When music seeps
into the hearts of rasikas without themselves perceiving it,
then it can be said to have served its ethereal purpose. For
sangita’s tranquil delights lie hidden in the depths
of the heart, waiting to be activated by a sensitive artiste
like Bombay Jayashri Ramnath. Her sensitivity is rooted in
tenderness, stimulating music and music, in turn, lending
itself to contemplation. …states a renowned critic in
The Hindu.
Born into a family of musicians with rich lineage and
steeped in pedigree music, Bombay Jayashri Ramnath represents
the fourth generation of music practitioners in her family.
Jayashri has been groomed under the guidance of the legend
Shri Lalgudi G Jayaraman and Smt T R Balamani. Jayashri, today
not only bears the torch of the Lalgudi tradition, but has
also evolved a distinct style of her own.
With a career extending over two decades, Jayashri is today
among the most sought after Carnatic musicians. The myriad
aficionados, spanning generations, that throng her concerts
would bear ample testimony to this.
Her work has won her the acclaim of prestigious institutions
in the form of prestigious awards such as the Sangeetha
Choodamani and Nadabhooshanam.
Jayashri’s repertoire of meditative music and rare
poetry are best experienced through her compositions in
her albums. She has also composed music for dance ballets
and documentaries. In this manner, Jayashri has deployed
the essence of the classical idiom most effectively in her
search for avenues beyond the concert format. More recently
she has harnessed her skills towards composing music as
a powerful catalyst in promoting our rich legacy in literature
and other art forms which opens up new vistas for exploring
her creative instincts. Her recent composition for the operatic
ballet based on the Tamil Epic - 'Silapadhikaaram' is an
example of this.
In her voyage as a cultural ambassador of India’ s
rich heritage, Jayashri has performed extensively in India
and abroad in the most prestigious fora, drawing critical
acclaim wherever she performed. Jayashri has the rare privilege
of being the first Carnatic classical performer in the Opera
House in Durban and the Russian Opera House in Helsinki,
Finland.
To say that her music is global would indeed be a truism.
Her training in Hindustani Classical system has further
helped her in this musical odyssey. Her researches into
music are unending, and besides her musical performances,
she continues to deliver workshops all over the world on
the subject of World Music. Her contribution and involvement
with schools where she has conducted workshops and interactive
sessions to kindle interest amongst school children into
our rich tradition of music is her way of giving back something
of what she has gained. Her very limited foray into film
music has won her the Flimfare award for the popular 'Vaseegara'
that has drawn a new class of listeners into the world of
classical music.
Jayashri represents the model emerging new generation musician
India is proud of. A skillful blend of uncompromising adherence
to the core tradition of classical carnatic music as well
as a ceaseless quest for quality music in any form would
best personify Jayashri.