Sound of music

As a cultural hub, Pune boasts of a great musical heritage and is home to several musicians. It also manages the juggle between newer sounds and Classical music.

Pandit Suhas Vyas is the son and disciple of Late Padmabhushan Pandit CR Vyas and is an established vocalist. He says that the Classical music scene has not changed much; it is the presentation that has changed over the years. "Nowadays, students want quick publicity but music requires practice and time.

To become a Classical stage singer, continuous practice for more than five years is needed. The Gurukul culture was the best way to learn Classical singing."

Vyas adds that in the olden days there were small groups who used to assemble to enjoy music. "There were less stage performances as there were no corporates involved in it. The scenario has changed in the last 30 years. Students want to learn music to get famous quickly. But I still have hopes that Classical music will never die as it has a strong base in itself. I miss the small group musical concerts that used to take place as we used to enjoy singing and the audience also used to enjoy hearing and participating in it," he states.

HV Mehendale and Sons is one of the oldest music shops in the city (135-years-old) and you can find all sorts of musical instruments, from the old ones to the new ones. Owner Dilip Mahendale points out that there is a huge demand for guitar, keyboards and harmonium in the city while the demand for Sarod and Sitar have reduced a lot.

"I feel that the younger generation is not very aware of instruments that they want to buy as well as they don't practice much," says Mahendale.

Anand Godse of Taal Inc., an organisation that conducts drum circles for various populations and uses music as a healing therapy, says, "Music takes the human mind to a higher level that cannot be achieved normally. Just 15 minutes of participation in a drum circle can help you unwind better than any other therapy. So, in our Drum Circle group, we invite people of all age groups to come and drum with us. On World Music Day we are planning a community drum circle in the city next week."
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