‘I have a god-given opportunity to experiment’

Appreciation of art should come from the heart. It is time to educate audiences on how to appreciate an artiste’s performance, said Pt Shivkumar Sharma on Friday. A live interview with the world renowned Santoor maestro was conducted at ‘Antarang’, a programme being held under the Sawai Gandharva music festival at the Sawai Gandharva memorial in Shivajinagar. Mangesh Waghmare interviewed him.

When he performed in Pune at a management college two months ago, he asked the students to close their eyes while he played an aalap. “Nearly, 800 students obliged. I told them that as soon as you close your eyes, you would start thinking about your day’s schedule. But focus on the music, no matter even if you don’t understand the raag. Just listen to it,” he said.

“I have tried this method during a performance at IIT-Delhi. People define a successful performance by the loudness of applause. But I believe when the audience say ‘Waah, kya baat hai’, it comes directly from their heart. It means the artiste and the audience have reached the same level of experience,” he said, but warned, “Music creates positive vibrations. However, clapping may disturb an artiste.”

Asked whether he plays a raag demanded by the audience or chooses his own, he said, “I respect them, but believe that the artiste should play a raag that s/he is comfortable with. That can take the audience to another level.” On film and classical music, Sharma said, “I believe both types of music require different temperaments and experiences as their pitch and tone is different.”

When asked about fusion music as the latest trend, the maestro said, “God has given me an opportunity to experiment in music. Experiments should be there, but any type of music should have melody, rhythm and feelings, which I believe is good music. There is vast scope for experimentation.”

On his success, he said, “I firmly believe that god chose me as a medium to do some work in music. I’m no great person, but ‘He’ gave me everything. Self-confidence and focus on the goal are extremely important for one to be successful in life.”

Sharma started learning the Tabla at 5 and had gained mastery over it. But at age 12, his father handed over the Santoor to him and said, “One day, your name would be synonymous with this instrument.” His father, who was the incharge of All India Radio station, Jammu, wanted his son to play the instrument.

“The Santoor was not used in folk art in the Valley, but was an interlude. I was criticised that it was not as melodious as the Sarod or the Sitar, and it could not be played solo. I took up the challenge and modified the instrument. The original one had steel notes on the right and brass notes on the left. I mended it and fixed steel notes on both the sides. This helped me to get both the octaves. I could play all raagas, yet accompany a singer,” he said.

“I came to Mumbai on June 1, 1960, with the Santoor and Rs500. I refused offers to become a music director and a film hero,” he said. He has scored music for Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje, Silsila, Lamhe, Chandani, Darr, Kaajal, Hum Dono and numerous other films, along with flautist, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia.