Have you ever wondered how some of the current generation musical stalwarts were in their childhood? Would you like your children to learn of what these musicians were as children? Perhaps, your child may find something hidden in their experiences? And Oh! Is there a way to make this a fun experience?!! The answers for all of these and many more were realised brilliantly during the concert – ‘Strings Attached’, held by Bhoomija at the MLR Convention Centre last week. Conceptualised by the gifted Jayanthi Kumaresh and Kumaresh, the concert explored the childhood experiences of four talented and highly regarded percussionists of the current generation – Ghatam Giridhar Udupa, Pramath Kiran, Jayanthi Kumaresh and Kumaresh. Their stories were narrated by Virginia Rodrigues. But the real stars of the entire show were the children in the audience. Their wide-eyed wonder, uninhibited responses and cheer was the hallmark of the event. Virginia was at her emotive best while narrating anecdotal incidents from the childhood of these musicians – animated in her expressions and voice modulation, to capture the attention of the young audience. Her efforts did indeed bear fruit. If the grownups may have found it amusing, it would not quite matter. The show was for the children and rightfully so!
The evening began with Ghatam Giridhar Udupa’s mischievous days. Though Ghatam became his eventual partner, his association with music began with mridangam; smarting under his father’s strict tutelage, hiding from him and stealing away moments to play, Giridhar Udupa was chiselled by his father as a musician. The young boy was introduced to the public during a Ramanavami concert, with the ghatam and not the mridangam. A secret that was divulged was Giridhar’s sweet tooth, which revealed itself in the form of a chocolate bar hidden in the depths of the ghatam! So the ghatam also served as an accomplice for his sweet escapades!
Jayanthi’s story was one of sheer grit and determination! Hailing from a family of renowned violinists, she lost her heart to the veena. Trained by her aunt, Jayanthi had a gruelling schedule to keep up with which paid off when her very first public concert won rave reviews from everyone. Life was a full circle, when she got married to Kumaresh, a violinist! For Kumaresh, more than music, it was cricket that caught his imagination. Watching Gavaskar play, he was enamoured by the rhythm that he felt Gavaskar had with the ball; a rhythm that he too recognised himself with, albeit with the violin. However, it was his father who finally took a call and ensured that little Kumaresh would stick to the violin.
Before one could conclude that it is only those who came from a musical family who could make a mark in this field, the story of Pramath Kiran balanced the scale. Though he came from a family of non-musicians, he received a very important lesson and a wonderful gift from his father. While handing him his first morsing, his father told him that music did not depend on the size of the instrument! The best music could also come from the most inconspicuous items! Morsing catapulted Pramath onto the world stage as he won a world tour competition. He went on to master the drums, rhythm pad, and even the tabla, but Morsing remains his eternal friend.
Apart from anecdotes from childhood, the narration also packed interesting facts about various musical instruments too. Interspersed between the narratives was the musical treat which enthralled the audience – child and adult alike. Without overbearing on scholarly renditions and yet leaving a mark, the ragamalikas , Pantuvarali in seven beats and more followed deftly from the strings of the veena and violin. They were matched deftly by the virtuoso Giridhar and Pramath. The tani avartana was composed with extensive care to ensure that due justice was done to every performer on the stage. Jayanthi Kumaresh’s rendition stood out for the evening. When Pramath took to morsing, the peals of laughter that broke out from the youngsters made one wonder which was more musical!
Music as an art has caught the imagination of many young minds in India. Bhoomija’s efforts to make these children realise the importance of rigorous and disciplined practise, dedication and commitment to learning music through the “Strings attached” concert was definitely a success. There could not be a better testimony than that of a kid sitting adjacent who turned to his mom and remarked excitedly towards the end, “Amma! I want to learn the veena!”
