Maestro A.R. Rahman & Virtuoso Dr. L. Subramaniam Celebrate Life with a Special Intergenerational Music Tribute

The esteemed musicians, along with three generations of artists in their family, have come together to celebrate and honour legendary violinist Prof. V Lakshminarayana. The friendship between the Rahman and Subramaniam family goes back two generations.

Chennai, 19^th January 2023: Celebrated musicians A.R. Rahman and Dr. L. Subramaniam have joined hands to celebrate commonality and the gift of life virtually at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. The composer and violinist have rendered a musical tribute to violin legend Prof. V Lakshminarayana. This collaboration is symbolic of the friendship between their families which goes back two generations. The tale goes that Rahman’s father, composer, arranger and musician RK Sekar, and Subramaniam’s father, Prof. V Lakshminarayana, used to live on the same street in Mylapore, Chennai. The prodigious musical folks have been in artistic and goodwill communion since.

This special collaboration features Rahman and Subramaniam joined by the artists in their family. Centred around “Don’t Leave Me,” a song composed by Dr. L. Subramaniam, that Rahman grew up with, the music video comprises performances by Rahman’s children Khatija Rahman, Raheema Rahman, AR Ameen, and Subramaniam’s daughter Bindu Subramaniam and Subramaniam’s granddaughter Mahati Subramaniam, along with the musicians’ dear friend and illustrious percussionist Sivamani. This collaboration features a new rendition of Subramaniam’s composition “Don’t Leave Me” which has been rearranged by Rahman and Subramaniam.

About the rendition of “Don’t Leave Me,” A.R. Rahman says, “Here we are, three generations, virtually, at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival. The friendship between our two families goes back two generations, when my father, composer, arranger and musician RK Sekar, and Prof. V Lakshminarayana, who is responsible for making the Indian violin globally known, used to live in the same street in Mylapore, Chennai. In celebrating and honouring the violin virtuoso, Dr. L. Subramaniam’s father, Prof. V Lakshminarayana, our families have come together to perform a song I grew up with, ‘Don’t Leave Me’, composed by Dr. L.S. whose timeless instrumentation and compositions continue to enrich, inspire, and influence all generations. Joining Dr. Subramaniam and me, in performing my favourite track, are my children Khatija Rahman, Raheema Rahman, AR Ameen, and L. Subramaniam’s daughter Bindu Subramaniam and granddaughter Mahati Subramaniam, along with my dear friend and percussionist, Sivamani”.

Watch this beautiful tribute here:

Rahman adds, “Through this collaboration, we celebrate music and friendship, and hope that this tribute brings people together to not think about their differences but to see how we may all unite to create art and change”.

It opens with a spellbinding improvised composition by Rahman and Subramaniam who are joined by Sivamani as the trio render a delicate piano, violin and percussive intro. Combining the worlds of Indian and Western classical music, the instrumental tribute is a bridge between the past and the future, tradition and innovation, celebration and commemoration. It notably also features a spoken word performance by Bindu Subramaniam that’s dedicated to her grandfather, Prof. V Lakshminarayana and the divine.

About the collaboration, Dr. L. Subramaniam says, “It gives me immense pleasure and honour to collaborate with one of the greatest film composers and a visionary musician ARR. We have recorded a composition called ‘Don’t Leave Me’ which is dedicated to my father and guru Prof. V Lakshminarayana. This video has three generations performing together for the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival 2023. Thanks a lot to ARR for his magic touch”.

Supported by Harman and JBL, this collaboration between the musical families of Rahman and Subramaniam honours the art and legacy of Prof. V Lakshminarayana.