Carnatic Music - A Bridge Across by Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam
Is a truly ancient tradition capable of being modern in application? Can it allow interpretation and creativity within its long-established, set parameters? Carnatic music does just that and more! Watch and learn about what has been called an "absolutely scientific and aesthetic" genre of music — a genre that encourages every artist to create anew and give something of herself in every performance. Vijayalakshmy Subramaniam is one of the leading exponents of the Carnatic genre of South Indian Classical Music. Since her first concert at the age of twelve in Delhi, Vijayalakshmy has held audiences worldwide spellbound with her rich and mellifluous voice, her vast repertoire of ragas and compositions, and her control on rhythmic aspects of music (laya). Vijayalakshmy is a serious researcher of music and literature. Her concerts are rich with raga bhava and sahitya bhava, imparting a tremendous amount of refinement and sophistication in her presentations. She has conducted many workshops for the initiated and the layman with equal felicity. Appearing in her first concert at the age of twelve, Vijayalakshmy has an impressive record of performance with several concerts in India and abroad. Vijayalakshmy was invited to present a paper at a conference "New Directions in Music Studies" at the University of Cambridge, July 2006. The KI Tropentheater, Amsterdam, invited Vijayalakshmy for a series of programmes in Belgium and Holland in Jan 2005. Vijayalakshmy presented a lecdem and concert for the Conservatory of Music, Tours, France. Vijayalakshmy was invited to present a paper on Music Communication at the SIMS 2004, Melbourne, Australia in July 2004. She also conducted a workshop for the students of the Victoria Academy, Wellington, New Zealand in July 2004. Vijayalakshmy presented a concert and a workshop on Carnatic music at the World Vocal Music Festival, Tampere, Finland, 2003. She has given concerts in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, France, United Arab Emirates, Germany, UK, USA and Switzerland. She participated in the Asia Pacific Music Festival in New Zealand in 1992. She has conducted workshops in Carnatic Music in New Zealand, France, Germany and Switzerland. 'Sahityapriya' 'Tulasivana Puraskaram', 'Sangeetha Shikamani', 'Gaana Seva Rathnam' are some of the awards conferred on Vijayalakshmy. Vijayalakshmy's penchant for rendering rare ragas deserves special mention. She has also set to tune several compositions. The intense training under eminent gurus like Sangita Bhushanam Sri K. Krishnaswamy, Prof. T.R. Subramaniam, Sangita Kalacharya Sri S.Rajam and her uncle Sri S.Balachandar and the constant encouragement and dedication of her parents has played an instrumental role in shaping Vijayalakshmy into the fine artist she is today. Visit her website: www.vijayalakshmysubramaniam.com for more details and audio and video clips. Rare Music is a lecture-demonstration series co-sponsored by DUMIC (www.dumic.org/) and the Duke University Libraries (library.duke.edu/). Almost once per month (during the academic year) there is a program on a Friday afternoon at 4 PM in the Rare Book Room (library.duke.edu/specialcollections/) in Perkins Library. Each event includes a question and answer session and is followed by refreshments. Additional support for Rare Music was provided by the Vice Provost for the Arts (www.provost.duke.edu/contact/slindroth.html), the Carrabina Endowment, Friends of DUMIC, High Strung Violins & Guitars (www.highstrungdurham.com/), Ruggero Piano (www.ruggeropiano.com/), and VoChor, Inc. (www.vochor.com/). Please support our sponsors.
