Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda: Seven Notes of the Noted

Besides his vast experience in accompanying local and visiting artists for concerts across Australia, Kiran has also been involved in various cross-genre collaborations. The award-winning play Counting and Cracking by Belvoir St Theatre was first featured at Sydney Festival 2019. Kiran has since toured the UK and USA with this production, performing at the Edinburgh International Festival, The Birmingham Rep Theatre, and the Public Theater, New York including working with Belvoir Street Theatre Company 

Beyond the violin, Kranthi is also trained in Mridangam and Kanjira.

Let’s begin with your early years in Australia, and the challenges you faced as an artiste.

I arrived in Australia in 2008 as an overseas IT student from Hyderabad. Initially, breaking into the Indian Carnatic community and finding opportunities to play my violin, was quite challenging. However, joining organisations like Sydney Music Circle, and later Karpahavalli encouraged me – I was able to hone my skills and expand my network. I found the quality of musicians was/is much higher than in Hyderabad then. Of course, at the time there were also very few Carnatic violinists in Sydney. Over time, as I continued playing more concerts, I was invited to perform by many gurus and singers in Sydney and Melbourne, gradually I improved.  Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda

Tell us a bit about your musical background. 

My father, a flautist, loved South Indian arts and encouraged me and my sister to pursue music. I learnt the basics of the Carnatic violin from Dwaram Satyanarayana Rao, who belonged to the Vijayanagaram tradition in Hyderabad. It was chance meeting with a friend in Sydney, Sriram Panyam, who introduced me to MA Sundareswaran, acclaimed violinist of Parur bani style, as he believed that my skills aligned well with the Parur School of violin. I commenced learning online from Australia and learnt whenever opportunities arose during my visits to India over the years.

What has been your experience with learning music online?

Online training is feasible for advanced learners, as it focuses on theory and technique. However, it presents challenges when practicing in sync with other musicians due to lag in streaming. While it works for individual practice, ensemble training is difficult. For that, I had to sit down with local musicians to develop my ear and learn to accompany and complement them in their style and so on. Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda

How did you get involved with composing for theatre, specifically for Shaktidharan’s award-winning Belvoir St Theatre production Counting and Cracking?

I was introduced to theatre music through by the dance guru Anandavalli, in whose productions I had played. Her son Shaktidharan who wrote Counting and Cracking, sought Carnatic classical musicians to provide culturally appropriate music for the play. We collaborated with composer Stefan Gregory, who was new to Indian classical music. Initially, over two to three weeks, we held workshops, explaining ragas and classical techniques to Gregory so that he could familiarise himself to Carnatic / Tamizh culturally appropriate music. The music that was finally approved was after several samples were created. The music scored was ultimately a collaborative effort. However, the compositions remain at least about 70% improvised (Manodharma), which is also a true feature of our music.

Tell us more about the actual making of music for theatre shows, rehearsal schedules etc? 

Performing live required being highly attentive to the play’s flow. Since music had to compliment the dialogues without overlapping, we had to be precise with our timing. Though it was a new experience, it felt natural, as I was already used to accompanying storytelling through music for dance arangetrams and productions. Australian theatre had specific constraints, but overall, it was a valuable learning experience.

The first season involved three weeks of full-time rehearsals, which was challenging since I was also working full-time in IT. Subsequent seasons in the UK, the USA, Sydney and Melbourne required fewer rehearsals (about a week) since we were already familiar with the music and storyline. Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda

In a live show, responses from the audiences are really exhilarating. Edinburgh audiences were more reserved, whereas New York audiences were open and highly expressive, reacting enthusiastically to emotional moments. Their responsiveness was encouraging, and almost every show received a standing ovation.

Why do you think Carnatic violin has not gained popularity in the West?

Western violin techniques are highly structured, whereas Carnatic violin evolved with its own unique methods. It is challenging for Western violinists to adapt to Carnatic styles, as it requires a significant shift in technique. Conversely, a Carnatic violinist might find it easier to adapt to Western styles, as seen with musicians like L. Subramaniam.

Any upcoming performances you’d like to plug?

This December, I plan to perform concerts in Chennai and Hyderabad. Last year, I received grading at All India Radio, which is given only when a very high standard of playing is achieved. I might have the opportunity to play a concert there this year.

Read Also: Vijay Thillaimuthu’s sonic ‘Oblation’ to his ancestors