Violin in hollywood

KALA RAMNATH

Violin in hollywood

Rajiv Vijayakar
Posted online: Friday, October 06, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

Kala Ramnath was born into a family of prodigious musical talent, like violin legends Prof. T.N. Krishnan and Dr. N. Rajam. She began playing the violin at the tender age of three under her grandfather Vidwan Narayan Iyer, aunt Dr. N.Rajam and later for 15 years with Pandit Jasraj. Maybe it is this quality that has resulted in her violin being so close to vocal singing that it has been termed the "Singing Violin". And now this "Singing Violin" will be contributing to the Hollywood film Blood Diamond. In a rapidfire chat, Kala Ramnath talks about this and her music to Screen. Excerpts What exactly will you be contributing to the musical score of Blood Diamond?
• James Newton Howard, the composer of Titanic, King Kong, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and other blockbusters has invited me to play a solo piece for this film, which stars Leonardo Di Caprio and Jennifer Connolly. How did he get to hear about you?
• Well, it's an involved and quite amusing story. I was performing in Montreal way back in 1995 when an Iranian couple that owned an art gallery there noticed me and invited me to perform. Music composer George Acogny heard me there by accident, and it took him 11 years to trace me! So I recently played in his musical Dark Street and that led to this assignment. How does it work for you - do you compose the pieces yourself?
• George gave me live chords and the rhythm and told me to employ my violin the way I wanted. The challenge was in the fact that it had to be done spontaneously and after hearing all the chords at the same time. Let me see how Mr Howard will work. Would you like to play for Indian cinema too?
• Why not? But I should be offered work! My father T.N.Mani played for films and worked with top composers like M.S.Vishwanathan and Ilayaraja.I recall Pyarelalji (of Laxmikant-Pyarelal) wanting him to work in Mumbai too, but my father was busy in the South. What are the special features in your instrument?
• It is a 4-string violin, not even a 5-string one.In a 5-string instrument, it is very easy to play one more octave. In my violin, it requires a lot of practice and effort. Why is a violin called a complete instrument?
• To begin with, it can do anything that a human voice can, and more. It can also accomplish everything that any other instrument can - and more too. Take the sitar or the sarod - a plucked instrument cannot maintain the continuity like the voice. Your violin is known as the 'Singing Violin'. Why is this?
• It's about the same continuity. When the bow reaches the end of the stem there has to be a break in the phrase, which is not so in the case of the human voice. But I have devised a technique whereby the gap is not heard at all when you change the bow. This becomes more important in Indian music, in which the notes are interconnected unlike the staccato, harmony-based phrasing of Western music. The violin is a rare instrument that belongs both to Indian and Western music. Where did it originate?
• The violin came originally from the ravanahatta, which is still used in Rajasthan. It has a hollow body and the width of the stem is four times that of the modern violin. From India, the modified versions travelled to the Arab countries in the 6th century AD and from there to the West. Why is Indian music not received on a large-scale abroad the way other music is welcomed in India?
• The reason is that they respect their own music and we don't respect ours! We don't respect our culture, our instruments, music and musicians unless and until they are acknowledged by someone abroad! Then we begin to appreciate them! Our media too is indifferent to our music - we have channels for international music, but not for our own classical and folk. The ironic part is that the foreigners are greatly interested in our music and performers. They are amazed at our gift of spontaneous sangat and improvisation. Once acquainted with it, they accept immediately that our music is not only better than theirs but also the best in the world. But is that the only reason for this lacuna?

• There is also another fundamental stumbling-block - granting the fact that our music is very spiritual,l the approach to its teaching leaves a lot to be desired. Learning anything should be basically fun. The words of our basic compositions through which raags are taught are romantic or generally unsuitable for a kid who may be anything from 3-years-old upwards. What will a kid understand of words like saiyyaan and baiyyaan? It is through something more suitable like the equivalent of nursery rhymes that our children should be initiated into our music

Thanks for the article on Kala Ramnath. Never heard of her until now. What an accomplished artist. Her violin is called 'Singing Violin'! That's great that she is playing a solo piece in the film Blood Diamond. 👏

Link to Kala Ramnath's official site (I think its official)

http://www.kalaramnath.com/

Audio/video clips, biodata, gallery, press clippings and more

Violin Virtuoso, Smt. Kala Ramnath

Emerging rapidly as one of the most outstanding violinists in the Hindustani Classical genre in India today, young Kala Ramnath, from the Mewati gharana has adapted this western instrument to express the deep and intense spiritual lyricism and power of the classical Indian tradition. Hailing from a family to which the music world owes two of its front-ranking violinists, Prof. T.N. Krishnan in Carnatic and Dr. Smt. N. Rajam in Hindustani music, Kala began playing the violin from the age of three. She started her training with her grandfather, Vidwan Shri Narayan Iyer and simultaneously, from her aunt, Dr. Smt. N. Rajam. For the last seven years, she has been undergoing intensive training with Pandit Jasraj, master vocalist of the Mewati gharana.. This has brought a rare vocal emotionalism to her art.

Kala's violin playing is characterized by an immaculate bowing and fingering technique, command over all aspects of laya, richness and clarity in sur. All this innate artistry and technical brilliance combined with a rare and exquisite emotional quality are the hallmarks of her style.

Kala has performed at many major music festivals like Tansen Sangit Sammelan, Swami Haridas Sangit Sammelan, Pandit Motiram Sangit Samaroh, Sangit Natak Academy's Music and Dance festival, Ustad Amir Khan Samaroh, Spirit of Unity Concerts, Harvallabh Sangit Sammelan, Vishnu Digambar Jayanthi etc. In the year 1984, she won the first prize in the prestigious All India Radio Music competition. In 1988, she became the first ever Hindustani musician and violinist to record for CBS India Limited.

Beisdes being a brilliant and charismatic musician, Kala has also an outstanding academic record. A University 1st in her Graduation and Post-Graduation, she won the junior and senior Government scholarships in the years 1979 and 1984 respectively. She is also an A-grade broadcaster and telecaster.

Kala has won the acclaim of critics and discerning audiences nationwide. She recently performed in the world music festival at Montreal, and the Canada Council's festival 'Rhythms of India' in Ottawa, both in Canada. She has also extensively toured in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Mauritius. Her 1995 tour in the United States and Canada has been specially fruitful for Kala, as she blazed a whirlwind trail across the continent, gaining accolades and ovations wherever she went. Soloing in June last year in Los Angeles, for Pandit Ravi Shankar's 75th birthday celebration, Kala left an unforgettable imprint on the minds of her listeners.

Thanks Qwest ji and Thanks Sonya for the link to the site.

Awesoem 👏

Originally posted by: sonyaee

Thanks for the article on Kala Ramnath. Never heard of her until now. What an accomplished artist. Her violin is called 'Singing Violin'! That's great that she is playing a solo piece in the film Blood Diamond. 👏

Sonya,👏 Thank you so and you and do admire your test of music. As always thanks for your support and I am really grateful to you.

Originally posted by: s.priya

Thanks Qwest ji and Thanks Sonya for the link to the site.

Awesome 👏

priya, Thanks and yes Sonya she is a big help always. Grateful to her for her support.

In concert with Pt. Jasraj &
Ustad Zakir Hussain

With Vijay Ghate in London.