Workshops on any aspect of artistic pursuit help budding artistes as they provide an excellent exposure to expertise and excellence, thereby widening the horizon of one’s appreciation of the chosen art. Visakha Steel Cultural Association (VSCA) in concert with Ukkunagaram Club and Ukkunagaram branch of Sangeetha Janakulam hosted a two-day workshop on Carnatic classical vocal at the club. With active participation of classical music aficionados, enthusiasts and budding artistes as well as maestro prince Rama Varma on stage, it acquired an artistic aura.
Prince Rama Varma is a performing artiste of outstanding calibre; however this session evidenced his exceptional competence as a maven of instruction too. As he guided the gathering in rendition of chosen pieces, the hall reverberated with soft musical voices of both the maestro and budding talents. His subtle and robust humour further enlivened the session keeping the participants at ease to freely interact with him. The maestro never presents a piece without doing an extensive research on its background of origin, its significance and importance and his instruction remained replete with nuggets of information and robust quips.
He explained the importance of understanding the nature of the notes and its enunciation in conjunction with the rest of the set in a given scale. Having warmed it up with giving a brief musical and social background of the times of the Carnatic classical trinity and how they noticed the Western tunes of those times in our country, he proceeded to a Western tune for Pankajamukha, Sankarahita a composition Muttuswamy Deekshitar. With an accent on defined contours of the frame and structure raga, he demonstrated how invested with succulent and subtle gamakas, the otherwise flat notes acquire gorgeous shades of ragas.
He went on to explain the Western tune’s proximity to raga Sankarabharanam and demonstrated in detail the nuances and variations involved in it.
He elucidated structure and varied patterns of talas and the importance of rhythm and how judicious tempo variations enhance the beauty of rendition. Sarvam Brahmamayam of Sadasiva Brahmendra in raga Khamaz and Paradevate of his Guru Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna besides a composition of Amarnareyan tuned by MBK formed the fare for the session. He, in a nutshell, captured the quintessential aspects of a wholesome treat in an inimitable way in his interaction with the gathering.
