Ranjani-Gayatri

For Carnatic music raga Ranjani, see Ranjani.
Ranjani-Gayatri
Background information
Origin Mumbai, India
Genres Carnatic Music
Occupation(s) Classical Vocalist
Instruments Vocals, violin

Ranjani and Gayatri are world renowned Carnatic vocalists and violinists, and sisters.

Early life

Ranjani and Gayatri were born to N. Balasubramanian[1] and Meenakshi (a Carnatic vocalist as well) and have a younger sister : Savitri who currently lives in the US. Born into a Palakkad Iyer family deeply involved in classical music, Ranjani and Gayatri's musical talents were discovered at a very early age. Even as toddlers, they showed an uncanny capacity to grasp the subtle nuances of Carnatic music - Gayatri could identify over a hundred ragas when she was barely two and a half and Ranjani could delineate complex rhythm patterns at age five.

They started their violin training at the early age of nine and six respectively from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T.S. Krishnaswami at the Shanmukhananda Sangeeta Vidyalaya, Mumbai.

As violin duet artists

Ranjani and Gayatri began their music career as violin duet artistes even before they reached their teens. Through their intense training from Sangita Bhooshanam Prof. T. S. Krishnaswami, they quickly established themselves as top-class violinists of international repute. The sisters achieved success as violin duet performers, and subsequently they also proved successful as violin accompanists. Both Ranjani and Gayatri have accompanied various artists on the violin, including D.K. Pattammal, M Balamuralikrishna, T Vishwanathan and other popular artistes of the current generation.

Gayatri accompanying D. K. Pattammal on violin.

As vocal artists

The sisters have given vocal concerts since 1997, after they became students of Padma Bhushan Sangeeta Kala Acharya P. S. Narayanaswamy.[2]

Their chance meeting with an amateur Hindustani vocalist in Chennai, Vishwas Shirgaonkar, an official of the World Bank working in Washington, from whom they learnt a few abhangs, paved way for further learning from Manek Bhide and Appasaheb Deshpande of Kolhapur.[3]

Within barely three years, they won high praises from critics and music lovers all over the globe. Their music, imbued with a deep and abiding classicism, has been described as an exhilarating blend of vitality, melody and emotion. Perfection of sruti (pitching), powerful voice control, rich imagination and impeccable aesthetics which reflect the timeless values of classicism - these are some of the qualities that describe the music of Ranjani and Gayatri. Above all this, it is the sisters' capacity to deeply experience and enjoy what they sing, that takes their music to a different plane. Their two voices blend and contrast to strike a fine balance between vibrancy and contemplation, intellect and emotion, tradition and innovation. Their concerts, which draw full houses across the globe, resound with energy, freshness and emotional fervor. Audiences eagerly await and savour their in-depth Ragam-tanam-Pallavi-s, soul-stirring viruthams and lively abhangs which are special features of Ranjani - Gayatri’s repertoire.

As composers

Apart from singing, Ranjani and Gayatri also have an interest for composing music. Most of the abhangs they sing at the end of their concerts have been set to music by the sisters. They have also set many other thukkada pieces, including bhajans. Here is a list of some of the songs set by the sisters:

Awards

Ranjani and Gayatri have received multiple awards and recognitions throughout their career. In addition, various music personalities from all over India have recognised their talent. Most recently, the sitar player of North India, Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, was so impressed by their singing that he organised a concert of theirs in Delhi. Here is a list of the awards and recognitions received by the sisters:

Albums

Ranjani and Gayatri have various albums to their credit. Here is a list of some of the albums that have been released:

References

  1. ↑ "Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer passes away: the end of an era". Asian Tribune. Indo-Asian News Service. 1 October 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Anima, P. (21 November 2008). "Sister act". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 "'Virutham is our forte'". The Hindu. 6 March 2009. Retrieved 6 April 2011.
  4. ↑ "Security Check Required". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-01-10.


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