#LifeIsMusic: Avadhoot Phadke on breathing music

Flute is a difficult instrument to play and not too many people play it. How did you take it up?

I was around eight years-old. There was a flute at home; a plain bamboo one. I just picked it up and tried to play it and I liked the sound of it. I was fascinated by the sound. It got me intrigued, so I started learning.

Do you have a musician in the family?

My mother and my grandmother are Hindustani Classical vocalists. I grew up listening to them.

So that played a part, you think?

Yes. Actually what would happen is that I used to listen to music and singing at home and try and play parts of it on the flute – the basic exercises you know, the sa re ga ma … called the alankar. I started playing those on flute. My mother noticed that. I also then told her that I wanted to play the flute. That’s when I started learning.

Who was your first teacher?

I started learning from Shri Raghavendra Baliga. I also started taking vocal lessons from my mother.  I used to follow her on flute. I also started taking Sitar lessons from Pandit Shankar Abhyankar.

At what point did you realise that you wanted to be a professional flutist?

I was just playing my music, learning and enjoying it. About four years after I started to learn is when I decided that I wanted to continue doing this. I had never thought of becoming a doctor or an engineer or anything else. So, I guess, it was a natural progression.

Your mother has a huge role to play in the musician that you are?

My mother has, till date, never told me that a performance of mine went well. She always tells me where I went wrong or what could be better. The next concert, I follow what she says. Her response, however, is similar, ‘This part went well, but you might want to work on this other part.’ I’m waiting for the day when she tells me I did well. She is my best critic and supporter.

Is it a difficult for a Classical musician, especially a Flutist, to survive in the industry? One, because there aren’t too many Classical shows that happen; two, because not too many classical shows feature a Flutist.

Both the points you’ve made are right. It is difficult to survive. The number of classical music shows are less and especially so for upcoming artists.The shows that do happen feature the masters and gurus. The investors obviously want big names. There are, however,a couple of organizations that organize youth festivals with upcoming artists. We do get some help through that; we get a good break. But, in the beginning, it is difficult to survive and it does affect your mind and your confidence. Pursuing classical music is a struggle and you have to be fully aware of that before you take the leap and once you take the leap you have to be focused.

With limited classical shows, what can an artist do to survive?

After gaining enough knowledge, an artist can teach music. They can even do fusion concerts; they are more in number and pay fairly well. You have to learn to keep a balance. Very few people have classical music as their destiny.

You think there will be a day when classical music will see a revival?Or is fusion the future?

There is a big craze for fusion and it attracts a bigger, wider audience. But, as I see it, these are fairly good days for classical music. During season – October to February –there are at times two to three shows a day. That’s a good sign. The liking and the patronage for classical music has increased and a lot of people are showing interest in learning and understanding the music.

Is it a good time for a kid to start learning?

It is a good time for young professional musicians. It’s the right time to work hard and grab the opportunities that are available now.

Do you have a dream venue where you’d like to perform one day?

There are many; Madison Square in America and the Royal Albert Hall, being two of them. I don’t know why, but I want to perform at these venues. I want to have a solo classical concert.

Is there a raag that you haven’t been able to perfect, but would want to at some point in life?

Raag Bilaskhani Todi. It is a very difficult raag to master on Flute. I have been practicing the raag for almost a year now. I can’t practice that all day because I have to perform other raagas too. I should hopefully be able to play it well in about six months.

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