Junior music scholar beats stage fear

BENGALURU: Hiranmayee S, a trained Hindustani classical vocalist and a junior scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, says she had stage fright when she used to perform.She says, “My teacher Upasana Mohan helped me become a better singer and performer. He rooted-out the stage fear in me. I have sung in few of his albums such as Hoo gampu and Namisuvenu Taaye.”As a child artist, she has also sung for popular music directors such as Hamsalekha, Gurukiran and Pravin Godkhindi for movies such as Kannada Kanda (Jagadabelaku Munjane), Masti, Santa and recently for Hamsalekha’s music direction ‘Re’.

“As a young girl, I was interested in every art form and wanted to delve into music and dance. When I sang for popular music directors, I was appreciated for finishing a recording without too many takes. This got me recognition too. But as I joined Hindustani Classical music, I found more joy. Classical music represents our roots and every youngster must get to learn about it. I wanted to pursue classical music further and applied for Gurukul Anubhav Scholarship of Spicmacay. I was selected and was fortunate to have got trained by Ustad Arshad Ali Khan in Kolkata,” adds Hiranmayee.

She started her training in music under Ustad Fayaz Khan at a young age of nine years and at present, she’s pursuing her 1st year Bcom and is also a junior scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. She is also trained in light music, western classical piano and kathak.Her parents were keen on exploring more opportunities for their daughter and encouraged her to audition for a popular television music show ‘Ede tumbi haaduvenu’ hosted and judged by popular singer SP Balasurahmanyam and others. She got selected and easily made into top three levels of the finale. She has also participated in SaReGaMaPa of Zee Kannada and was well recognised.

For the past one and a half years, Hiranmayee has been a student of Ustad Fayaz Khan at the Sangeet Research Academy (SRS). The institute trains musicians after auditioning students and each student is trained as per their interest. Like All India Radio has gradation, SRS also does gradation and Hiranmayee holds a stature of junior scholar.

She has performed at many concerts and has secured more than 200 prizes since her childhood including three prizes in All India Radio National level music competitions for Hindustani classical, bhajans and thumri.She has secured many prestigious awards such as Kalashri Award, State Award from Women and Children Welfare Association, Kempegowda Award and Prathibhakankshi Puraskar from Kote Shri Ramaseva Mandali.

(To contact Hiranmayee, e-mail her at hiranmayee98@gmail.com)