Classical guitarist N. Abhay was invited to pay homage to his master Mandolin Srinivas
Guitarist N. Abhay
One month after the demise of Mandolin Srinivas, a tribute show was organised in the city with a performance by young classical guitarist and a student of the legend, N. Abhay. “I could write books about the kind of person he was,” Abhay says about his guru. “While his persona on stage was that of perfection, off stage he was humble and human. It was like learning from a friend. The most important lesson he ever taught me was to learn music on my own.”
Based in Pune, Abhay travelled to Chennai for lessons with Srinivas that is why, being guided into learning music by him was of great importance. This kind of encouragement for independent pursuit and exploration showed in the tribute he planned for his master.
While the compositions for the show were traditional and the “most favourite” ragas of the Mandolin master, Abhay freely incorporated his “own artistic signature to them. Of course, the instrument is also different”.Having practised music since the age of five, Abhay first took to the keyboard. He was only 12, when his romance with the guitar started.
“So I wanted to transfer whatever I loved on to this instrument,” he says. His singer mother introduced him to the tradition of Carnatic music.
Abhay has collaborated with almost all the contemporaries of the day and is a name that figures often in World Music. “Fusion is the need of the hour,” he notes.
“While there are a lot of dogmatic people who may criticise the idea of world music, one needs to understand that there is no dilution of any tradition when you collaborate. The whole idea is to bring traditions in their characteristic form together.”
Next Story
