Artists from across the world unite for a tribute to one of India’s greatest music icons
On 17 September 2020, Lalgudi G Jayaraman would have been 90 years old. To mark this occasion, Milap, in association with the Lalgudi Trust, has assembled an extraordinary ensemble of Indian virtuosos to record a unique version of one of his masterpieces. This new music video promises to be one of the highlights of the celebrations, featuring an array of classical Indian instruments and vocal styles from both the Carnatic and Hindustani music traditions. It will premiere on Sunday 20th September 2020, as the finale of the Lalgudi 90 Live Event, premiering on the Lalgudi Jayaraman - God of Violin YouTube channel. The music is arranged by composer Girishh Gopalakrishnan, with the renowned artists Lalgudi GJR Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi - all disciples of Lalgudi Jayaraman. It is produced by Milap, the International Indian Arts & Culture company, based in the UK and carried out on behalf of the Lalgudi Trust, Chennai.
Indian dancers go virtual during lockdown
Facing the prospect of having to close down her dance and music school due to life under lockdown, Nina Rajarani MBE realised quickly that she would have to adapt her teaching methods in order to keep her students motivated and able to carry on with their artistic practice during the pandemic. There were lots of new things to think about to prepare for teaching in this way. Nina’s solution was to watch students dance small sections individually rather than as a group as happens in a regular class situation. Timing and video capture were crucial for Nina’s work with her professional dance company. Thankfully she was able to buy a new higher specification laptop, camera and software with support from an Emergency Response Grant from Arts Council England. The grant also enabled her to employ 10 freelance dancers and musicians for two weeks, a lifeline for performing artists whose work has dropped away whilst theatres remain closed. Nina worked hard to find ways around a challenging situation and is delighted with the results: “I’m so proud of my students who kept up their dancing and music practice despite these extraordinary circumstances; I can’t wait to see them in person when our classes start up again soon”.
