YOU know that feeling when you’ve just experienced something out of this world, belief-defying moments, an emotionally uplifting event? Well it happened on the night of July 22 at the concert hall in the Temple Of Fine Arts in Kuala Lumpur while attending a performance by Sanjay Subrahmanyam, a carnatic vocalist from Chennai, India in conjunction with a cousin’s 80th birthday celebrations.

Not being an aficionado of carnatic music, I initially baulked at the thought of sitting through two hours of this. However, after an almost three-hour mind bending performance by this maestro and  his accompanying musicians namely a violinist and a mridangam (a barrel-shaped double-headed drum with one head larger than the other, used in southern Indian music) player who are without doubt world class exponents in their field, I stand corrected just as I, together with every other member of the audience, gave a standing ovation at the end of it.

How does one describe the prowess of the carnatic vocalist? Mere words would hardly suffice, but let me make an attempt. We have all heard songs of every type being played over the radio or television, perhaps some of us have attended live performances by renowned vocalists of different genres. We have marvelled at the depth and range of some singers. Indian carnatic vocalists may not match the range of vocalists from other genres, but the magic they can weave within their mostly three-octave range is nothing short of miraculous.

The deep, resonant tones of the mridangam wielded by a master player make a perfect accompaniment and pace setter for the vocalist. The ebb and flow of the voice and the violin is something magical to behold, the latter an accompaniment, sometimes a veritable echo. Then at some inflection point time seems to bend and you cannot tell where the voice starts and where the violin strains end, almost drifting between the real and ethereal. Lungs like a free diver, matching the draw of the bow across the strings in an almost never-ending motion or pause for breath seemingly defying physical laws. A resonance of sorts, simple harmonic motion perhaps. I remember thinking I should have paid more attention during physics lessons in college.

At some point the vocal virtuoso opens up his lung and bellows powered vocal chords, engages the aid of the violin strains at its peak. It seems to slice through the fabric of space and time with a whoosh of soul searing sound. It sends nearly every member of the audience into a roller coaster plunge that draws their breath away in an adrenaline rush instant of awe and wonderment; breaking into spontaneous applause midstream. What supreme control of the vocal chords and the respiratory system!

As a layman I would not know the techniques leading to such vocal mastery, but it is without doubt the result of years of daily practice and observance of routines very much similar to world class athletes. This art is very likely passed from one generation to the next in a family, so the training would have begun at a relatively young age. Dedication, diligence and perseverance coupled with specific diets, exercise regimes and supreme discipline are hallmarks of success in this art, evidenced by the hugely popular following these exponents have throughout the Indian diaspora.

It occurred to me that in a world of upheavals and chaos, uncertainty and anxiety, a storm within the physical or mental;  musical concerts such as these may seem trivial or inconsequential. However, there is a great lesson to be learned here. A spiritual or perhaps a spiritually uplifting experience can be derived from the performing arts on both sides of the coin, the performers through their lifelong passion and dedication to their art and the appreciation they receive, and the audience whom I am certain would have their emotional quotient improved tremendously through the visual and auditory experience derived therefrom.  Perhaps more emphasis on appreciation and immersion in the performing arts from preschool all the way to college or university would hold our young Malaysians in good stead and go a long way in moving us all closer through passionately shared interests and experiences – something we sorely need in an increasingly divided society. 

Kudos to the sponsors of this concert. I hope more corporate sponsors will step up in the future to promote these types of not-for-profit world class events as part of their environment, social and governance initiatives for the good of the community at large and hasten the maturing process of our civil society. – July 27, 2023.

* J. Jeyasingam reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.