a Carnatic staple, retaining sensitive roots in a global exploration. And worked with AR Rahman in duet to give us a popular tune. Shraddhanjali to the man who played Anjali, Anjali Pushpanjali.”

Top hindustani classical musician and flute player Pravin Godkhindi remembered him as his “guru” and called this a sad day for music.

According to a report in The Hindu, the musical genius had taken to the saxophone when he first visited Mysuru at the age of 8. He had heard the music played by the “Mysore Band” which was patronised by the Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the then Maharaja of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom.

Gopalnath shot to fame after the blockbuster hit of the soundtrack for the movie Duet. AR Rahman directed the music of the K Balachander film, and used the saxophone for all the notes. Starring Prabhu and Ramesh Aravind, the movie was a hit for its Anjali Anjali Pushpanjali song.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2004 and received an honorary doctorate from Bangalore University the same year. He is among the few Carnatic musicians to have performed at the prestigious Royal Albert Hall in London.

The musical maestro is survived by his wife and two sons. His eldest son Manikanth is also an acclaimed music director.

(Published in an arrangement with The News Minute)