With the annual SIFAS Academy Day less than a week
away, the Alumni Editorial Team was treated to a sneak peek of this year’s
performances. Needless to say, preparations are in full gear with both teachers
and students determined to put up a great show this Sunday. Everything is
coming together beautifully and the music is simply sublime.
Music editor in-charge Vikram Manian caught up with Alumni members who are
centrally involved in this year’s Carnatic orchestra performance.
Shanggari d/o Velu - Senior Veena Student of Guru Meenakshi
SIFAS Alumni:
Hi Shanggari. Tell us about your involvement in the Academy Day performance
& how it compares to some of the other productions you’ve been a part of.
Shanggari Velu: I’ve participated in shows like
GSS & orchestra performances in previous years, and it is a little
different this time around. This year there are fewer compositions, with only 3
main pieces. This allows us to spend more time on each and explore the myriad
of ragas featured in them.
There have been more sectional practices, allowing
our progress to be monitored closely with the veena teacher being more involved.
The turnout for rehearsals and enthusiasm has been consistently good with vast
improvements in progress week by week.
In previous performances, I’ve had more senior
players like Archana to turn to with doubts. This time I am among the senior
players in the section & the veena teacher is our mentor. She has been
patient & very accommodating sacrificing her free time to hold sectional rehearsals.
The amount of effort that she has puts into music inspires me to give my best
effort each time. She is one of my biggest role models!
SA: Tell us
about your other commitments & how you find time for rehearsals. What
drives you?
SV: Apart from school, I have veena and vocal classes
at SIFAS & I’m a member of the SIFAS Alumni Orchestra. My weekdays are packed
with school commitments so I try spend time on my music over the weekends. My
main driving force is the fun and the enjoyment that I get from music. Making
time to attend orchestra rehearsals is also about discipline and
responsibility. I wouldn’t want my absence to slow down the veena section’s progress,
so I put in the effort to come even when it gets difficult.
SA: Do you
have any messages for SIFAS students looking to be a part of orchestra
productions?
SV: For me, being in the orchestra is a platform to
be involved in more stage performances and to learn more than what I would in
class. It is only through the Alumni Orchestra that I’ve gotten to learn about
percussion, accompaniment and instruments like the flute & violin. In that
way, I feel that being in an orchestra gives you ample exposure to the vast breadth
of Carnatic music.Watch this space for more interviews with this years orchestra members & dancers...
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