Features
The People's Symphony
Few Indian composers have ventured into the symphonic tradition. With 'New Beginnings', Lydian Nadhaswaram enters that lineage. Vishwas Gaitonde examines the work, its origins and the vision behind its creation.
Vishwas Gaitonde
Vishwas Gaitonde is the author of the prize-winning story collection ‘On Earth As It Is In Heaven’ (Orison Books, USA), and writes fiction & non-fiction on a variety of topics.
Music of India
Jaya Hé! The Story of India’s National Anthem
Writers whose compositions become the national anthem of their country surely regard this as a supreme honour. But what if you are the author of the national anthems of two sovereign independent nations? Rabindranath Tagore, poet, musician, writer, artist and polymath who remodelled Bengali literature and music, was such a
Music Education
The harmonium was born in Europe – so how did it become synonymous with Indian music?
This is the story of a musical instrument that was birthed, died, and was reborn in the 230 or so years of its existence. The harmonium was conceived in the West, but today largely resides in the East, particularly in the Indian subcontinent; so much so that many mistakenly think
Features
Bringing in the Sheaves: The Samuels of Chennai
You sing like angels. Yes, you do. Why don’t you record your songs professionally? Twenty-five year old Joel Samuel and his twin brothers, Johan Paul Samuel and Jowin Sam Timothy Samuel (22), heard such comments with increasing regularity. The brothers, residents of Chennai, India, had been making home
Features
There Will Always Be Stars in the Sky: The Life and Legacy of Lata Mangeshkar
It was through my mother’s voice that I discovered Lata Mangeshkar’s. My mother would often sing or hum to herself as she went about her household chores. I, a toddler and then a boy, listened with pleasure. To me, these were my mother’s songs. She then told
Know Your Composer
ODE TO BEETHOVEN: PART II
A tribute on Beethoven’s 250th birth anniversary “Whoever gets to know and understand my music, will be freed from all the misery the world has to offer.” – Ludwig van Beethoven What caused Beethoven’s deafness? Unfortunately, his autopsy report was destroyed. Notes made by Dr. Johann Wagner, the pathologist,
Know Your Composer
ODE TO BEETHOVEN: PART I
A tribute during Beethoven’s 250th birth anniversary “An artist must never stand still.” – Ludwig van Beethoven In December 1770, a child was born in Bonn, Germany, who would go on to make such a powerful impact in music, an impact that would endure down the centuries. We celebrate his
Features
Our Immanuel Master
“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?” – Terry Pratchett On October 5, 2020, a horrific car accident on the highway at night spirited away the lives of Immanuel Thiyakeswaran and his parents. Immanuel was a musician brimming with accomplishments, accolades, and
Interviews
Lydian Nadhaswaram: From Musician to Actor – and Back
The least that can be said of Lydian Nadhaswaram is that he is creatively innovative. The 14-year-old has made a series of impacts in music and now also in film. The music prodigy drew worldwide attention in March 2019 when he won the reality talent show The World’
Features
LYDIAN NADHASWARAM: THE WORLD, THE MOON, AND MUSIC
On March 13, 2019, a 13-year-old pianist from India faced Kukkiwon, a 27-member adult Olympic-level crack taekwondo team from South Korea in a clash for the title of “The World’s Best.” The Koreans dazzled with a stunning display of martial arts. But the little kid
Features
LYDIAN NADHASWARAM: BEYOND THE BLINDFOLD
Lydian Nadhaswaram’s sterling performance in the audition round of The World’s Best (a talent show on the American television station, CBS) not only advanced him to the next round, but its video recording went viral on the Internet. He had played Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Flight of the
Features
Lydian Nadhaswaram’s Bumblebee
“Ladies and gentlemen, today I will be playing The Flight of the Bumblebee.” With these words, uttered with a charm that made the audience smile and give a round of applause before a single note had been played, Lydian Nadhaswaram launched into his rendition of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s intricate