Carnatic vocalists Ranjani and Gayatri, were born into a family that was greatly involved in classical music. Having started out as violinists, the sisters have come a long way and now perform across the world. We catch up with the duo before their performance at Sangamam, a concert by The Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives, to learn more about the art form and what the audience can expect at the concert.
Speaking about their forthcoming performance, Ranjani shares, “The series of concerts is called Sangamam and we felt that this could be a concept that we can use for curating our performance as well. We will interpret ‘sangamam’ in different ways — in terms of the coming together of languages, lyrics, gods and goddesses, and more.”
Their ragam, thalam and pallavi (RTP) is always one of the highlights of their performance and the duo plan to present a new RTP at the concert.
Talking about the importance of carnatic music, Ranjani says, “It is one of the most ancient and revered classical music systems in the world. It goes back thousands of years and can be traced back to the pre-Ramayana period.”
The genre, like any other art form, has gone through many changes, which is inevitable. So any change that is natural and comes from a place of profound understanding and reverence for the art form is always welcome. “The addition of fresh languages, ragas, themes, and musical forms are all part of the changes that have occurred in carnatic music,” the vocalist shares.
Following their performance, the duo is set to perform in Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, Dubai and Mumbai. “We are particularly looking forward to singing in a very unique setting — the QE2 ship in Dubai,” the singer reveals, adding that another important performance wi l l be at the Chennai Margazhi season in December. Next year will see them performing at venues like The Gateway of India, the banks of river Ganga in Varanasi and much more.
₹250 upwards. November 5, 5 pm. At Jyoti Nivas College, Koramangala
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