Dr. Lakshmi Sreeram is a Carnatic and Hindustani vocalist as well as a writer and academic based in Chennai, India. She has had the great fortune of training under great masters like Pt. Vasantrao Kulkarni and Nadayogi V.V. Subramanyam in the two traditions in Mumbai and Chennai. Her training in Bharatanatyam adds another subtle dimension to her music. She has also received a Ph.D. degree in Philosophy from the University of Bombay for her work in Alankara Sastra. Her Ph.D. thesis was on the concept of Dhvani as expounded in Anandavardhana’s Dhvanyaloka. Besides concert performances, she has given lecture demonstrations to explain the intricacies of the music. She has taught Music appreciation courses at Indian Institute of Technology Madras. She is also a freelance writer contributing mainly on performing arts.
Abstract of talk
PERFORMING ARTS: DANCE, MUSIC AND THEATRE
India’s performing arts traditions cover a wide spectrum — from tribal to classical. Dance and music expressions form important aspects of celebration — of seasons, of marriage, of harvest, of birth. In rural Tamil Nadu, whenever there is any affliction in the village — drought, famine, disease — they say a drama must be played to drive out the calamity.
These lectures will explore Indian theatre forms, dance and musical forms, in particular their basic thrust, the aesthetic and technical aspects of some of these forms. The meeting of traditional forms with modernity, the issues thrown up and the adjustments made will also be touched upon.
Classical dance forms and Carnatic and Hindustani music will be explored in some detail.
Readings
Hindustani Music – Lakshmi Sreeram
Videos