The first thing that strikes you about Aruna Sairam's performance is the unmistakable aura of divinity that her songs evoke. This seasoned musician's charming personality, on and off stage, instantly makes one feel comfortable in her presence. Having had a fantastic Margazhi season this year, Aruna is elated about the response she received for her performance during the season. "This time, I worked on a thematic concert on Orutti Maganay Pirandu..., which musically narrates all the events that happened from the time Lord Krishna was born till the time he was 5 to 7 years old. I also sang new pallavis, attempted pieces that I haven't sung in years, sang some from Brinda ma's repertoire and sang Muthuswami Diksthar's composition Hari Vadanaya in Raga Navroz, a raga one rarely attempts," she smiles.
And now, right on the heels of a hectic margazhi season, Aruna will be performing at the grand finale of the seventh edition of The Times Thyagaraja Awards, today.
She says, "My association with the Times Thyagaraja Awards goes back a long way. I have been following the activities of this event since the time they began and have even been invited as a judge for one of the seasons. I find the concept unique. And considering a media organisation is doing this, the importance of being a part of it is only bigger."
But Aruna says that she's proud of what today's youngsters are capable of. "I watch them perform and am quite aware of what's happening. They are the future of what music is going to be. So, I am constantly tracking their performances. One thing that they must remember is to keep a track of the number of performances that they do every year. If they are too few, they are not learning on the field. But if they perform too much, they are just burning out. They must know how to strike a balance and have an optimimum number of performances. For every singer, this number differs," she says.