I never imagined Carnatic music would get so much support one day: Aruna Sairam
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The first thing that strikes you about Aruna Sairam's performance is the unmistakable aura of divinity that her songs evoke. This seasoned musician's charming personality, on and off stage, instantly makes one feel comfortable in her presence. Having had a fantastic Margazhi season this year, Aruna is elated about the response she received for her performance during the season. "This time, I worked on a thematic concert on Orutti Maganay Pirandu..., which musically narrates all the events that happened from the time Lord Krishna was born till the time he was 5 to 7 years old. I also sang new pallavis, attempted pieces that I haven't sung in years, sang some from Brinda ma's repertoire and sang Muthuswami Diksthar's composition Hari Vadanaya in Raga Navroz, a raga one rarely attempts," she smiles.
And now, right on the heels of a hectic margazhi season, Aruna will be performing at the grand finale of the seventh edition of The Times Thyagaraja Awards, today.
She says, "My association with the Times Thyagaraja Awards goes back a long way. I have been following the activities of this event since the time they began and have even been invited as a judge for one of the seasons. I find the concept unique. And considering a media organisation is doing this, the importance of being a part of it is only bigger."Did she miss such opportunities when she was young? Aruna replies, "We did have some competitions when we were young. We showed progress by participating and winning each of them. But the scale of those events was smaller compared to what we see today. Being a part of big events gives a boost for youngsters. The bar is raised and I am only happy for them. When I was young, I didn't imagine Carnatic music would get so much support today."She also says that events like these have only restored faith that music can be taken as a full-time occupation. Says Aruna, "It is definitely positive to see many youngsters getting such awards and recognition at an early stage in their career. But they should also remember that this is only one milestone and that they have so many such milestones to cross. They can enjoy all the attention that they are receiving, but that must also inspire them to learn more. Music is a performing art. We, senior musicians, learn different things even today. This recognition is a culmination of one phase. So, the bigger goal should be to learn constantly."But Aruna says that she's proud of what today's youngsters are capable of. "I watch them perform and am quite aware of what's happening. They are the future of what music is going to be. So, I am constantly tracking their performances. One thing that they must remember is to keep a track of the number of performances that they do every year. If they are too few, they are not learning on the field. But if they perform too much, they are just burning out. They must know how to strike a balance and have an optimimum number of performances. For every singer, this number differs," she says.
Aruna is also excited about the performances she has this year. "I have some exciting projects lined up this year. On February, I will be performing as part of Bonjour India with Dominique Vellard, a French tenor who's a specialist in medieval music. Titled 'Heaven and Earth', it is more like a dialogue between Carnatic and medieval music. We would be going on a national tour, which I am really kicked about. I will also be performing at Sacred Music Fest, Thanjavur, Kala Ghoda Festival, Mumbai and Udaipur World Music Festival, among others," she signs off.