Carnatic vocalist Varijashree Venugopal's musical outing in France

The Hindu

6 days ago

Carnatic vocalist, Varijashree Venugopal, recently wrapped up a tour of France, where she performed at some of the country's most celebrated music festivals, in collaboration with EYM Trio — a French jazz group, featuring Elie Dufour, Marc Michel and Yann Phaphet.
This summer tour marked another milestone in Varijashree's long-standing collaboration with EYM, which is into exploring new musical territories, blending Jazz and Indian classical music.
'France has a great audience for Jazz and world music, and we enjoyed playing at various venues,' says Varijashree. 'Our music is a blend of jazz compositional elements and Indian singing. With EYM, I find myself exploring the relationship between ragas and jazz harmonies with interesting compositional structures.'
What began as an unexpected invitation, turned into a strong musical bond. 'The trio reached out to me six years ago to fill in for a singer. I still remember our first concert in Vienna in 2019. Our connection was immediate and we have continued to perform together since. Our collaboration even led to our album Bangalore, released in 2023.'
The EYM Trio and Varijashree share a mutual admiration for each other's work. 'We explore each other's styles, find a meeting point and allow space for individual expression.' She adds, 'As a student of Carnatic music, I've always been fascinated by the Western harmony. For jazz musicians, Indian ragas offer something new and exciting to discover. Learning from each other has been fundamental in this journey'
Lyon opera experience
One of the highlights of her tour was performing at the Lyon Outdoor Opera (Peristyle), curated by the Opera House, for the city's residents. 'Playing in a half-indoor, half-outdoor setting, right in front of the Opera House in the heart of Lyon, added a vibrant energy to the experience,' she shares. 'The hustle and bustle of the city added a spark to the vibe. We played two sets for two consecutive nights, ' says Varijashree. 'It gave us a chance to perform most of our songs, including new ones that might soon become part of a new album.'
Having performed in France several times in the past few years, Varijashree says, 'People are always open and appreciative. Their response makes me proud to represent the rich tradition of Indian music and carry it with me wherever I go.'
Varijashree was also a part of Mahabharata, a project by Riccardo Nova in Italy. This European contemporary classical production blends rhythms, Sanskrit lyrics and storytelling. 'Working with the EYM Trio has opened up new ways of music-making for me, and that reflects in projectslike Mahabharata,' she says. 'Every project has its own feel. Moving between them takes focus and emotional involvement. But being part of such different worlds has helped me grow as an artiste,' she adds.
Musical roots
Varijshree's global experiences are extensions of her musical grounding. Daughter of Bengaluru-based flautist H.S. Venugopal and Carnatic vocalist Rama Venugopal, Varijashree credits her parents for her early initiation into music. 'Music was always part of our household. I was exposed to it constantly, either by attending concerts or simply sitting through my father's lessons with his students. ,' she shares.
She had her formal training under her parents, and later, trained under H. Geetha and Salem Sundaresan. From Hindustani and light classical to Sugama Sangeeta, devotional songs, ghazals and fusion Varijashree — she was exposed to all forms of music.
'As a child, I used to notate everything I heard using Indian notation, always trying to incorporate those elements into my singing. I still do that,' she says. 'Most of my compositions are now voice-trumental, tunes without lyrics. The Indian sargam (the seven notes) remains my anchor.'
For Varijashree, music has always been about emotional expressions. While technique is important, she believes, it is the feeling that lingers. 'Everything I create must lead to that emotional impact and the story the artiste wants to tell. That magical moment for me is when the artiste and audience connect. What I try to explore with my music and voice goes beyond genres and cultures. It is an expression of who I am.'