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My fireside chat with Prince Rama Varma

“I like dissolving tension rather than creating tension” said Prince Rama Varma to my question on his perspective on a performer’s mindset.

I had the good opportunity to meet up and have an informal chat with Prince Rama Varma when he visited Boston last month (May, 2010). Prince Rama Varma is a direct descendant of the lineage of Raja Ravi Varma the renowned painter and Sri. Swathi Thirunal, a very well known carnatic composer. He is a Veena artist and a carnatic vocalist.

What I like about the Prince is that he is extremely friendly, simple and straightforward, quite the opposite of what one would imagine of a “Prince”.

You can read about him online and hear him perform on the youtube channels maintained by his fans, if you want to know him more intimately than as an artist on the stage or a prince, you must listen to my conversation with the Prince. It’s delightfully entertaining and engaging. Here is a short video (14 min)

and click here for the part 1 of my audio interview!. In the interview Prince Rama Varma gives his perspectives on how having goals help students to learn better, answers my question on what should the artist’s mindset be when performing. Should the artist sing for the audience or immerse him(her)self in singing.

Read Prince Rama Varma’s essays on his personal website, they are fun to read, he has a knack for drawing in the reader with amusing analogies and captivating writing flow.

PS/ (thanks to the hosts Lakshmikanth and Jeyanthi)