BENGALURU: From the disciplined elegance of Western classical to the intricate melodies of South Indian Carnatic music and the spontaneous flow of jazz, the violin finds itself at home in many worlds. And as one sees violinists and couple Trina Basu and Arun Ramamurthy perform, it is almost surreal to experience the versatility, the free-flowing notes which not only create a global symphony but mark a poetic conversation that transcends borders.
During their recent performance of their debut album Nakshatra in the city, the New York-based violinists share their ties to India and the South. Ramamurthy’s journey began in New Jersey, where he was born to Indian immigrant parents. His father is from Bengaluru, while his mother grew up in Andhra Pradesh. They immigrated to the US in 1970 and Ramamurthy grew up studying both Western classical violin and Carnatic music in New Jersey. His studies, focusing on Carnatic music, brought him to India, where he trained under renowned Carnatic musicians in Chennai and Mysuru.
Basu, originally from Miami, Florida, began her musical journey in the realm of Western classical music, but her Indian heritage subtly influenced her path. “My father is Bengali, from Kolkata, so we would travel to India every few years to visit my family. Indian music was an influence in my life, but I didn’t really start getting into it and studying it until my early 20s,” she shares.
Together, Basu and Ramamurthy have spent over a decade developing their style. “Our music blends many things,” says Ramamurthy. The debut album is a reflection of their life experiences and their shared musical journey. The name, which means ‘star’ or ‘constellation’ in Sanskrit, symbolises the alignment of different musical traditions. “We started composing music for this debut album, which was released in 2023, after working on it for over seven years. It’s music that reflects different aspects of our lives. We have a song called Migration, which honours our families’ journeys as immigrants coming from India to the US,” says Basu.
Not only their heritage, but the couple has also composed pieces to honour the Black Lives Matter movement. Healer, originally titled For Elijah, is a tribute to Elijah McClain, a young African American violinist who lost his life to police brutality. “This has been a long-standing issue in the US, but it gained more attention after George Floyd’s death, who also suffered the same fate. Elijah McClain was a violinist, and as we learned more about him, we realised how peaceful, loving, and quiet he was. His story deeply touched us, so we wrote a song in tribute to him,” says Ramamurthy.
Basu and Ramamurthy’s approach to music is not merely about blending genres but creating a dialogue between them. “What we’re trying to do with our music is transcend the boundaries of genre – not just mashing styles together but going into dialogue and having deep conversations within these styles,” explains Basu. “We want to find ways to develop new language and sounds that are representative of who we are as individuals, which encompasses our identity as first-generation or second-generation Indian-Americans,” she adds.
Following Nakshatra, Basu and Ramamurthy are already working on their second album, which will focus on their relationship with nature. Inspired by the environmental changes, they hope to address the impact of climate change through their music. This project promises to be as introspective as Nakshatra, continuing their exploration of themes that resonate on both personal and universal levels.