Composer and Violinist L Shenkar interviewed

A Grammy winner and one of the world's finest violinist-vocalists and composers, L Shenkar is in Mumbai for a World Music Concert today. Yogesh Pawar caught up with the legend on the eve of the concert. Excerpts from an interview.

Q: Your thoughts on bringing the world music concert to Mumbai's mini-Chennai, Matunga
A: The audience in Mumbai can expect the unexpected and unknown. They should be prepared for journey to a whole new place with music which brings together genres as diverse as rock, pop, electronic dance music, World Music, classical and sound tracks. Phenomenal talents like globally renowned guitarist Mike Albert (who has played with Megadeth, Santana, Frank Zappa), violin virtuosos LN Sisters, M Lalitha and M Nandini will join Manayard Grant on drums and Anbu on creative percussion.

Q: Your parents were accomplished musicians. Did that draw you to music from early childhood?
A: Of course. Given that music is in my family it was an obvious choice. I was very passionate about it since I was young. My violinist father V Lakshminarayana Iyer was a professor at the Jaffna College of Music while my mother L Seethalakshmi played the veena. All my five older siblings were also proficient in music. I began singing when only two, and began practising percussion when I was seven, and gave my first concert when I was 10 at Jaffna's Nallur Kandaswamy Temple.

Q: Not many know that you are a physics graduate.
A: Yes, it's what I graduated in. I don't see Physics, which is applied mathematics, as being too far removed from music. Music, too, is a science. I am a sound designer. That helps me create my double violin and other vocal sounds for different emotions. The sound has been adapted in many of my solo albums and collaborations.

Q: You are equally known for both your singing and your violin. What do you enjoy more?
A: Music is music whether vocal or violin. Many of the fans of my voice from Martin Scorsese's Last Temptation of Christ or Passion of Christ or Heroes (the hit TV show) aren't even aware I play the violin. Here a lot of fans follow my music on the violin.

Q: You've accompanied many Carnatic legends like Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Chembai Vaithyanatha Baghavatar, Palghat Mani Iyer and Alathur Srinivasa Iyer. What was that experience like?
A: They were unbelievable experiences to cherish for life. These masters dedicated their whole life to what they were doing. I continue to learn so much from them even to this day.

Q: Can you recount how you and guitarist-composer John McLaughlin met and brought the Indian classical and Western music together?
A: John used to visit regularly in the early 70's. We spent lot of time jamming and writing music together. In fact we wrote all the music for Shakti together. We weren't planning to do anything specific. We loved what we were trying to create, had so much fun doing it and were passionate about it. That's how the fusion group Shakti came about.

Q: Why and how did you go about inventing the 10-string, stereophonic double violin?
A: Necessity was the mother of this invention too (Laughs). In the late 70s when I did Touch Me There for Frank Zappa I overdubbed bass, cello, viola, violin and other instruments. On tour it was impossible to carry all these with me so I designed something with the whole orchestral range and more. That's how the 10-string stereophonic double violin came to be designed. Ken Parker helped me put it together. I first used it on the solo Who's to Know and my friend Phil Collins' debut solo Face Value which went multi-platinum globally.

Q: Many have tried to copy it.
A: Yes, many try to copy it without permission in India and elsewhere. My original first double violin is 35 years old now. I have a new version coming out in 2015. That will be the third edition.

Q: You won a Grammy in 1994. How important are awards and recognition?
A: Not much. What matters is that I'm giving my best and progressing in music. I maintain a hard, grueling workout everyday for both my singing and violin. I am a student of music and each concert feels like my first. I know I have a long way to go.

Q: Your brother L Vaidyanathan gives music for films in South India. Why haven't you done any film music in India?
A: I haven't had the opportunity. If an Indian filmmaker approaches me then I'd love to, as long as there's an awesome story to be told.

Q: Was the reason you changed your name from Shankar to Shenkar astrological?
A: It was due to numerological and astrological reasons.

Q: Vocalist T M Krishna, in his book 'A Southern Music' derides how Carnatic music excludes on the basis of religion and caste. Your thoughts?
A: Its unfortunate but this happens in India. Music itself is a religion without any barriers. I hope the arrival of more youngsters and new ideas like social media will change all that.

Q: The recent Madison Square Garden performance of your brother, violinist-composer L Subramaniam and his wife Kavita Krishnamurthy during Indian PM Narendra Modi's visit got panned a lot.
A: I did not see it as I was travelling. But I did hear and read that it was really bad. But then, you should ask them about it.

Q: Since the mass genocide of Tamils by the Lankan army in Jaffna, the first stirrings of reviving a once rich cultural tradition of classical music and dance have begun. Have youth thought of becoming part of this effort?
A: You know our house was torched and people were out to kill my father when we fled to India in the late 50s. I was too young but always heard my mother speak lovingly about our home there. I'd love to do anything which will work like a salve for the people and that region.