Merging parallels

very country, sometimes every the concept of adhara sruti bheda region in a country, has its own ragamalika, which means different Estyle of music. Such exposure ragas over different srutis and to varied genres of music during her tonics—like the world of different Masters and Post Masters Fellowship modes over different keys and chord studies at Berklee College of Music, changes”. led to the growth of Apoorva Krishna’s fascination for the concept Adapting, transposing and of chords and the realm of harmonies improvising over chord changes and in Western music. Though her basic different styles of playing, besides interest is Indian classical music, this the strong difference between exposure led her to create fusion of Indian classical tuning and the Western standard tuning, posed a big Indian classical and contemporary Apoorva Krishna Western music. Apoorva is an challenge that Apoorva had to take accomplished violinist belonging to Feet at the Harvard Business School, on. It was her abiding passion for the Lalgudi school, and her recent organised by the Berklee India music and the exposure to different composition Merging Parallels Exchange. Since then McLaughlin’s genres of music, along with her has been garnering international encouragement has led her efforts training from understanding teachers, attention. Several eminent artists like towards merging the music of East that gave her the courage to continue John McLaughlin, Aruna Sairam, and West. with the venture of composing Bombay Jayashri, Ranjani-Gayatri melodies with Indian classical The Lalgudi tillanas have had a and Abhishek Raghuram, and her ideas with chord changes. Merging great fascination for her with their gurus Anuradha Sridhar, Srimathi Parallels was a natural corollary that melodies and rhythms; they were Brahmanandam, among others, has won her great acclaim. the muse for her to compose five have expressed their appreciation. tillanas, and the debut album Apoorva Merging Parallels runs for 3.15 Says John McLaughlin, “I’ve been Tillanas was released during the minutes and is set to khanda Chapu involved with musicians from India Cleveland Aradhana festival in tala with ateeta eduppu. It contains and Indian music for the greater part 2018. Apoorva says, “With my love 18 ragas with chord changes and of my life and one of the fascinating for Carnatic tillanas and Western is set aesthetically, abiding by the aspects I have experienced is the harmonies, Merging Parallels tillana format, patterns, mathematical attempt to integrate harmony into the came to life. The piece relates to jati prayogas, as well as a lyrical Indian traditions. Now we have this young generation of the 21st century (L to R): Apoorva, John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain in Lotus Feet and they are studying Western music—in particular, harmony. This music video from Apoorva and Varijashree is amazing on how they are integrating harmony into the melody, with the sophisticated rhythms of India; and it’s really an amazing piece of music, really quite outstanding.” Something a young aspiring violinist would only have dreamt about came true for Apoorva Krishna when, in November 2019, two legendary maestros John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain invited her to play the famous Shakti masterpiece Lotus

8 l SRUTI February 2021 section in Sanskrit in the is a fusion of Indian classical raga Saramati. Apoorva has music conceptualised been fortunate to have had with graha bhedam with other artists joining with her contemporary arrangement. in this production, which has Essence is a recent electronic added to its musical value. track produced by Atmanam, Varijashree Venugopal, where Apoorva plays the with a clear passionate violin; it was shot in the voice, has rendered vocal heart of New York and it support; the versatile has been popular on Spotify. Sunaad Anoor has brought Transcend has William forth his creativity with Cepeda, the creator of Puerto percussions like konnakol Rican jazz and a four-time and khanjira enhancing Grammy nominee; this is the rhythmic aspects of a collaboration of Indian the tillana. Apoorva adds, classical music and Latin jazz “Aleif Hamdan’s magical styles. colours, chords and love for There are some very recent Indian classical music paved works yet to be released, with the way for seamless transitions, pandemic situation; nonetheless the her playing the violin, which have rhythmic synchronisation and rock- coordination is completely seamless. influences of various musical genres solid harmonic support. The double such as Flamenco, Latin jazz, Polish bass support by Bruno Raberg has Apoorva has been part of several enhanced the total effect immensely.” collaborations with both Indian jazz, Western classical, Electronic, All the musicians have played and Western musicians. Shankar Bluegrass, Iranian and hip-hop. from their own homes due to the Mahadevan’s composition Ragamaya V. KARPAGALAKSHMI

9 l SRUTI February 2021