‘We stick to what we do best’

In a freewheeling chat with vocalists Ranjani and Gayathri as well as Unnikrishnan, I spent some time discussing issues pertinent to music and to life. None of these artistes require any introduction. All of them have crafted paths unique to themselves and continue to discover the meaning of it all through their various endeavours. Both these conversations were dosed with singing and it is unfortunate that I cannot reproduce the beauty of it here. While Ranjani and Gayathri enthralled the gathering with Brindavana Saranga, Hindolam and Kapi, Unni rendered Atana, Dwijavanthi, Kalyani and Sahana.

In an era marked by transitions and change, explorations and experimentation, I found both conversations reassuring of the eternal stability of the pure classical. Both conversations underscored the need for artistes to stick to what they do best, and focus on their craft. Held in the unlikely setting of a jewellery store, the event was hosted by Vishwa and Devji. Here are a few excerpts.

RG: Our music reflects our upbringing. We have attended classical concerts since we were very young. The classical ambience and aesthetic, and the sensibility of Carnatic music has defined the way we receive music of any form. We enjoyed Hindi film music then and we still listen to a lot of it.

Unni: Music was never my intended career and I was surer of being a cricketer. Mr V.L. Seshadri was an indulgent and wonderful teacher. It was while training under Dr. S. Ramanathan that I started taking music more seriously. Rajeev Menon was instrumental in introducing me to A.R. Rahman and you all know the rest. Music has been a part of my life. And I have been going with the flow.

On the role of a musician

RG: We think this is a gift and we are meant to share it. It is irrelevant what the platform is, as long as we do what we are meant to do as much as we can. We do not seek to be activists. We believe we need to strive towards bettering our craft. In it will lie our contribution and message.

Unni: It's always been about music. And I haven’t deliberately planned much. Music has looked after me and I am open to any possibility it throws up. Be it cinema or classical, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to work with stellar musicians and do what I love doing.

RG: We were violinists before we turned vocalists. We have attended a number of concerts of other genres especially Hindustani music. We are keener to explore possibilities of working within the Carnatic idiom but seeking out other partnerships from that vantage.

Unni: I have been open to any experiment as long as we can take the effort to work on it, explore it deeply and present something meaningful. Casual jams on stage become a bit disappointing.

In the end, we must all strive to give of our best and create great music. That’s what stays in the end.

The writer is a well known pianist and music educator based in Chennai