“Siblings in Concert” is always a welcome concept for Rasikas. There is always that extra tinge of excitement to see the dynamics and interplay of the performing partners. We reached out to two such Duo Performers who have performed at Rasikapriya and tried to understand their viewpoints on how it feels to be learning, rehearsing and performing together.
Chinmaya Sisters-Uma & Radhika.
Both of us were born into a family of music. Listening to music has been an integral part of our childhood, which is typical of any South Indian family.
Our initial learning was from our mother. Later, when we had stabilised in our learning, we were put under the tutelage of Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan, under the advice of Sri Madurai T N Seshagopalan sir. Learning music at that time, was more a passion filled activity than being a performance oriented one.
Those days, we were in Mumbai. Hence our classes would happen during the 2 months of summer vacation. We also used to make special trips during the December season and both of us have immensely enjoyed attending concerts , sometimes even all through the day. We strongly believe that watching a live concert is a great learning experience for every student of music.
When we reached the stage of concert readiness , it was but natural that we started performing together as we had learnt together all through. We had the opportunity to sing in the presence of Sri Chinmayananda for a number of occasions, as a result of which, our guru, Sri Santhanagopalan, deemed it fit to call us “Chinmaya sisters”!!
There is never a dull moment when we learn or perform together. Having another person to share and brainstorm your ideas has its own advantages. It especially helps when we need to give thematic concerts where two minds at work does help out to bring out different perspectives.
Rehearsals are always fun. The discussions, the debates, the fights have all gone to only strengthen our musical bond over the years. On stage it is indeed a Double Delight. Visually and acoustically, it is a treat for listeners. By God’s grace, we have got innumerable feedback from our rasikas that our voices blend really well and sound great together. We are indeed fortunate to be able to perform together and anchor upon each other’s strengths.
We have also had people asking us if spontaneity is in anyway compromised in such duo performances. We do not think so. Carnatic music, that way, is gifted with a beautiful structure of both kalpita as well as kalpana sangitam. So, there is enough scope for artists to showcase their spontaneity and creativity. It is in fact, a delight to watch the creative chemistry between the artists in the manodharma or kalpana sections.
Off stage too, it is such a boon for us to be able to have each other’s company, especially during long travels for our concerts. Both of us share a great relationship indeed. But when we hear this from so many of our rasikas worldwide, it is a valuable ratification for us and feels that much more special. At Rasikapriya, we had the opportunity to present a thematic concert on “NAVARASAM”. We had a wonderful time working together to curate the song list to align to the theme. It was indeed a memorable concert which we will always cherish.
Anahita & Apoorva
Though we started learning individually, it was a natural progression once we started performing. Our Guru Shri Chitravina Ravikiran Sir was instrumental in making sure we work together as well as continue on honing our individual skills. Of course, all of this was possible only because of the immense support of our family in terms of practice and instilling discipline. The best part about working together is there is always two perspectives to the same thing. Much as the joy is doubled, the challenges also increase multifold! It takes practice and a lot of understanding from each other to rise above the different ideologies to make a unified decision.
Being a duo is definitely great. We grow together as artists, complement each other on stage, share ideas and enjoy each other’s individual exploration. Along with that we also face a lot of challenges, but it is a challenge worth taking!
At Rasikapriya, we had the opportunity to present a thematic concert - Oothukkadu Kshetra kritis where we got to share the spiritual importance of each of the kshetras, interesting stories about the presiding deity and the literary and poetic significance of the compositions. We loved presenting this to the audience of OMR and look forward to more such opportunities.