THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The youngest female music director in the Malayalam film industry is collaborating with one of the city’s most sought-after percussionists—to host a four-hour music workshop. Twenty two-year-old singer-composer, Gowry Lekshmi, and 27-year-old artiste, Vivian Varghese (of Vidwan), are conducting the ‘open-to-all aspiring vocalists/musicians’ session’ (regardless of the instrument they play or genre they sing) as an opportunity to hone skills.
“My focus will be on improving the ‘time and rhythm’ vocabulary. It involves exercises like learning rhythms from out-of-the-box genres (think world music) and to strengthen timing (with reference to working with metronomes),” explains Varghese, an alumnus of Chennai’s Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music.
Basics first
The duo hopes to concentrate on getting the fundamentals right. “From teaching how to expand one’s vocal range and jumping octaves while landing the right notes, to improving breathing techniques and identifying the right posture while singing—that’s my area of expertise,” shares Lekshmi, who is currently pursuing MA (Carnatic music) at Kerala University.
Facets like covers vs originals, song writing, reading sheet music, tips on getting bookings and equipment care will be discussed in the Q&A session. Besides regular gigs, both artistes have full schedules at the moment. “My new original track, Theeye, is being released as a music video this week and it will be closely followed by three more new tunes,” claims Lekshmi, while Varghese chimes in that he’s working on recording music for two yet-to-be-named experimental bands. At The Muse Room . On July 16.Rs 1,500. Details: 9539109000
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