Brand musician

“The rigid disciplinarian approach to classical music is turning children away to popular music,though I have nothing against pop music. What I try and do is to empower little kids who lack the opportunity to experience and fall in love with classical music,” says the blue-eyed,dimpled and round-faced smiling musician,accompanied by an “ever-supporting” wife Ilana.

Rightly so,children at the Shelter Don Bosco couldn’t stop dancing and clapping,as the musician transforms the classical Turkish March by giving a story to the rhythmic patterns. He even invites kids to join him on stage for dance and games.

Brand,hailing from Tel Aviv,is a classical pianist and orchestra conductor by profession and has travelled to around nine countries in the past three years. In Mumbai between December 12 and 14,he performed for cancer-afflicted children at Tata Memorial Hospital,orphans of YMCA Andheri Boys Home and Shelter Don Bosco at Wadala and differently-abled children at SPJ Sadhana School.

The musician has been on a long trip this time,having travelled to Cameroon,Nigeria and Burma. Aware of his country’s global status,he chooses to maintain a safe distance from any political deliberations. “I only speak and understand the language of music; children are the best at reading this in one’s heart. They open up to you if they see that your intention is friendly.”

He feels classical music has made his life richer and his favourites include Bach and Mahler. He started studying piano and double bass while growing up in Beer Sheva in southern Israel. His fingers made their first contact with the black and white keys of an acoustic piano at the age of seven. His first big break came at 17,when American Jazz composer and pianist Chick Corea invited him to join him on stage at the Jerusalem International Convention Center,where he wowed the audience and Corea himself. “Corea was painting portraits of people from the audience through his piano. I went up to the stage and asked him if I could paint a picture of him with a melody. After the performance,he signed me a recommendation letter that I have not used till date.”

He had performed with the famous Army Entertainment Group of Israel during his Army days,and later studied conducting and composition at the Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv University. He has also been playing the electronic keyboard for the past few years,which he prefers while on tours.

India and the response he got here have just bowled him over. “I will return here sooner or later. Three days in a country like this is just not enough.”