SEE Magazine
Issue #408: September 27, 2001
Copyright © 2001. All Rights Reserved

Music PREVIEW by Brian Golightly Pundit Hariprasad Chaurasia Sunday, Sept. 30 at Maclab Stage Citadel Theatre "I am not learning an instrument, I am learning music." Peace. If your tank is low and you don’t know when you’ll get a chance to fill up again, it might be a good idea to visit the Citadel Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 30. Indian bansuri legend Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia last graced our northern city with his flute playing about 10 years ago. Edmontonians are still getting good mileage from that experience, and now he’s coming back. Apparently there was never any doubt. When all air travel in the United States was halted and the American beginning to this tour was canceled as a result, this 62-year-old musician’s response was to head for the Middle East to play a spur of the moment concert. Ring-ring-ring… "No. He is not here now. He is playing in Dubai. Call back in two days." Dubai? There are people in Edmonton who were still under their beds on the 13th of September. I guess that takes care of the ‘Does he really mean it?’ question. "You see, this is not my business. This was my hobby when I started learning. Now it has become my religion." Until this century, the flute was known as a folk instrument in India, favoured mainly by shepherds. It was a popular instrument for film accompaniment and light music until it underwent a transformation at the hands of the legendary Pannalal Ghosh. Ghosh not only designed a larger flute that was more adaptable to the necessary range of classical music, but was responsible himself for performances that popularized it as a classical instrument. It is said that when Pandit Chaurasia listened to the recordings of Pannalal Ghosh as a young man, he was thereby inspired to study the flute. Apocrypha aside, Chaurasia has since gone on to become the next great name in the young lineage of the classical bansuri. Although Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia was born and trained to be professional wrestler like his father, he harboured a secret love for music. At the age of 14, having already studied some music without his family’s knowledge, he announced to them that it was his chosen path in life. "To make my father happy, that I was following his tradition, I also used to go for wrestling. [My father] was shocked. Not disappointed, but rather he was happy that I settled on the music field, and that I was doing something good there, so he was happy." It was an early chapter in an epic study of music that has never ended. In 1966, at the age of 28, Chaurasia began his studies with reclusive legend Shrimati Annapurna Devi (daughter to Ustad Allaudin Khan, sister to Ali Akbar Khan). This, after standing outside her door to no avail, and then being required by her to relearn his instrument left-handed as proof of his sincerity. To this day he plays left-handed, and his studies with Annapurna Devi continue. "People are shocked to know that I still go to learn music. I still feel myself to be a student, and I want to learn many things. It is so wonderful to be a student. You feel so good that a teacher is more to you than a parent. I am so lucky that she still teaches me and I still have the chance to learn from her." With a purity of tone and melody that has confounded as many critics in India as it has pleased (some call it ‘light’ music), Pandit Chaurasia continues to win devoted listeners everywhere with the open-hearted accessibility of his sound. Based as always in India, he maintains a far-ranging, busy touring schedule in North America, Europe and elsewhere. Asserting that music itself is his true home, he may continue at this pace for a long time, at home on any stage in the world. His performances are a simple, direct manifestation of his love of music and dedication to sharing it. "I like to pass on the message to people that music is a valuable thing in life. If you miss this thing, then you will always be having problems in your life, and suffering." Will he make it to Edmonton on the 30th? His answer is simple. "I have to be there."

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