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My guruji is the best example I can think of… |
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She is a learner. She is a performer. She is a teacher.
She is an all-rounder. A disciple of violin maestro
Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman, she has been given the D.K.
Pattammal Award of Excellence for Young Talented
Vocalist by Kartik Fine Arts. Sankari has had the
privilege of performing in the prestigious Akashvani
Sangeeth Sammelan at Kolkotta in the year 2000.
That is Sankari Krishnan for you.
In a candid talk with Sudha
Jagannathan, the vocalist with a deceptive
frame is spot on dot on very many issues. |
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Are you a professional singer? If
so since when you are a professional?
Sankari
Krishnan: Since childhood I always longed
to sing. My parents also wished that. I am basically
from Trichy. I first learnt music from Shri. K.S.
Subramanian. Until I came to Madras, I was learning
from him. From sixth standard, I started learning
music. If I were to take music as my profession…
if I take any other subject, I won’t have
time for music. Hence, I chose BA (Music). During
school days, there were a lot of competitions. I
won lot of prizes. I studied at Seethalakshmi Ramaswamy
College. It has a music department. They encouraged
music. In 12th, I did only science. The teachers
there said that any one could do science, but music
could be done only by a few. So they asked me to
consider joining BA music. I was a rank holder in
BA at the University. But Madras is the place for
music. One has opportunities to improve music in
Madras. At Madras University, I did MA (Music) and
M. Phil. I was a Gold medallist in MA. After studying
from the Madras University, I had the big blessing
of learning from Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman. I was just
about to finish MA then. Since then, I am studying
from him. Still I am continuing my learning under
him. This was a big turning point in my life. He
is a genius.
Did he identify you? How did you become his student?
Sankari Krishnan: I have an uncle
in Bombay. His name is P.S. Subramanian. Knowing
my interest in music, he introduced me to Shri Lalgudi
Jayaraman. One day I went and met him. He asked
me to sing. He said I was singing well and that
he would teach me. That moment was very important
in my life. I was just finishing my MA then. In
MA, we had practical classes. After that I did my
M.Phil. Prof. Karaikudi Subramanian was my guide.
He is now the Director of Brhaddhavani, a research
institute. I have been working there for the past
10 years. My M.Phil thesis was on the Sanskrit compositions
of Vanamamalai brothers – Alagappa Iyengar
and Srinivasa Iyegar. As soon as I joined M.Phil,
I got a lecturer job from Mother Teresa Women’s
University. I joined there. The university was in
Kodaikanal. Within two months of my joining, it
was shifted to Madras. I was working in Madras only.
It was comfortable. However, the university was
shifted to Kodaikanal again for various reasons.
So I resigned my job and joined Brhaddhvani as a
faculty.
What is the difference between learning from your
first teacher and Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman?
Sankari
Krishnan:I learned the basics from Mr.K.S
Subramanian. I have also learnt lot of kritis and
compositions from him. He was also a good teacher.
And taught me encouragingly. When I was about to
arrive at an advanced level, I came under Shri Lalgudi
Jayaraman. I learnt the nuances of singing in a
detailed way from Shri Jayaraman. Further, he taught
me how to be a good performer in a concert. At Brhaddhvani,
there is a lot of concentration on voice culture,
yoga and teaching methodology. From tiny tots to
big guys – they have developed a teaching
system for all. Only if you learn that system, you
can teach at Brhaddhvani. There is a lot of difference
between kids learning music from Brhaddhvani and
elsewhere.
How far your academic learning helped you in your
concert performance?
Sankari Krishnan:
Academic learning does help. It has both advantages
and disadvantages. Within a particular time, targeted
compositions and syllabus have to be completed.
Unless you have a private background and training,
you cannot cope up with it. By just doing a B.A.
(music) alone, you cannot become a top performer.
I don’t want to blame the system or teachers.
They have their own compulsions. Within a stipulated
time period, a specific number of varnams and syllabus
have to be completed. Music is unlike others subjects.
Grasping level may vary from one to another. It
depends on the speed at which we learn. Learning
process is directly proportional to the speed. Syllabus
can be completed accordingly. Since I have a background,
I could do it well. It added to my repertoire. I
could learn more compositions in academic level
too and within the time frame. It was quite an advantage
and it benefited me a lot.
While giving a performance, what aspects do you
focus on more?
