Musicians,events,anecdotes and tid-bits

[padmanabha]

Sudha Regunadhan the popular vocalist has performed many times in Kerala. This interview was done in 2001, when she came to the capital city in connection with a concert organized by the Chembai Trust.
Excerpts from the interview:
Could you please explain briefly the initial training in music and how you happened to be the disciple of MLV?

I HAD THE basic lessons in music from my mother. Then I had the fortune to learn music from T V VAISWANATHAN and B V Lakshmanan. I secured the central government and became the disciple of MLV. It is indeed a blessing that I accompany her for many years. She advised me a lot and insisted that I should stick to music, though I had other aspirations.
Has the long association with MLV, influenced your style of rendition?
The most striking aspect of MLV and her guru GNB, is the elaborate rendition of the raga and the cascading flow of kalpanaswarams. IT IS HIGHLY METHODICAL and creative. It is natural that the disciples quickly fall into he line of their gurus. Besides raga alapana and kalpanaswarams I imbibed from her the sense of adventure, inclusion of gamakas, and higher pitch. MLV had cautioned me not to become the replica of the guru. Imitation has a short span of existence. She was very considerate. She gave me opportunities when I accompanied her.

Sudha ahs performed in Los Angeles, Canada, UK, and almost all European countries. “When we render ragas and swaras they listen with awe.” She said.

She had performed fusion concert of World Music. There were artistes from Hungary, Male, Switzerland, USA, Madagascar, besides myself representing India.

Initially I was worried. How can carnatic music merge with a variety of western music?
I decided to go ahead. We all had to sing bits of each others music like an exchange of music for music.

After a week long rehearsal the concert was held in Germany. The result was unbelievable. It once again proved that music has no barriers.

Sudha’s concert revealed the extent of hard work and perseverance that had gone into her art.

“In fact, I was so involved in classical music that I did not even think of play back singing. You can say, it just did not happen. Classical music requires more depth and the voice is processed for that” she said