Inside-Out/Lyon Leifer

There is no substitute for the Indian audience, says Lyon LeiferWho is he?A professional Chicago-based flautist, Lyon Leifer has been per...

There is no substitute for the Indian audience, says Lyon Leifer

Who is he?

A professional Chicago-based flautist, Lyon Leifer has been performing for over three decades now. Not limiting just to playing the flute, he also teaches bansuri to college and university students of Chicago.

What is he doing in Mumbai?

quot;I am here to give a few concerts. But, primarily, I came to visit my Guruji Pt Devendra Murdeshwar, the son-in-law of flute maestro Pannalal Ghosh. I will be performing in the musical organised by his cultural wing, Saptarang, to celebrate the maestro8217;s 89th birth anniversary.quot;

What made him take to bansuri?

quot;In 1965, I came to India on a nine-month scholarship, but ended up staying here for five years, learning to play the bansuri and raga sangeet. I8217;m proud to be associated with the trend of Pannalal Ghosh8217;s flute-playing.quot;

From a trained Western musician to Indian raga, the experience must have been unique?

quot;The basicnotes in both are the same. But the form is quite different8230;quot;

Did the knowledge of both disciplines tempt him to try fusion?

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quot;I did write and play a few. But the kind of satisfaction one gets in playing the two in its original forms is not there in fusion. Once you start mixing them up, you compromise with the beauty of it somewhere.quot;

What about the audiences here?

quot;I8217;m really happy to play for the Indian audience. There8217;s no substitute for it. While you do need a disciplined audience, there are times, in the West, when the stillness and quietness can be very unnerving. Whereas here, you get the occasional appreciative quot;waahsquot;, and I know I8217;m doing something good.quot;

So what makes a musician like him look out for a publisher?

Leifer has already published a book titled How to play the Bansuri8216;. It8217;s a manual for self-instruction, based on the teachings of Devendra Murdeshwar. quot;The book has done very well in the US.quot; And now he has plans of launching an Indian edition.The book which comes with an audio cassette, includes sections on quot;why should you learn the bansuriquot;, besides the usual quot;what is bansuri?quot;, quot;what is raga?quot; and other details on the raga form.8217;

But right now he is excited about something else.

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His performance in Saptarang8217;s musical where he is giving a duet recital with Anand Murdeshwar. quot;It is going to be really good.quot; Besides he has a musical tour in next millennium with his students in the offing.

At Sangeet Mahabharati, A/6, 10th Road, Vile Parle W. On July 31. Time: 6.30 pm.

At Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre, Dadar. On August 8. Time: 4.30 pm.

For details, contact: 6206106/7283.