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Photo: R. Ashok

Notes of a professional: Sanjay Subrahmanyam.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, this chartered accountant-turned Carnatic vocalist has never found it necessary to prove his versatility by singing in films or participating in bouts of fusion or jugalbandhis.

“I prefer to focus on things that matter to me. I asked myself the reason why I should sing film songs or jugalbandhis. If it were for money, I could have made more as a CA. And if it were for popularity, well, I prefer to be popular as a Carnatic vocalist only,” says the singer who was in Thiruvananthapuram for the Swathi Sangeethotsavam 2008.

Negating the popular perception that fusion and lighter versions help attract more listeners to Carnatic music, he says: “I think listeners go for the best. Carnatic music has never been a popular stream of music, but it has thrived thanks to discerning listeners and dedicated practitioners. I have no objection to some one singing bhajans or semi-classical pieces. And if that draws more people to Carnatic music, that is a good trend. But that is their choice. I want to give my best to whatever it is that I choose to do.

“So, for instance, as a professional, I memorise the compositions I plan to sing. My ability to improvise and innovate becomes restricted when I have to refer a book. It is the least I can do as a professional singer.” Has learning the violin till his teens helped him as a singer?

“Immensely. Swara njanam improves tremendously. One is sure of where each note is. But I don’t think it is mandatory for a singer to learn to play an instrument,” maintains Sanjay.

He adds that, for him, lyrics come second, it is music that comes first. “It is the raga that carries the lyrics. I do have a working knowledge of the lyrics and its meaning and I have progressed a great deal in that direction. I feel that in the days to come, lyrics will have a much more important place. But my emphasis is on the musical factor.”

The Chennai-based singer feels that it is important to learn from a guru in the traditional way, slowly but surely.

“We are perhaps the last of the singers to learn from a guru that way. It used to take seven to eight classes to learn a composition. But once it sinks in, it stays there. Now, there is so much of ‘speed.’ It all began with students recording the classes and learning from that. Then it went on to I-pods and now classes are available on the net,” says Sanjay who has learnt from gurus such as V. Lakshminarayana, Rukmini Rajagopalan and Calcutta K.S. Krishnamurthy.

He emphasises that it is important to have a mentor who keeps you rooted, guides you and acts as a sounding board too. “I have benefited tremendously from my interactions with my gurus. I continue to learn from my present guru Nagswaram maestro Sembanarkoil S.R.D. Vaidyanathan Another person I look up to is N. Ramani. Their advise, experience and wisdom have stood me in good stead.”

And does he play the same role for his students. “I hope I do,” he says modestly. “But my teaching has reduced a great deal owing to my busy schedule. Time is a major factor. I have had more than 20 concerts this month, for instance.”

However, the widely travelled Sanjay says his favourite venues are in Chennai. “It is home ground. And for the last seven or eight years, I have been singing a great deal of Tamil compositions.”

Speaking about the Kuthiramalika experience he says: “I have a theory. Nagaswaram players have this unbound imagination and free spirit because they play in the open in temples. The open-air venue seems to provide an unconfined space and that seems to free the singer in you. The feel is very different from singing in a confined space such as the Navaratri Mandapam. Both are challenging. While the Navaratri Mandapam makes me look within to derive inspiration, Kuthiramalika makes one reach out.”

Reaching out to the audience is never a difficult task for this seasoned entertainer who says that he is able to feel the pulse of the audience without much difficulty. But reaching out to the audience does not mean indulging in gimmicks of any kind.

“So long as I keep my listeners happy, why should I change my style of presentation? Each singer has his style and one should stick to what one knows best,” says this singer who is in tune with his times and listeners.

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