He Whistles into remarkable tonal variations and strikes awe and wonderment. That is the achievement of young Siva Prasad of Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as “Whistle Wizard”. Vastly gifted with amazing stamina, Siva Prasad effectively uses it to create Whistle that almost resembles the flute and at times the Shehnai. The “Whistle Concert” which lasted for nearly three hours was packed with a number of compositions of the great masters like Annamacharya, Tyagaraja and Meera Bai. In his classical renderings one could see a fair sense of involvement and the total understanding of the Sahitya Bhava of te Kritis presented. Alapanas, Swaraprastharas and other technical moods and moods came out wit rewarding results. His conrolled Manodharama and ease in projecting the popular Raga Bhavas deserves appreciation. Siva Prasad’s wonder land of whistles is dazzling and lingers in ones ears long after the recital.
 

The Indian Express – Bangalore, 31st January, 1982

He Whistles into remarkable tonal variations and strikes awe and wonderment. That is the achievement of young Siva Prasad of Andhra Pradesh, popularly known as “Whistle Wizard”. Vastly gifted with amazing stamina, Siva Prasad effectively uses it to create Whistle that almost resembles the flute and at times the Shehnai. The “Whistle Concert” which lasted for nearly three hours was packed with a number of compositions of the great masters like Annamacharya, Tyagaraja and Meera Bai. In his classical renderings one could see a fair sense of involvement and the total understanding of the Sahitya Bhava of te Kritis presented. Alapanas, Swaraprastharas and other technical moods and moods came out wit rewarding results. His conrolled Manodharama and ease in projecting the popular Raga Bhavas deserves appreciation. Siva Prasad’s wonder land of whistles is dazzling and lingers in ones ears long after the recital.

The Indian Express – Bangalore, 31st January, 1982

I congratulate Siva Prasad for developing a new technique of whistling music and the way he combined both Hindustani and Carnatic styles in his concert.
 

V.N.Gadgil Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting
The Hindu – Hyderabad, 16 June, 1986

The Hindustan Times – New Delhi, 8th March, 1987

The Times of India – New Delhi, 6th April, 1987

Whistling his way to fame

Siva Prasad from Andhra Pradesh is a matchless musician. he is neither vocalist nor an instrumentalist but a whistler.

"I do not know if any one else gives performances like I do," he wondered in an interview to UNI. Indeed no one does.

One listens to his concerts and he has given more than 400 of them in recent years - in utter disbelief for his whistling can match the wizardry of a flute or a shehnai players.

He is at home in both Carnatic and Hindustani music, whistling the notes and nuances of even intricate ragas with equal ease.

But the road to success has been long and hard. He had no guru in the beginning as famous vidwans refused to teach him, dismissing his attempt as being well nigh impossible.

"So I learnt my music, Shiv Prasad recalled. "from gramophone records. After years of hard practice, I began to whistle Carnatic music at small temples. Only my close relatives kept on encouraging me."

Then things began to change. Once Carnatic music maestro Balamurali Krishna heard him and was so impressed that he took him to madras and taught him the basic ragas................

- UNI - Deccan Chronicle-Sec'bad – New Delhi, 8th April, 1987

An exhibition of whistling prowess

'Andhra Maha Sabha' deserves congratulations for giving the Ahmadabad audience an opportunity to listen to the art of the young whistle wizard Siva Prasad on Saturday evening at Jai Shankr Sundri Natya Gruh. Though it was a short programme , the artist enthralled the audience with his range and versatality....

 

Times of India– Ahmadabad, 1st October, 1990

Fascinating lip service from India's 'Whistle Wizard'

If music may be considered a universal language, then some musicians have an accent. K.Siva Prasad known as the Whistle Wizard among Indian music lovers, will next week demonstrate his unique accent for Bangkok audiences.

Infact, his fascinating lip service had already mesmerized audience here when he staged a concert two years ago.

The Music of the Whistle Wizard is a unique and specialized art form.....

 

Bangkok Post- OUT LOOK Section-3 -- Tuesday March 9th, 1995

When Siva Prasad whistled his way into the hearts of listeners.

For more than a decade, innovative efforts had been manifest in the field of Carnatic music. What had once not been possible had become possible now, since music knows no barriers of clime or time.

Resourceful young musicians have dared to experiment and met with success, blazing new trails of glory. For instance, western instruments like mandolin and saxophone have been harnessed in the service of Carnatic music by V.Srinivas and Kadri gopalnath, without blemish, without apasrutis and apaswaras. One new experimenter young man, rather a novel experimenter to join the select band of innovators is Komaravolu Sivaprasad of Hyderabad who has been whistling his wy into the hearts of music lovers and entrancing them with his beguiling notes, like those of a flute of classical music.

 

By P.S.Rao, D.c. 2-7-95

Mr.Ayoob Khan
Deccan Chronicle, December, 27, 2000

Usha Ramamurthy,
Times of India, Allahabad

Whistling his way to success

A packed auditorium and a stage full of musicians. But what was holding them to rhythm and melody? - whistling! Truly,

'Whistle Wizard' Sivaprasad could powerfully match a huge orchestra of percussionists, stringed and wind blown instrumentalists. The audience was almost amazed to witness such a unique concert.

This performance, staged at the Ravindra Bharathi ws not a 'whistling' of light euphoric or popular tunes, but a structured, classical and devotional concert of emotional Annamchrya Kritis, through the rarest of mediums - whistling.

Siva Prasad has mastered this art to the level and strength of classical Carnatic music.

Friday, January-12th 2000