There are a few that have the aptitude to make music out of wood and strings. Anyone who has heard Tara Anand will quite agree that she has the talent to coax her violin to producing music that stirs the soul. Tara Anand, an accomplished violinist and vocalist, began vocal training atthe age of four. Her gurus have included esteemed artists such as T.M.Tyagarajan, K.V.Krisnan and Shankara Sarma. She began violin at the age of eight with Mrs.Vedavalli Ramaswami of Delhi and Mrs.T. Rukmini of Madras.

She gave her first concert at the age of eight and subsequently performed with some very great artists such as T.R.Subramaniam, M.L.Vasanthakumari, Prof.Ramanathan, Sudha Raghunathan, Nookala Satyanarayana to mention a few.

Tara has received numerous awards from the Music Academy and Krishna Gana Sabha in Madras,including best junior artist for three consecutive years in a row. She has also played solos with her teacher Mrs.T. Rukmini.

Over the years she has taught Carnatic music to over 300 students. She has played for countless Arangetrams. I had the pleasure to get know her well as she played for my students' Arangetrams and it was an honor to share the musical podium with her. She was kind to share a few thoughts on music with Lokvani.

Lokvani: Thanks so much Tara for agreeing to speak to us. So when did your relationship with music begin?

Tara: Music has always been an integral part of my life. I started my career in India. In the beginning I was fairly ambitious about a performing career in music. But when I moved to the US after my marriage, I had to shift my focus away from a performing career. There are not that many opportunities to be a performing artist in the US.

Lokvani: Does this mean you regret coming to the US?

Tara: On the contrary, I am really grateful that I did. I had the opportunity to teach and I must say my students give meaning to my life. I have realized that teaching music is my passion and I am grateful to all my students and their parents for the love and respect they have given me over the years. About musical ambitions, I have realized that my ambition is to learn as much as I can about music. By continuing to listen to great artists, learning from my Gurus in India whenever I get a chance I think I am able to continue my learning .Hence I feel very content. I have also had the opportunity to perform with very talented artists from India and I think that keeps my skills sharp.

Lokvani: While Carnatic music has been introduced to the western audiences for a long time, it still does not seem as popular as Hindustani. Do you agree? If so what do you think we can do about this?

Tara: Yes I do agree. But we must first understand the reason for this. Carnatic music has always been rooted in devotion. Unlike Hindustani music which was patronized in courts, Carnatic music was patronized by the temples. Thus Carnatic musicians have a fear of mixing easily with other forms of music. They feel it may be "sullied" if its purity is played with. Also the level of complexity in Carnatic music is extremely high which forms a barrier for the novice to appreciate this. Having said this, I must say that many musicians of today like Sanjay Subramanium and others are putting a great deal of effort into popularizing this music and I think we will see greater world wide appreciation for Carantic music. Many performers are now willing to educate the audience while they are performing. Organizers should try to request performers to do more of this.

Lokvani: Could you describe your teaching experience considering that you are teaching students who are on a foreign soil?

Tara: Oh it is a remarkable experience. I am amazed at the dedication shown by the youngsters. Even though the language is not native to them, most do not have any problem with pronunciations. I think these children have a very important role to play in popularizing Carnatic music among non-Indian audiences. Many of my students have started music groups at their universities and are sharing this music with fellow students. Many of them understand both Indian and Western classical musical forms and hence have an easier time working with their western counterparts.

Lokvani: What advice do you give to parents who want to start music classes for their children?

Tara: For young children I would start with vocal lessons. Children six and up may take up the violin. Music needs discipline and parents should encourage their children to practice. Consistency of practice is most important. As they grow older, do not put them in more than two major activities. I would also recommend people to take children to concerts.

Lokvani: What is your teaching style? How do you keep your students motivated?

Tara: Well in the beginning I always like to lay out the rules. I am very strict. Once the kids get to know me better say after six months or so I get kinder and gentler:-). About motivating my students, I am very grateful for events like the Thiagaraja Aradhana in Cleveland. I take my students there for the competitions.

Lokvani: Did your students win?

Tara: Yes. Ashwin Gargeya won the 1st prize in Violin Senior and 3rd prize in Alapana Senior. Ashwin Suryakumar won 2nd prize in Violin Senior. Suhaas Rao won 2nd prize in Violin Junior and 2nd prize in Alapana Junior. Another teacher from this area, Also Rasika Murali student and daughter of our colleague Geetha Murali won a second prize in the sub junior vocal category. In the past my student, Vishnu Kannabiran has won prizes in vocal category and Divya Kannabiran in violin.

Lokvani: That is exciting. Congratulations to the students and of course to you. Now my personal thanks to you for playing for Arangetrams. As a dance teacher you know I am indebted to you like all the other teachers. You seem to have dedicated almost all your summer weekends for years to this effort. Often artists do not agree to do play for dance. Could you tell me a little about what this experience is for you?

Tara: Oh it is my pleasure. I like to support the children. In the beginning I also had my doubts about performing for dance. In a dance concert the focus is on the dancer (and rightly so) so musicians do not get a chance to present their talents. But I have realized that often when you play for dance concerts you get to work with excellent musicians. It is also an opportunity to practice. Of course there is always a moment or two when the accompanying artists get to show off their talents as well. So it is a lot of fun for me.

Lokvani: Any comments on family life for artists?

Tara: Well as you know well we have a very different life style. Classes are always after hours, 3:30 pm - 7:30pm on weekdays and ofcourse on weekends. Concerts are on weekends. But I am grateful for the support I have received.

Lokvani: Any final comments?

Tara: My thanks again to all the parents for always being here. I thank my students and I appreciate their support as I try to give all that I have musically to them.

|