Young musicians keep classical tradition alive

All of 25,Ustad Fareed Hasan joins in. Also here for a performance at the Sabha,Ustad Hasan comes from the renowned Dilli Gharana,from a lineage that gave the world Taan Samrat Ustad Naeer Ahmed Khan,sarangi maestro Ustad Mohammad Ahmed Banney Khan and Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan. But like Nath,Ustad Hasan is at home.

They are the torch-bearers of their generation,children who will carry forward the age-old parampara (tradition),yet the two seem to be confident and at peace.

A student of Pandit Jasraj of the Mewati Gharana,Nath is currently pursuing commerce and dreams of becoming an IAS officer.

“Because I want to do something for music at a national level,increase awareness about culture,take it to the masses and what better than civil services,” says a focused Nath for whom Shehnai has been a source of inspiration and concentration. “Its daily riyaaz helps me relax,think clearly and focus. It’s like yoga,meditation for me,” says Nath.

While their elders sat in baithaks and practiced and sang for hours,Nath and Ustad Hasan have adopted the ways of the new world and are happily using the tools of technology to further their riyaaz and gyan.

If Nath is busy lending an earful to renditions of Ustad Bismillah Khan and Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on the internet,then Ustad Hasan,a self-confessed research junkie has traced concerts as old as 1906 on the net and learnt from great maestros.

“One can listen to all the gurus,follow them,learn from these recordings. I strongly feel that the internet and television have revolutionised the way we tune in to music. It’s taken music to the masses,even classical and they do understand,” says Ustad Hasan,who was also a contestant on 2010’s Zee’s Saregama.

They stay connected to musicians and fans through social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube,where they are constantly interacting,downloading and playing music.