Strings attached

“The performances by our students,who played both Indian classical and Western classical pieces at the Convention,were much appreciated and they even received a standing ovation,” informs Rama Chobhe. “The convention is held after every two-and-a-half years; the last time,it was held in Italy. This year,after sending a DVD of our students’ performance for the audition,they were shortlisted and 20 of them were invited to perform in Melbourne,” she adds. While the tutorials for students were held at Melbourne’s Scotch College,the concert took place at the Melbourne Convention Centre. The students performed for about 10 minutes each on both Hindustani classical and Western classical music. While the Western classical performance included works of Paganini (Theme from the Witch’s Dance),Seitz (Concerto),Vivaldi and Bach,Hindustani music included Ragas Kalavati,Shivaranjani,Dadra,some bhajans and patriotic songs.

“The Suzuki Method,which is what I employ to teach my students,is very effective and based on the Mother Tongue Approach,” says Chobhe. “It basically stresses the fact that every child can learn music,just as well as a mother tongue,” she adds.

The students who performed were Ninad Kulkarni,Tanushree Rathi,Hrishikesh Galande,Shalmali Shirodkar,Aditya Jakatdar,Shardul Bapat,Pranav Bastwade,Arundhati Bhide,Tanya and Rohan Gupta,Tanmay and Chinmay Choubey,Aparajita De,Mrugakshi Palwe,Rohit and Revathi Jadhav,Anuj and Anant Shaha.