New Delhi [India], February 1 : Padma Bhushan recipient Dr L Subramaniam, who is among the best-known violinists worldwide and one of India's finest performers, has contributed to international recognition for the violin as a South Indian solo instrument.
During an exclusive conversation with ANI, he spoke about how he got a Master's in Western Classical Music.
He shared, "After finishing my medicine, which took six and a half years, they said if you want to do Master's in music, go and do a diploma of four years somewhere and then do BA music too, and then come back for Master's. That means another six years. I said, no, no, I'm not going to do another six years to get a bachelor's in music. I sent my tape and applied to a couple of places."
He went on, "One was in California Institute of Arts. It was started by Walt Disney. It was a creative new place. Another place was in Ithaca, New York. So then my father found out Ithaca had a lot of snow and a lot of cold. He said you'll get sick. Go to California, it is better for you. And also you had some friends there. So I went to California."
Talking about his experience of getting a Master's in Music in New York, he said that when he went for his Master's, he was homesick and wanted to finish it. "I finished everything in nine months. What a difference. Yeah, they said I have to do another six years to do my Bachelor's. I almost finished my Master's in nine months, all the requirements. I worked so hard because I didn't have a BA in music, so I had to cover all the subjects. Most of the time I was in the library."
Moving ahead in the conversation, he opened up about his homesickness in California.
He shared it was a full scholarship. Nobody was involved. Complete full scholarship, but he was homesick and wanted to be with his father and mother and brothers and sisters, he added. So it was like, nothing else, no problem, he went on.
He said he wanted to finish it and come back. That time, Dean said, "You know, I can't let you go because it's a two-year course. But instead, since your teachers are recommending you so highly if you want, you go back and come after one year and give a concert on that basis. Otherwise, the better choice is I'll give you a part-time faculty job. Why don't you work here for another nine months, get your degree and go? So that way you don't have to spend your money and come back."
He said he spoke to his father. He said, "If you come back and we have to buy a ticket and go, it'll be difficult. They have given you a full scholarship for two years. Your ticket is paid, everything is paid, and you finish it. That was the time I was asked to go on a major tour with George Harrison... promoting with Ravi Shankar and family and friends. We played all over the place."
"Both places gave me a full scholarship," he concluded.
L Subramaniam has composed several musical compositions for ballet performances for well-known dance companies such as the San Jose Ballet Company, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Mariinsky Ballet.
He also composed music for films including 'Salaam Bombay', 'Mississippi Masala', 'Little Buddha' and 'Cotton Mary'.
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