Sankari Krishnan:
My guruji used to say one important point. Be it
a big concert or a small one… you must sing
sincerely. When you are given a concert platform,
you have to do full justification to it. Our school
gives more importance to bhava. Every aspect is
equally important. While rendering a kriti, the
sahitya should be rendered without damaging the
akshara and sung with bhava. My guruji always used
to emphasize this. Not just the word, the way you
split the words (pada) … we have to know the
emotion with which the kriti had been composed.
The meaning should not be ruptured. Sangatis should
not be altered. In the way a kriti had been composed
by our ancestors, we have to present it in the same
manner and do maximum justice. I have been trying
to do that to some extent. I feel I must do a lot.
Whatever my guruji has taught me I have a longing
to do it.
Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman is a violinist. Your first
guru was a vocalist. How does Shri Lalguid Jayaraman
spot his wards?
Sankari Krishnan:
Yes, my previous guru was a vocalist. But do you
know that Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman sings quite well.
He sings and teaches us to sing. He is a great vidwan
and a genius. He can identify students easily. When
sangeetham is complete, it is only the extension
- whether vocal or instrumental music. Some are
going to display it with their voice and others
with the instruments. The predominant factor, however,
is sangeetham. Since he is a maestro, it is not
a problem for him to spot the student and identify
which is apt for a student. He can judge a student
by the way he sings a song. Rendition of a single
phrase is enough for him to judge how easily a student
can pick up.
What drives you to give performance? What is the
objective of your giving concerts?
Sankari
Krishnan: Kutcheri means rasikas. Hence,
the main objective is to satisfy the rasikas. It
does not mean that since rasikas like it, you need
to change your style. We have to provide perfectly
whatever our guru has taught us in the manner it
will reach the audience. This is the basic idea.
Each composition has got a kalapramana or speed.
If we struggle and present it to the audience, it
does not mean they should understand this. Our sangeetham
will penetrate beyond this. Technical aspects cannot
be explained to rasikas of various vargas. Which
Gandhara comes? From which madhyama is it derived?
Is it a vakra or a bhasanga raga? Beyond all these,
it will have to reach the audience. It should sound
correct for a pandit. At the same time, it should
reach a lay audience. That is the main thing about
it.
Which do you enjoy most -giving concerts or teaching?
Sankari Krishnan: Both are equally
superior. If we understand the voice quality, it
will be easy. If we know our voice quality and strike
a balance, then we can do it well. Even while teaching,
we learn a great lesson. My guruji is the best example
I can think of. We can’t see a performer like
him. He has done enormous sadhaka. When I remember
how sincerely and nicely he taught me the nuances,
I also began to feel that I should learn well and
teach others similarly. He is my inspiration. Performance
is one area and teaching is another. Both can be
done well by keeping a proper balance.
Do you go for daily lessons from Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman?
Sankari Krishnan: I need not go
daily. Whenever he is free, I will go and learn
from him
How essential is academic background for a performing
musician in modern era?
Sankari Krishnan: It is really a must. We can learn
theoretical aspects and practically also we can
learn more. Even if we don’t do a degree,
lots of books are available. We can know many things
by reading them. Even for a performer, it is essential
to know more and be well equipped. Most of the performers
nowadays have equipped themselves quite well. We
have to learn more and more every day in this field.
We should be quite dynamic. You can learn more and
gain more as you keep singing. It is not just learning
compositions alone.
How do you manage everything? You sing as well as
teach? How do you strike a balance?
Sankari
Krishnan: I teach students in Brhaddhvani
from the morning till 2.00 p.m in the afternoon.
The rest of the time I spend for my practice and
other jobs. In the evening, I take classes and train
a few students. I go to outstation concerts mostly
during the weekends. My husband has been very supportive.
A great guru, a very supportive husband and an institution
like Brhaddhvani – I can’t ask for anything
more. All the three aspects have made me a successful
artiste.
What is your ambition?
Sankari Krishnan:
I am an A grade artiste in All-India Radio. I am
doing it for the past ten years. I have many concerts
coming these days. I have more responsibility. I
come from a ranking school. I am a student of Shri
Lalgudi Jayaraman. I am also a teacher at Brhaddhvani.
I feel I have more responsibility cast on me. I
feel that each of my performance has to be a class
of its own. I want to do all my assignments perfectly.
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