The Solo Tabla program is being organized by Parampara Ek Abhivyakti in Triveni Kala Sangam, Delhi on 9th December 2018. Tabla Maestro Mehul Sharma will present his presentation.
When we had a conversation with Mehul Sharma, see how he combined youth and classical music. There was a little bit of emotion, chemistry and lots of music when Tabla Maestro Mehul Sharma got onto the stage to celebrate the power of classical music at the hall.
What classical music for him is “Khudaa Ki Den”
Reporter : Tell us a little bit about yourself sir.
– I Mehul Sharma. I am from Mathura Uttar Pradesh but my Father is a music teacher in the Delhi School, so I grew up in Delhi. Since childhood, it has been a hobby of music that has caught music. Since dad is in music, so when I was five, I have been playing the tabla.
I have initially learned classical tabla from my father Mr Rajesh Kumar Sharma and later by Mr Rohit Poddarji. At age of 18, to refines the art, I started learning tabla under the guidance of famous tabla exponent of farukhabad gharana – GURU Devashish Adhikariji. Guru Devashish Adhikariji is a living Tabla legend who gained his knowledge of pure traditional Tabla by his guru Ustad Sabir Khan.
Reporter : Mehulji like you mentioned that classical music adds to hearts but in today’s pace the younger generation has left this music a lot behind. What do you look at from this?
– It is true that classical music is going down, but the reason is also we are. Today we see that the younger generation has abandoned their tradition and has been doing Western music more. The truth is that the real classical music is becoming extinct, but for today’s generation, a new word has come into the market, which is called fusion. It combines classical music with western music and a new music is presented, and it has started appealing to the younger generation to hear classical music.
Reporter : Is not it against our tradition to break the music?
– It is also right or not. Look, the right thing is that people are not interested in classical music, now they have changed through fusion.
And the other side is wrong on the other side, is our music so much disliked that we have to get the help of western music to woo young people? But the answer can not be given more than just this.
Reporter : Thanks Mehulji for giving us time.