A legacy that’s called lalgudi

By Anushree Madhavan

Violinist duo Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi and Lalgudi GJR Krishnan will be conferred the Indira Sivasailam Endowment Award this month.Vijayalakshmi is ecstatic and grateful because this is the first time that instrumentalists are being given this award

CHENNAI: She is known for her duets with her brother, and is as much a veteran in carnatic music as her sibling and father. Along with her brother Lalgudi GJR Krishnan, Vijayalakshmi is keeping the legacy of their father violin maestro Lalgudi G Jayaraman alive. They will be conferred with the Indira Sivasailam Endowment Award in the city on September 22. “I enjoy playing duets with my brother. For the past eight years, this award was given only to vocalists and this is the first time that instrumentalists are getting the award. It is a great honour,” she says. For now, Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi is in Dallas gearing up for a performance with the Dallas-based orchestra Raag Rythm. In a telephonic chat, she talks about growing under her father’s wing, her camaraderie with her brother, and performing with orchestras abroad. Excerpts follow.

You belong to an illustrious family.

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