Carnatic music is an acquired taste that takes a directed effort to acquire it. Very few fall in love with it the first time they listen to it. And then there are those who are pushed into learning it from childhood, some, despite, making it their subject of study do not fall for its charms.
Vivek P., a talented young Carnatic vocalist, was initiated into music early, when he was around 14-years-old. “More at the insistence of my parents than my interest,” says Vivek, who in those early years tugged music along with his other hobbies.
Even when Vivek joined Sree Sankara University of Sanskrit, Kalady, for his degree, with Music as his main subject, he still could not, like most teenagers, relate to Carnatic music with its extended compositions, complicated rhythms, patterns, ragas, nuances of improvisation. Moreover, Carnatic music has no hooks to latch on to nor can one call it trendy.
“I don’t think I put in any extra effort during those three years to appreciate Carnatic music. I ended up not completing my exams.” Vivek was at the crossroads of his life and choose his career. “I decided to do a sound engineering course and left for Chennai. That was sometime in 2010. For the next two years or so I was there.” Those years proved to be the turning point in Vivek’s life. He returned not as a sound engineer instead as a passionate musician.
“I listened to so many concerts, so many great musicians. The December music season opened doors to so many streams and a rich variety of music that I was completely floored. It was a realisation that with some effort one could appreciate Carnatic music; enjoy it, and not just disconnected happenings on stage.”
There was no looking back for Vivek. For someone who did his arangetam as an undergraduate, Vivek made up for lost time. He cleared his degree exams, joined for post-graduation in Music , took up singing seriously and has now registered for his MPhil degree.
“I began learning under the noted Carnatic vocalist V.R. Dileep Kumar and that created a whole world of difference. I began understanding the form and structure better; I began finding my own way of learning. Every concert was a learning experience, winning prizes at the State Sanskrit University Festivals and inter-collegiate competitions were a huge encouragement.”
Listening is an important learning tool and Vivek, who hails from Moozhikulam, was fortunate to have had ample opportunities to listen to quality music and rare recordings of the masters.
“Here, I’m indebted to Padmakumar sir. A votary of music, he has a wonderful collection of recordings, which was invaluable for my study. He also organises chamber concerts in which talented musicians participate. This provided me the chance to interact with them. Abhishek Raghuram, the brilliant singer, for example, who I met when he came for one these concerts, has become a friend and mentor.”
The highpoints in Vivek’s career were, being able to sing at two concerts during the Chennai music season in 2014, a concert in Mumbai organised by Bheri, getting the Centre for Cultural resources and Training scholarship, and being awarded the Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Fellowship in Music, instituted by Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts and Sangeetha Sabha, Mumbai.
“The three-year fellowship carries an annual grant of Rs. 1 lakh each year. The conditions stipulate that I conduct 25 concerts a year and the details be submitted to the Sabha. I have started advanced studies under C.R. Vaidyanathan, disciple of P.S. Narayanaswami, in Chennai. I go there for three days every month and his report of my progress which is sent to the Sabha in Mumbai is also important.”
Now, Vivek, who has complete support of his parents, T.R. Premkumar (Moozhikulam Sala) and A.N. Sudhamani (officer, High Court of Kerala), and elder brother Vineeth, is immersed in his music, reading, listening, singing, and dreaming about it.
