So , when you ask if I want things to be different , I have to say that change is a natural part of life , and we need to be able to go with the flow while still holding on to our artistic roots . The digital age has given us an incredible way to connect with people all around the world and keep them up to date on our latest creations . Rather than seeing it as a challenge , we should embrace this incredible tool to help us stay connected and on top of our game .
Could you tell us a bit about your recent work ?
K : Recently I created a platform - Bowing with fiddling monk - with the idea of digitally empowering people to learn the art of playing the Indian violin , without requiring the need for a physical Guru .
Creating this portal was very challenging . The course having all original content needed to be aligned and presented in the correct sequence .
The best part of the portal is that all the lessons are very easy and self-explanatory . A student can learn it at his / her space and pace . They must send a submission after each lesson , I will review the same and give the necessary feedback .
Making the video with the imaginary audience in mind was quite exhausting . The most satisfying part was when students started learning from the portal and found it really interesting and started their musical journey .
Other than that , there are a few important musical pieces that I am working on .
So , in Indian music , there are these 7 basic rhythmic cycles which are called the Saptha Sooladi Taalas , which consist of 7 main Taalas and 5 variations of each , making a total of 35 Taalas .
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But many of these rhythmic cycles ( Taalas ) do not have melodies ( compositions ) written for them yet . Currently , the focus is on presenting compositions on all these 35 Taalad ( rhythmic cycles ).
With that , we will have a new set of compositions added to the library of Carnatic music and for artists , students , and audiences to understand these beautiful taala structures and enjoy music to the fullest extent possible .
Another goal I have is to convince schools and colleges to include music as a subject in their curriculum and integrate it into their syllabus . It ’ s important to me to make music and the process of learning it easier and more attractive to the younger generation and to help them appreciate the beauty of music . I ’ m also working on a few singles at the moment , so I hope to finish those soon . But you know how it is with music - it ’ s always a work in progress , and there ’ s always room for improvement .
What do you have brewing for 2023 ? New music , tours , gigs ?
G & K : We are embarking on the GK 50 tour to the US in the first week of April . Later , there is a trip to the UK . We both also have a couple of individual projects lined up .
Do you get “ musician ’ s block ”? If so , how do you navigate something like that ?
G : You know , it ’ s interesting because some musicians can practice a ton , but still struggle to connect with their audience when they perform . They say it ’ s because of something called adhrishtra , which means something that can ’ t be seen .
A lot of people think it just means luck , but it ’ s more than that . It ’ s about acknowledging that there ’ s something greater at play , something beyond our control . We ’ re just fortunate that this force is working in our favor and helping us make that connection with our audience .
K : This is something that I have not come across yet . Practicing music ( Naada Upasana ) is more of an inward journey than an external one . Once you are on that path , there is only practice and exploration and no blocks . When we are externally channelized , we react and get bogged down by the reactions of others and we tend to give lots of importance to that - maybe that causes the block - I have no clue , never happened to me so far , and wish it stays that way .
Why did you choose the violin ? Are there other instruments you are equally invested in ?
K : In fact , it is the other way around - the violin chose me . Never thought or felt the need to play any other instrument .
Are there any interesting people / events you ’ ve encountered in your four decades of performance ? Can we get a story or two ?
G : Oh yes ! Our very first concert was broadcasted on All India Radio ( AIR ), thanks to our neighbor Rajaraman who was working there in Delhi . He heard us play and got us our first gig at the Asia ‘ 72 Pavilion in Pragati Maidan , Delhi . And then , when we moved to Chennai , our dad ’ s friend Srinivasan , who ran a sabha , felt we needed to do a proper concert . We ended up playing for three hours straight , and even had DK Pattammal as our chief guest ! Those two events still feel like they happened just yesterday , I can ’ t believe they ’ ve stayed so ingrained in my memory .