When the violins sang

A grand violin ensemble, ‘Passionate Pursuit’, was recently held at JSS auditorium, Shivarathreeshwara Centre, Jayanagar.

The event was coordinated by Carnatic violinist Anuradha Sridhar, as a tribute to her mother, teacher and veteran violinist Lalgudi Srimathi Brahmanandam.
 The event also marked the 25th anniversary celebrations of Anuradha’s music school, Trinity Center for Music, in San Francisco.

The concert featured around 20 violinists with 27 artistes who treated a packed hall to a melange of classical pieces. Various snippets from productions that the music school has completed over the years and certain compositions of the late evergreen violinist, Lalgudi Jayaraman, were performed.   

The musical treat was held in Chennai and Trichy and will also be held in San Jose, California. Anuradha says, “Bengaluru is an important seat of classical music. The opportunities for musicians here are rewarding. The ever-growing music schools and music-lovers prompted me to choose Bengaluru as one of the cities to hold our concert.
I loved coming to Bengaluru as a child and feel happy to see that the facilities here to learn music have become unparalleled.

About 18 students have come from United States and a few of them are my mother’s disciples. Though they have been busy with their rehearsals, they are enjoying the weather here.”

 Anuradha chose her students for the concert based on their levels in music. Her brother Shriram Brahmanandam, a talented composer and an expert mridangam player, was also part of the concert.

Her online centre has spread throughout the globe and her portals enhance the tradition of learning from the student and teacher, rather than replace this method completely. Anuradha considers Carnatic music as one of the biggest markets in the United States and says that the art form has a number of takers there.

“Indians who have relocated to the USA enrol their children in an Indian art form as they feel that it is the best way for them to keep in touch with their culture. Carnatic music, this way, proves to be a boon as it encompasses language, religion and tradition.”

She explains that she has not faced any challenge while teaching Carnatic music to non-Indians, be it in terms of pronunciation or technique since her students start from a very young age and hence, aren’t jaded by any views.

Anuradha considers it a blessing to have been born into a family that is seeped into a rich, musical tradition through four generations rather than a pressure point and regards music as her way of life.

She describes the Lalgudi school of music as a wholesome experience, be it through rhythm, melody or lyric and calls it a class apart.