Sri Soumya Varanasi
| Photograph Credit score: Particular association
Hyderabad-based singer, songwriter and composer Sri Soumya Varanasi hosts a workshop on classical music at uncommon venues, seeing it as a chance to current completely different dimensions of music to a brand new viewers. Soumya, who performs classical music with a recent contact, has a busy month: conducting a music workshop for SoMa’s M&MS (Music and Thoughts Sequence) at The Moonshine Mission in Jubilee Hills (September 21), and presenting a second episode of The Kutcheri Mission by SoMa (September 29) at The Stage in District 150, Madhapur.
Reference to music
Soumya with a workforce of singers
| Photograph Credit score:
particular association
Soumya was 12 when she felt a reference to music. Over time, this ‘small rooted thought’ led her to be taught and to contribute to the artwork. Even whereas singing the identical music at completely different concert events, she would replicate on its presentation and contemplate what new perspective she may add to it. Having educated formally in Carnatic music in her childhood, the musician additionally forayed into gentle music, Western and Hindustani music and movie songs.
Viewing music as an entity that she would favor to not put a tag or label on, she has discovered to take positives from completely different genres and convey out the very best in her performances. ”I’ve been lucky that each one my gurus have seen music that means,” says Soumya, presently a disciple of eminent musician Bombay Jayashri.
Launch of music college
Throughout a live performance
| Photograph Credit score:
particular association
The versatile musician-guru established a music college, Dhruvam, in 2016 , She was pleasantly shocked to find that youngsters grasp and understand music within the very first session and perceive it as soon as they type a bond with it. “From feeling bored to asking questions like ‘Are these two songs of the identical ragam?’ created a thought course of inside me,” she recollects. That was her inspiration to do one thing greater than educating. “Possibly it may encourage one one who has a special opinion on Indian classical music, not simply Carnatic music, as a result of I’ve personally benefited a lot from it.”
Modern strategy
| Photograph Credit score:
particular association
With the launch of Dhruvam, a thematic idea in 2019, she collaborated with varied musicians to carry out classical music with a contact of fusion and likewise did harmonies and a cappella along with her college students.
Having assisted composer MM Keeravani (in Baahubali and RRR) and with S S Thaman for background music in a few films the place there may be conventional music concerned — like ‘maguva maguva’ in Vakeel Saab — individuals request her to sing a few movie songs throughout concert events. “I inform them, ‘I’m not in opposition to movie songs. I’ll do one thing else, hear and provides me suggestions,”’ recollects Sowmya who sang the ghazal ‘Aaj Jane Ki Zid Na Karo’ throughout a live performance.
Fusion acts
Sowmya
| Photograph Credit score:
particular association
A few of her thematic fusion acts have featured the kriti ‘Bho Shambo, Shiva Shambo’ in a jugalbandi with percussionists Pavan Kumarand Ramakrishna, in addition to the standard stotram ‘Aigiri Nandini’ being introduced with harmonies and some English lyrics on empowering girls.
Over time, Sowmya formed her thought slowly and obtained encouragement from Hemendra Reddy, one of many founders of The Moonshine Mission. Calling herself SoMa, she designed a 12-member thematic live performance SoMaphia (‘phia’ that means feminine saint in Greek) held at Ext by Moonshine in 2023.
The SoMaphia live performance portrayed a girl’s phases of life, by varied musical compositions. The live performance concluded with the music ‘Aigiri Nandini’, urging the viewers to take heed to their internal voice. “We might be surrounded by 100 completely different opinions however now we have to present area to the one voice talking to us from inside.”
Sowmya admits some individuals query or dislike her means of presenting classical music with fusion. That makes her doubt herself too, particularly when she will get essential or unhealthy suggestions. “I ask myself whether or not I’m doing it for the enjoyment of it or for some worldly objective, to go on to the subsequent technology.”
Evolving to adapt
Adapting to altering occasions
| Photograph Credit score:
particular association
To adapt to altering occasions, she makes an effort to know her eight-year-old son’s perceptive. “I attempt to perceive his language and thought course of to know what right this moment’s youngsters are considering. It’s inspiring. In music, my precept is to delve deep into any composition, with out affecting its essence.” Whereas tweaking compositions she goes along with her instincts to examine if she has enhanced or tampered with the essential components of a composition. “It’s not straightforward. I examine if I can add one thing priceless, in any other case I current it the way in which I can.”
In November, she gears up for a lecture on how music provides worth to films, at Annapurna Movie Media College and a Carnatic live performance at Saptaparni. Hoping to carry out at extra venues, she says, “I need to work on how Indian classical music could be delivered to the subsequent technology. If somebody needs to be part of my concert events, I need to create a small slot for them.”
Revealed – September 19, 2024 11:26 am IST
