Shruthi Rajasekar is an Indian-American composer and vocalist. Trained in the Carnatic (South Indian classical) and Western classical idioms, she creates music that explores intersections in cultural and musical identity. Composition honors include the 2018 Composers Guild of New Jersey Award, commissions from VocalEssence, and more than a dozen plays on Classical MPR. As a soprano and Carnatic vocalist, Shruthi has been recognized by the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and the internationally-televised Carnatic Music Idol USA. A disciple of her mother, veena player and vocalist Nirmala Rajasekar, Shruthi has been studying Carnatic music for the past sixteen years, specializing in vocal and theory studies. She has also received guidance from the late Shri B. Sitarama Sharma, veteran musicologist Dr. B.M. Sundaram, and mridangam vidwan Thanjavur Shri K. Murugaboopathi. A graduate of Princeton University, Shruthi is currently living and studying in the UK as a Marshall Scholar.

A conversation with Shruthi Rajasekar:

SPM: What inspired you to write "Raw Heart" and "Sangeetham"?

SR: The novel from which I excerpted the text of "Raw Heart" ("The Long-Shining Waters" by Danielle Sosin) is based on a place rather than a single plot, and it’s particularly special to me as a Minnesotan because it’s centered around Lake Superior (it’s also published by the outstanding Minnesotan press Milkweed Editions!). So, in creating a musical imagining of the nature described, I drew from personal experience with that landscape; I hope I’ve managed to do it justice. Within the novel, these particular words struck a chord (as it were!) for two reasons: it beautifully depicts a way of centering oneself and it evokes womxnhood as an extension of nature and the world around us. I love the line, "she encompasses everything"—it’s so powerful, and it describes all of the female role models in my life!

The message behind "Sangeetham" (which means "music" in Sanskrit)—that it takes vulnerability to be a singer, but that your vulnerability and openness is a source of strength—was something gifted to me by educators and mentors in my life, including my high school choir directors. I think it’s a lifelong lesson and one we can remind ourselves of at every stage of music-making. At the time that I wanted to write this piece, I was in India conducting musical research. It felt right to look to the Carnatic tradition for a text that embodied this message; I’m a practitioner of Carnatic music (a South Indian classical idiom) and not only has it taught me a lot about the duality of vulnerability and strength, but it is my "first" language of music. In my quest for a text, I had the opportunity to seek the advice of Dr. Bala Meenakshi Sundaram, one of India’s most eminent musicologists; I’ve been extremely blessed to have him as one of my mentors throughout my education. He, in turn, penned this text in a single inspired moment; that in and of itself must demonstrate the power of music!

SPM: What’s the one thing you’d like an audience member to take away after hearing these pieces?

SR: For "Raw Heart," I think I’d like the listener to consider how even the most humble of incidents, that of a woman breathing in and out, shows how She* "encompasses everything." (*capital She to reflect all of womxnhood and maybe even a divine being :) )

For "Sangeetham," I hope that the listener is invigorated and recharged by the power of conviction. In this piece, it’s encapsulated by the final line: "The shining truth is that the core of my being is music."

SPM: What excites you about being included in this concert?

SR: It’s fantastic to have a concert commemorating the landmark amendment. We can look back at this time and reflect on the progress we’ve since made. But we know that it took tremendous sacrifice by generations of womxn to finally reach the point where privileged individuals ceded some of their power. This is the kind of overhaul we currently have to effect, and it can be overwhelming—but tributes like this remind us of the equality that awaits on the other side.

I’m excited to be among such an outstanding roster of music creators. I think the range of the program exhibits that She truly "encompasses everything."

Website: shruthirajasekar.com

Photo: Alia Rose Photography.