He registered as a general practitioner after passing out of Madras Medical College but violinist and composer L Subramaniam is better known for storming the world music scene and collaborating with artists such as Yehudi Menuhin. Subramaniam, who gave a concert during the music season after nearly 20 years, performed at Krishna Gana Sabha on December 31.
You were one of the earliest musicians to get into fusion music which is not popular in sabhas here. Do you think purists will ever accept fusion?
There are many styles of singing in Carnatic music. Similarly, fusion as a style is popular in the west. If the purists listen to it with an open mind, fusion music will become acceptable here. Artists abroad keep experimenting with instruments and styles. No such innovations are seen during Chennai's music season.
You performed at this year's music season after a long time. Why the break?
Till the passing away of my father Lakshminarayanan in 1992, I used to perform regularly during the season. After that, we started organising a music festival in his memory. It was held at Music Academy every year on January 2 and when the music festival went international, I did not have time to perform in December.
Now that the ethnic conflict has ended, do you plan to go back to Jaffna in Sri Lanka where you grew up?
I will train musicians in Jaffna if I get a chance. My first concert was at the Murugan temple in Jaffna. In 1994, I performed in Colombo at the invitation of the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga. During that visit, I went to the Colombo radio station to look for my father's recordings. Though he was a famous violinist, none of his records were there. It is sad that many works of Tamil artists and ancient manuscripts of the classics were destroyed during the conflict.
What are you working on now?
(Kavita answers) We are bringing out a set of 10 DVDs on global music, probably by June. I do solos as well as duets with Sonu Nigam, Pandit Jasraj and Lucky Ali. The lyrics are by Javed Akhtar. We are also setting up a music school in Bangalore where all forms of music will be taught, but the violin will get importance.
Your son Ambi is doing well, do you have particular plans for him?
Ambi has been interested in music from childhood. But one day he said he didn't want to become a violinist. So I asked him to put his violin in the cupboard and learn other things, including how to climb trees. After two days he was back to playing the violin and has not looked back since. I will teach him all the techniques I know. He has already released an album and has got awards.
You studied medicine but did you practice? When did you realize that you wanted to be musician full time?
I registered after finishing MBBS but I never practised medicine. During my second year of college, I met a foreign violinist at the Egmore museum who asked me join him and even offered me a scholarship. When I went home to tell my mother, she said I could go abroad after showing her my MBBS degree certificate. My dream of getting a degree in western music was delayed but my mother was happy.
You were one of the earliest musicians to get into fusion music which is not popular in sabhas here. Do you think purists will ever accept fusion?
There are many styles of singing in Carnatic music. Similarly, fusion as a style is popular in the west. If the purists listen to it with an open mind, fusion music will become acceptable here. Artists abroad keep experimenting with instruments and styles. No such innovations are seen during Chennai's music season.
You performed at this year's music season after a long time. Why the break?
Till the passing away of my father Lakshminarayanan in 1992, I used to perform regularly during the season. After that, we started organising a music festival in his memory. It was held at Music Academy every year on January 2 and when the music festival went international, I did not have time to perform in December.
Now that the ethnic conflict has ended, do you plan to go back to Jaffna in Sri Lanka where you grew up?
I will train musicians in Jaffna if I get a chance. My first concert was at the Murugan temple in Jaffna. In 1994, I performed in Colombo at the invitation of the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga. During that visit, I went to the Colombo radio station to look for my father's recordings. Though he was a famous violinist, none of his records were there. It is sad that many works of Tamil artists and ancient manuscripts of the classics were destroyed during the conflict.
What are you working on now?
(Kavita answers) We are bringing out a set of 10 DVDs on global music, probably by June. I do solos as well as duets with Sonu Nigam, Pandit Jasraj and Lucky Ali. The lyrics are by Javed Akhtar. We are also setting up a music school in Bangalore where all forms of music will be taught, but the violin will get importance.
Your son Ambi is doing well, do you have particular plans for him?
Ambi has been interested in music from childhood. But one day he said he didn't want to become a violinist. So I asked him to put his violin in the cupboard and learn other things, including how to climb trees. After two days he was back to playing the violin and has not looked back since. I will teach him all the techniques I know. He has already released an album and has got awards.
You studied medicine but did you practice? When did you realize that you wanted to be musician full time?
I registered after finishing MBBS but I never practised medicine. During my second year of college, I met a foreign violinist at the Egmore museum who asked me join him and even offered me a scholarship. When I went home to tell my mother, she said I could go abroad after showing her my MBBS degree certificate. My dream of getting a degree in western music was delayed but my mother was happy.
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