The following is the welcome address delivered by Karaikudi S. Subramanian at Tradition Lives, a vina duet by Thenuga and Mathuriga Thevapalan, supported by mridangam maestro Vidwan Sri K. Arun Prakash, at The ARTery on 17 July 2026. It gives me great pleasure to introduce two young vina players, Thenuga and Mathuriga Thevapalan. Their performance this evening invites us to reflect together – as learners at different stages – on the meaning of tradition, its value and the manner in which it...

Singing or playing krti requires a heightened sensitivity to listening – both at macro and micro levels – to render them with precision. While a small number of individuals possess this sensitivity naturally, approaching what we often call “genius”, the same level of refined perception can be cultivated by any dedicated student through sincere and sustained practice. Reproducing a composition truthfully is not merely “copying”. It reflects a capacity to align with the inner flow of its...

Today marks the 95th birth anniversary of the one and only violin maestro, Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman, whose contribution to the world of...