Date: 26.12.2024 – Thursday – 8.05 – 8.50 a.m.
Speaker : Sangita Kalanidhi Tiruvarur Bakthavatsalam with Valangaiman Vidvan Navaneetha Krishnan – Mridangam Maker
Title : A Tuned Mridangam
Abstract:
When we talk about tuning a mridangam, one must understand how to handle a mridangam. The connect between the mridangam, mridangist and the mridangam maker should be a very holistic one. Mridangam is a very difficult instrument to handle as it is made mostly using different animal skins. Similar to human skin, animal skin is also very sensitive to lot of external factors. Also since the mridangam is tuned to a particular pitch, the margin of error is very minimal so as to not disturb the mood and flow of the concert. Also the maintanence, sound and handling of a mridangam will differ from one instrument to another. Mridangam artists also will choose instruments based upon the co-artists, venue of the concert, weather conditions etc. This is where the role of the mridangam maker is very crucial. The mridangam maker and the mridangam artist should have very good rapport so as determines the output of the instrument. As we all know, the mridangist’s performance in a concert depends majorly on how the mridangam sounds. Thus when the maker knows what the artist wants and the artist knows what the maker is doing, the output will be good. The amount of maintanence will also depend on the weather conditions, adding an additional layer of complexity to the making and handling of the mridangam. Thus how the mridangam maker should understand what the artist is seeking sonically from the mridangam so that he can provide the artist wants thus making the kutchery a complete experience for the audience and the artists to have a divine experience.