The Stirring Music of Srivani Jade

Thanks to Icicle Creek’s Visiting Artist Series, highly acclaimed Indian vocalist and composer Srivani Jade shared her music and its cultural roots with 200 students from four schools in addition to giving a concert at Canyon Wren recital hall.

Before she even spoke at the school performances, Srivani introduced the sound of the tanpura, an instrument with four strings that are brushed lightly and create a harmonic “sound curtain” (as opposed to melody or rhythm), essential for her style of classical and sacred music. Srivani explained that the strings vibrate in sympathetic resonance, which can also be felt in the bodies of anyone in earshot.

What Srivani shared was quite new to most of the students. She got them involved by singing the notes of a scale and then adding patterns for them to repeat. Then she demonstrated her vocal agility with rapid vibrato arpeggios at a rate of over 220 beats per minute, which impressed the high school band and choir students.

Srivani encouraged students to explore and learn different musical styles or instruments. From her experience of speaking five languages, she said, “Once you learn two languages, or two types of music or two instruments, then the third or fourth one comes much easier.”

She always enjoys combining school visits with concerts because it’s a chance to bring the music to students who might not otherwise have access. “My heart was filled visiting with middle school and high school students and sharing the music of India, which is like sharing the music from anywhere in the world as there are universal qualities to music that go beyond language,” Srivani said.

When she performed in Canyon Wren for community members, listeners were moved by the feeling of each piece without understanding the words. At times, delight or longing were made apparent by her singing and the contributions of her fellow musicians on the tanpura, tabla (a two-sided drum), and harmonium. They sat in a semi-circle around Srivani, who shared visual cues with them so they could weave improvisational musical choices seamlessly into a fresh take on a beloved song.

Describing her concert, Srivani said, “I was in my element performing to the gorgeous backdrop of Sleeping Lady, and to a very receptive audience. Some of them were listening to live Indian classical music for the first time, and said they were deeply touched by the performance. The acoustics of Canyon Wren are so naturally amenable to a chamber recital like ours, we felt ‘at home’ with our music.”

Students and patrons alike gained understanding and a connection to a rich musical tradition, and this exemplifies Icicle Creek’s mission of supporting and showcasing an array of world-class arts.

Written by Marlene Farrell

Learn more about the Icicle Creek Visiting Artist Series here!