The harp is one of the oldest stringed instruments in history. From the days of King David to variants across the world, including China and India, the harp has a special place. That is where Rahel Schweizer comes in. The young, talented Swiss harpist is in the city as part of the Bangalore School of Music’s 15th East West Music and Dance Encounter.
Rahel says contemporary classical music suits her best. “The classical music scene, especially in Europe, needs to be re-invented. All our traditions are old and if we don’t do something now, the classical music culture will die. We have to find new forms and ways to be constantly appealing. That requires us to go beyond concert halls and stages to play on the streets, get in touch with people and not restrict ourselves. Classical music needs a fresh image and we are collaborating with dancers and other artistes to bring in a fresh perspective.” She goes on to say that this is the place for classical music in global music. “With globalisation, people are connecting and cultures are merging, so we can’t stay traditional any longer. We need to reinvent to stay fresh and change to keep up with the rest of the world.”
Playing the harp since the age of eight, 24-year-old Rahel has been making waves in Europe’s music scene. When not performing concerts and touring, she teaches and works at her next favourite passion – musical theatre.
“I started with the piano before moving to the harp. I don’t know exactly how I got interested in the harp. I wasn’t one hundred per cent happy with the piano. There used to be a famous harp player in Switzerland whose CDs my parents used to listen to. So subconsciously, that music must have been in the back of my mind. The move to playing harp music was very organic. It seemed the most natural thing to do. However, it took me a year to convince my parents,” she says with a laugh.
She recalls that till the age of 17, she wasn’t planning to take up music professionally. “A lot of things interested me, including medicine. I think I would have studied medicine if it wasn’t for music. But music drew me and soon, it became clear that I could keep myself occupied with music forever.”
Describing her month-long stay in the city as exciting, she says, “It is amazing because I am very lucky to try out so many different things. I played concerts, I taught, I went on an excursion to Nandi Hills. I’m having a fantastic time.”
Talking about her music, Rahel says as long as her music has some effect on people, she is happy. “If they like it, nice; if they don’t like it, also nice. I rather have someone not like it than staying cold or appreciating falsely.” She adds that she hasn’t deviated from tradition. “I play a lot of classical music composed almost 200 years ago. But in Europe, I also do a lot of contemporary classical music, working with composers who are still alive or on pieces written 50 to 60 years ago.”
When asked what she thinks about playing an instrument so steeped in music history, Rahel shrugs and says she has never thought about that. “If you spend as much time as I have, on an instrument, it kind of becomes your own and part of your everyday life. It belongs to you so you don’t think so much about the history. It is interesting to read about it, but that is not so much in my mind.”
The harpist says she understands there are not a lot of harp players in India. “But I would encourage aspiring musicians to give it a try if they feel it in their heart. This may seem like advertising, but you should meet Meagan Pandian from Mumbai, whom I’m playing with. She is already paving the way for more harpists in India. It is extremely complicated to get more harps into the country. But the more people get interested, the more they will discover a passion for the instrument and the easier it will be for people to connect.”
