Beginner’s Notes

He doesn’t head bang to heavy metal like his friends. Rather,17-year-old classical guitarist Shashwat Silas is more interested in following music legends like Domenico Scarllati,and Ferdinando Carulli. Having trained for three years under the Sahitya Kala Parishad,the musical prodigy had his first recital at the Indian Habitat Center on Sunday.

“I’m a very boring person,” he says. “What ever time I get,I spend playing my guitar. I’m almost religious about it. The mathematics of classical music attracts me,and if I can study the chord progression or the math behind a piece,I’m happy. I don’t spend anything less than two hours practicing everyday,” says the teenager.

His concert saw an interesting assortment of western classical and baroque composers,including Brazilian composer Hertor Villa-Lobos and Spanish Catalan pianist Issac Albeniz. Playing with consummate skill — whether it was Roland Dyens’ satirical take on tango,Tango en Skai,or variations on Mozart’s The Magic Flute — Silas also added a personal touch to each piece.