be constantly connected with the things going on around us , socially , culturally , helps in keeping our music relevant . I believe if your intent is genuine , there is definitely an audience out there who will connect with you . You just have to find your space , without giving up , without feeling forced to ‘ compete ’, or ‘ run the race ’. I think there is space for every idea .
Name 3 of your most favourite ragas to play
Haha , no favourites as such , it ’ s more about finding the space when we sit down to play , and if we find it , then its a nice bliss playing , no matter what we ’ re playing :)
What techniques of the instrument do you still think you can master ?
All of them ! I don ’ t think there ’ s any area where I can honestly say I ’ ve nailed it . Every time I sit down to practise , I can see things in my playing , that range from annoying to embarrassing , where it ’ s like ‘ god , I need to better this so much more ’.
What challenges do you face as an instrumentalist in the country ?
Well , every area has its own challenges , whether it is being a musician itself , being a classical musician , an independent musician , or an instrumentalist . That said , it is true , that there is a definite skew in both the production and consumption of music , in favour of vocal music , or music with lyrics . But as said earlier , I do believe that if your intent in exploring music is genuine , and you have a clear vision of what kind of music you want to make , how you ’ d like to develop your body of work , there is definitely an audience that will connect with you . And in the times of social media now , it is also easier to connect with that audience directly , and try find your space and ‘ your people ’ :) Art is all about connection , and once the connection is made , the music takes over and bias or hierarchy will automatically cease to have that much power . You just have to have the vision and grit to stay true to what you want to do , and do it in all sincerity .
If you could collaborate with an artist for an album or single , who would it be and why ?
That list would be absolutely endless :)
Upcoming projects
I ’ m super excited about my debut independent album , Songs from the Blue Room ! This will be a violin-centric indie album , comprising 5 songs that are freestyle , but have an undercurrent of Indian classical music , since that ’ s where my roots are . The album is arranged and produced by multi percussionist and music producer Praveen Sparsh . The music is fully finished , and the release should hopefully happen later this year !
The Score Magazine
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