For a lot of musicians, performance is the crux of their career. But when it comes to artistes like American cellist Avery Waite, sharing musical knowledge is as important as performing.
The performer, conductor and international music education advocate has performed and taught at music programs around the world.
On his maiden visit to Bengaluru to collaborate with The Bangalore School of Music, in hosting a week-long orchestral development workshop for students of violin, cello and other string instruments, the artiste takes time off to talk about his experiences.
“I’ve enjoyed my stay in Bengaluru so far. I’m excited working with the students at the school and I feel at home. I’ve lived in Delhi for seven months. But this is my first visit to South India and it is a very positive experience.”
Living in India, at first, was complicated for Avery. “It took me some time to get adjusted. But once you get all of that out of the way, it is an incredible place to live. I thoroughly enjoy being here.”
On his discovery of Indian music, Avery says when he moved here, he had a guru since he was learning Hindustani Classical music. “It is amazing to discover another classical form as complicated as Western Classical music, but complicated in a very different way. So that was a joy and a challenge. I’ve enjoyed seeing live concerts back in the United States. But they were rare. In Delhi, there are so many amazing concerts on an everyday basis. I get to listen to incredible A-list Hindustani Classical artistes, all for free! That has been a treat and a deep insight into the Indian Classical world.”
He adds: “Obviously, attempting to work on Indian music has transformed my understanding of Western music, especially when it comes to the rhythmic aspects, techniques and styles.”
When people listen to him play, Avery hopes they feel a connection. “I think every performer is looking for a connection in every performance with the audience. Sometimes it feels like there is a big distance between the stage and the audience. So it is up to the performer to reach across and connect. That is the biggest thing I try to do when I perform.”
He points out that art is a way of expressing feelings and through music, he express best. “It is also a way to release certain emotions that I otherwise can’t express. Even without words, people can understand what you are trying to get across.”
Looking back, Avery recalls “I’ve been playing for over 20 years since I was a little kid. I grew up in a musical household, so we took music very seriously. Now, after you spend that long a time with it, it is hard to imagine life without music.” He adds that for music, you need a lot of support along the way. “You need the family, teachers and the community – all encouraging you because it is not an easy life. Being a musician or an artiste, there are a lot of times you feel like it is so much easier to be a doctor or lawyer with a regular 9 to 5 job. There are a lot of challenges.”
On his journey so far, Avery says it started out being mainly about his own progress and instrument for many years. “I spent many hours working on my playing abilities. Once I became comfortable with my music, it became a quest to reach out to students and the community. It is a journey from honing my art to sharing it.”
Avery hopes his music continues to take him to exciting and beautiful places like Bengaluru. “I love exploring new places and music is an incredible bridge to arrive somewhere, automatically make friends and connect with people.” To students he meets, he has a simple message: “Keep practising and work hard. Believe in yourself and music as a profession. I know there is lot of pressure in India to pursue other careers but music is a legitimate professional career. It is a good time to be a musician in India. There is a lot of musical development and support across the country.”
