'Youngsters like this music too'

Catch the first classical vocal performance of the Habba with Venkatesh Kumar, a renowned Hindustani classical singer performing today

Ever wondered what a real performer would be like? Well, we don't anymore, not after we met Venkatesh Kumar, a well-known name in Bangalore's music scene. Essentially a Hindutani vocal artist, Venkatesh is also well known for his proficiency in the art of the Vachanas.u00a0

"I prefer to come to a performance, look at my audience and then decide what to sing," says the performer who is a student of the Kirana and Gwalior gharana.u00a0 Venkatesh Kumar is also a teacher at the Karnataka College of Music, where he handles music lessons. This will be his second performance at the Habba and he says he's as excited as he was before his first performance. "I think this festival is ideal and it is a great platform for talented performers," Venkatesh says. "The organizers are supporting local Indian culture, art and various traditions and portraying them so well that even at an international level, the enthusiasm seems high," he adds.u00a0 We ask him if he sees a growing interest in these classical art forms and he replies saying, "we've come into a generation where it shouldn't surprise anyone to find a CD on Vachanas or classical music in any youngsters house." That about answers our question.

At: Ambedkar Bhavan
7 pm onwards