S .R. Rajasree, an A-grade artiste, is one of the few female violinists from Kerala who has made a mark as an accompanist and instrumentalist on the Carnatic music concert circuit. She also became the first woman to play the violin at the Navaratri Mandapam in Thiruvananthapuram when she accompanied Ranganatha Sharma in 2006. Eldest daughter of veteran violinist Subramania Sarma, Rajasree, along with her younger brother, S.R. Mahadeva Sharma, did her father proud by winning accolades and awards as a violin duo. And that too without pulling strings of another kind! The two have mesmerised audiences in India and the United States with their speed, dexterity and talent. Rajasree says her life has always been tuned to the violin. Excerpts from an interview with the musician…
Musical atmosphere
As my father was a violinist, we would wake up, eat, read and sleep to the music of my father's violin. My mother, Renuka, is a trained singer who preferred being a homemaker to a concert artiste. At first both of us (my brother is younger to me by a year) were taught vocal music. My father was particular that unless we showed some innate talent, he would not force us to take up the violin. When I was eight, my father was convinced that I was serious about the violin and so he began teaching me. My brother and I began at the same time. He would sing and we had to reproduce that on the violin. So, both of us learnt to make the violin sing, literally. Similarly, my father would play a raga and he expected us to pick up the raga and expand on that. He believes that one has to listen and grasp instead of blindly flowing the notations. Since we learnt to play like that, our style is on the lines of the gayaki ang.
Sibling revelry
Fortunately, there has been no sibling rivalry between us. My brother and I used to compete against each other and invariably the top two prizes would be shared by us. Usually, Mahadevan would bag the first prize and I would get the second prize. I managed to win the first prize only once. We still compete when we play but it is a friendly competition that eggs us on to give our best. It is my brother who constantly encourages me and motivates me to go for concerts. Sometimes, I find it difficult to travel to distant places for concerts. But Mahadevan insists that I should not turn down concerts for that reason. He says he would only be too happy to travel with me for a programme.
All in the family
Practising for so many years together has helped us tune in to each other during a concert. Nothing is set. Our first duet in Chennai was for the Krishna Gana Sabha in 1992. During a duet, intuitively one of us takes the lead and the other follows. Depending on the audience, we decide what to play on the spot. For instance, to a general audience, we might play popular kritis that would be familiar to them. But in places that are known for their discerning rasikas, we play a mix of rare and light kritis. Our duets in the United States went off like a dream. We also perform as a trio, along with my father. It was a big success in Mumbai, Bangalore and Thiruvananthapuram.
My husband, V. Ganesh, is also a music buff who is now learning the violin from my father. The family's support is important for an artiste to blossom and concentrate on her art.
Practice makes perfect
This is true of all art but especially so in the case of the violin. That is why I decided to stop my formal education with a diploma and concentrate on my playing. If I don't practise even for a day, it shows when I play the next day. That is the reason why the violin is a difficult instrument to play if you are looking for perfection. My role model is my brother. The violinists I revere are my father, M.S.G. [M.S. Gopalakrishnan], Lalgudi sir [Lalgudi Jayaraman] for his kirtana patterns and T.N. Krishnan.
‘Chennai music season'
Since 1994 we have been playing during the Chennai music season. It is a celebration of music. It is a great experience to listen to the greats of Carnatic music or participate in the concerts during the season. Having said that, I must add that living in Kerala has not proved to be a disadvantage at all. But in Chennai, unlike most places in Kerala, after a concert, rasikas make it a point to come and meet the artiste to express their pleasure if they have enjoyed the concert.
Accompaniment vs. duet
I have accompanied several stalwarts like Yesudas sir [K.J. Yesudas], Hyderabad Sisters, Mala Chadrasekhar, Neyyattinkara Vadudevan sir, Neyyatinkara Mohanachandra sir… I was extremely nervous when I had to accompany Yesudas sir during his concert in Chennai. But, later, he called my brother and complimented my playing. It is true that certain vocalists refuse to sing with women accompanists. But gradually, those prejudices are fading away. Accompaniment is an art in itself and one has to learn how to support the vocalist. Some vocalists are supportive and give space to the accompanists as well. But some get irritated if they feel the accompanists are overshadowing them. One has to be tuned to the vocalist to know his/her pulse.
I enjoy duets and trios. I hope to keep improving constantly. That is the challenge of being a violinist.
