TRIVENI is presented as part of Walton Arts Center’s 10X10 Arts Series, which brings affordable and eclectic entertainment opportunities to Northwest Arkansas. Tickets to TREVENI and all other 10X10 shows are just $10.
In keeping with our 10x10 theme, we recently sat down with 10 questions for Kala Ramnath, violinist for TRIVENI.
1. What message do you hope to send the world through this performance
Kala: Though we may represent different genres and styles, our approach is to bring these different genres and styles together as one music and we hope in these troubled times, this music brings solace to everyone and brings us all closer and together as one.
2. What's a memorable experience you've had while performing this work?
Kala: Every concert is memorable for any artist. But the first time Zakir, Jayanthi and I played together in Mumbai, India, it was an unforgettable experience for the three of us. Moreover, “Triveni” literally means "confluence of three rivers or streams.” Here we are the three streams and how we blend and still show the differences or the different colors of styles and genre we each represent is what makes this memorable for us and hope it will be memorable for the listeners.
3. What drew you to this performance field?
Kala: I belong to a family of seven generations in music. Therefore, music has been with me from the time I was in my mother’s womb. I had no second thoughts about taking music as a career.
4. If you weren't a professional musician, what would you be doing now?
Kala: I can’t imagine what I would be doing…
5. To stay at your optimum performance level, how many hours per day do you rehearse?
Kala: I feel one must stay in music all the time. Apart from quantitative practice there is qualitative practice where you spend time listening to other’s music and thinking about your music. Therefore the number of hours does not matter.
6. What's your pre-show ritual or warm-up?
Kala: Stay calm and positive in a happy frame of mind and think about what I could present in concert.
7. What's the best advice you've ever received?
Kala: Do not be an imitation and always strive to be an original in your music.
8. What did you turn to as your creative outlet during 2020?
Kala: Music, that’s my creative outlet. I created a musical piece on the origin of COVID, the destruction, the confusion we experienced, the struggle to find a solution, the arrival of vaccines and ended the composition with the hope that life will be back to normal soon.
9. What songs, artists or genres of music are you currently listening to?
Kala: Listening to some North Indian Classical Instrumental Music keeping my upcoming tour in mind.
10. What's the #1 thing on your Netflix watchlist?
Kala: Currently watching "Inventing Anna”