SEMI PUBLIC SEMI CLASICAL CONCERT

Many innings have gone down for learning of Hindustani Classic music. Music tuition were quit like quitting cigarette smoking. Too many times quit to keep the count. Ultimately I did quit smoking in 2002. Similarly I quit the quitting of Music tuitions since 2006. Now I can say with confidence that cigarette smoking is thing of past and music learning is in thing.
Earlier intermittent tuitions are not entirely wasted. The notes became perfect and steady. Intermittent learning gave opportunity to learn different styles of different Gharanas. All of them left some impression. It helped to come to conclusion that one has to evolve his own style rather than keep repeating what is taught. That calls for certain visualization of patterns with notes and rhythm. Semi classical music was for lesser mortals earlier. No more. Now I appreciate fine versions of semi classical music. I have started learning both. I now understand the learning of music is much beyond tuitions. The tuitions tell you the grammar. The best and perfect grammar does not help you to write even few lines of your own. The vocabulary they say is not about the number of words you know but about number of words you can readily use. Same is the case with music tuitions. Music vocabulary does not come from how many compositions you have notation of, nut about how many compositions you can bring alive.
Of late I was getting impression that tuitions can’t take you beyond certain point. Further progress has to come from performance rather than practice. The tuitions and practice are absolutely essential but not at all limited to. The performance is also a learning process essential for the growth.
One such performance was presented on Sat. 20th March as part of Ram Navartri. The place was where my wife came to spend her childhood days. Kharkar Wada, Kharkar Ali, Thane. The old wada has given way to new residential building but the tradition of 100 + years is still maintained by my in laws i.e. Kharkars. One of the earliest families settled in Thane.
Looking at the nature of occasion the items chosen were all devotional. The Classical Raga was not exception as the composition was chanting of Ramnaam. The further songs were all devotional ones but rendered as pure raga form. It was neither conventional devotion songs in conventional way. It was presented in one or other ragas and at times mixed. No chorus. Played with accompaniment of Harmonium ( Prakash Chitnis) and Tabla ( Milind Naik).The program was thus a semi classical and semi public one. Few concerts of this nature were performed by me earlier also but today’s performance must have been better judging by the respectable applause coming from rather thin crowd of relatives and friend. It has definitely increased my moral. Thanks to the in law organizers, relatives and friends for the support. The applause given by you is elixir for future.
Arvind Khare
Khare_am@yahoo.com
9820701210