In the rich tradition of Carnatic music , Gurus play a pivotal role . Could you tell us about your Gurus and the impact they ’ ve had on shaping your musical identity ?
I owe My first teacher , late Shri Panapattu S Venkatesan the credit for igniting the passion for the instrument in me . I started classes when I was in third grade . His friendly persona and the happy classroom ambience made me learn the basics and much more from him in no time .
Then , I moved to chennai in the year 2011 , I started training under Shri TV Ramani sir , an extremely dedicated teacher . Despite the fact that he was going through tough times himself , he would still teach me every alternate day with great enthusiasm . Even though the tutelage under him was for a very brief time , his guidance and inputs will stay invaluable to me .
Like every other youngster my age who would dream of meeting someone whom they idolise , blessings poured forth in giving me the priceless opportunity to train under my Guru Shri RK Shriramkumar , my all time favourite musician . Till then I had listened to so much of his music that every facet of his playing be it his vast creativity , his unique and attractive style of accompaniment , the versatility and subtleties in phrasings , his dexterous style of reproducing vocal music exactly on the violin and the perfect blend of intellect and Bhava had left an indelible mark on me . Apart from the musician par excellence that he is , his persona radiates so much charm , affection and positivity that he has won hearts not only amongst the students , but amongst people of all age groups world over . He always makes sure that learning is a serious affair but most importantly a joyful process , which makes me eagerly look forward to each and every class . Music is Sir ’ s life and soul so much so that on numerous occasions while teaching us in class , everyone in the room including him has been left teary eyed . A man who always throws only positivity and confidence
to his students , my constant wish is that this beautiful journey under his guidance is never ending .
Another person who has been my constant mentor is Vid . Amritha Murali . Being a wonderful vocalist and violinist herself , She is an amazing teacher and a friend who has been of immense support and guidance to me .
The violin is often considered a challenging instrument . How do you structure your practice sessions to enhance your skills and maintain the nuances of Carnatic music ?
Like every other student of the instrument and music , I focus on the basics and practise them regularly to keep my foundation strong . I also listen to lot of music which helps me grow musically and also aids me when I accompany different styles of music . My practise sessions are typically a blend of attempting to learn and play various compositions as taught to me , focus on various aspects of manodharma and playing exercises to strengthen my technic .
As a violinist in the Carnatic tradition , collaborative efforts with vocalists and other instrumentalists are common . Can you share some memorable collaborations or experiences you ’ ve had in this regard ?
I have had the privilege of collaborating with many wonderful musicians . One particularly interesting collaboration was with a senior musician I venerate , Vid Shri K Arun Prakash . I have had the privilege to collaborate with him for his Carnatic music ensembles and it has always been fun and a great learning experience . As someone who has been devoted to Isha foundation and Sadhguru , I have also had the privilege of performing for Isha foundation ’ s Mahashivratri celebrations , where I have had opportunities to collaborate with musicians from other genres as well . It is always fun to collaborate with peers and I really had a memorable time performing a veena-violin duet with Charulatha chandrashekar
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