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All in the family
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Violinist
Dr M Narmadha |
Chennaionline brings you an exclusive interview with noted violinist,
Dr M Narmadha:
Who is your guru and at what age did you start performing?
Before I start telling you about my guru, I must tell you about my family. I am the daughter of famous violin exponent
Padmashree M S
Gopalakrishnan. My mother Meenakshi is a singer. I also have a brother and a sister. My grandfather
Parur A Sundaram Iyer was my guru because he was the first to teach me violin when I was five years old. Then my father
Gopalakrishnan taught me Carnatic music and Hindustani. I have been playing the violin for the past 25 years, the credit for which goes to my parents.
Tell us something about your first concert.
I started playing violin with my father at the age of 13 in Sri Krishna Gana
Sabha.
Does your father’s fame influence you?
It is true that I got many chances due to my father’s fame. But people expect more when I perform with my father and that makes me nervous. Now many people say that I play like my father. Playing with my father was a learning process.
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| Dr.
Naramada practising with her father MS Gopalakrishnan |
Who are the artistes you have accompanied on the violin?
Dr Balamurali
Krishna, D K
Pattammal, M L Vasanthakumari, T Brindha and Voletiji. I have performed many solo concerts and I also give vocal concerts.
About the concerts with your father?
I performed with my father in the Indian Council for Cultural Relationship at Amsterdam in 1987, in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, at Gananjali of Hong Kong and SIFAS in 1989. I performed with my father for
Madurai Mani Iyer Foundation as an accompanist in USA and Australia in 1990.
In 1996, I performed with my father in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in London and I gave a performance in Malaysia in 1997. I visited Australia (Melbourne) once again for the
Carnatic Music Circle in 1999.
 During the December music season in 2003 in Chennai, I performed a special concert with tavil as the accompaniment. This was very well-acclaimed and drew a full house, which I did not expect.
Tell us something about your research in music.
I was awarded the doctoral degree by Delhi University for my thesis on ‘delineating the phraseology of ragas’. I won the University Grants Commission
(UGC) research fellowship for my doctoral study, which I completed under the able guidance of sitar mast Prof Debu Chaudhury and renowned vocalist, Prof
K G Ginde of Mumbai. Prof Debu
Chaudhury, a descendant of the ‘Senia Gharana’ trained me in the classical style of Hindustani music presentation. Because of this I am able to perform in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata now.
The objective of my doctoral research was how to establish a raga’s tone and accent so that a listener can identify it with the opening phrase itself.
About your book?
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| from L: MS Gopalakrishnan,
M Venkaiah Naidu, Dr. Naramadha, Former Supreme Court judge S Natarajan, |
Books that have been published so far have material about either Carnatic music or Hindustani music. But I have given equal importance to both forms of music in my book titled ‘Indian Music and Sancaras in Ragas’.
It was released by the then Union Minister for Rural Development M Venkaiah Naidu on September 22, 2001, at The Music Academy, Chennai. Former Supreme Court judge S Natarajan received the first copy. People like Prof
K G Ginde, Prof Debu Chaudhury, Sardar Alikhan and Dr Sumathy Mukthar have helped me a lot in writing this book. I am thankful to them.
More importantly, I must thank industrialist P Obul Reddy for sponsoring my book.
Give us some details about the book?
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| Dr.M.Narmadha donates Rs.10,000/= cheque is received by Shri.N.Krishnamoorthy, President ,Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana
Sabha. |
The 600-page book was published in Delhi. I have given recordings and notations for all ragas. I did a lot of field work for this book. I met many people and did lot of research to write this book. This book is accompanied by a recording of the practical illustration of the ragas which is not available for commercial circulation.
Do have any plans of singing in movies?
You could say that is my future plan. The reason for this is that the silver screen has tremendous power to attract people. So, I choose this medium. Many films have been successful due to the music. The success of the song lies in the packaging of visuals and audio (song). We can use the medium of cinema to promote classical music.
About the awards you have received?
Sri. Prof. Parur
A. Sundaram Iyer |
The awards that I received are:
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‘Vani Kala Sudhakara’ for best violinist at Sri Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha in December 2003.
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Best violinist award from Music Academy for eight years consecutively from 1991-1998.
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Best lecture & demonstration award from Music Academy for the year 2000.
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Nadakkanal award from
Pattamadai Krishnan in August 2000.
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Kalaimamani award for excellence in violin - 2000, presented by the then Tamil Nadu chief minister M
Karunanidhi.
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Maharajapuram Santhanam award for best violinist in March 2001.
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Do you do yoga?
I do a lot of yogasanas. Any activity that requires a posture other than what is natural to a human being needs some exercises. So, I have also by practice found that some traditional yogasanas give maximum relaxation and freedom to give my best while playing the violin.
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| Dr.
Naramada's mother & father |
Because, for playing the violin, one’s shoulder and wrist should be relaxed. The eyes should be focused. There are three processes while playing the violin: the power flows from the mind to the hand, from where it moves on to the instrument. There is X, Y, Z taking part while playing the violin, but only X and Y take part while singing. Whatever the mind thinks comes out as music from the lips while singing.
About the origin and reach of violin in south India?
It is said a priest from Paris presented the violin to
Vadivelu, the court musician, in the court of Travancore Maharaja Swati
Thirunal. The priest even taught Vadivelu how to play the instrument. Subsequently,
Baluswami Dikshitar played the violin in Madras during family concerts of the
Dikshitars.
More than 15 to 20 types of wood are used in making this wonderful instrument which has more than 72 parts.
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| Dr.
Naramadha's daughter Jayalakshmi |
About your family?
My daughter Jayalakshmi, aged 13, sings well and has performed at Tiruvaiyaru Tyagaraja Utsavam in the year 2000. My brother M S Suresh is also a violinist. Everybody in our family plays the violin. It was my grandfather’s wish that everybody in our family should learn to play the violin!
Your future plans?
I want to teach violin to the poor and downtrodden children, and spread the values of Carnatic music by singing in films. I want to conduct more music classes.
Dr Narmadha can be contacted at:
110, Apparsamy Koil Street,
I Floor,
Mylapore,
Chennai - 600004
Phone: 91-44-249 92 422/249 91 444
Fax: 91-44- 249 40 066
E-Mail: parurmsg@drmnarmadha.com drmnarmadha@eth.net
Website: www.drmnarmadha.com
KT
Sri
Translated by Arun Kumar N
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