Just as the violin acts as the leader of the string section in a band or orchestra, the flute leads the woodwind section. Often the flute is used to convey different cheerful or sad emotions. Known as bansuri in Hindi, India is a land where people keep the flute very close to their hearts and there are several flautists across the country. One name that pops up every time we talk about the flute is Pravin Godkhindi. Pravin is an Indian classical hindustani flute player who has mastered both tantrakari and gayaki styles of playing the instrument. Today, he takes to the stage for Music for Meals, an initiative by the Akshaya Patra Foundation, that aims at feeding millions of children who don't have access to food. We speak to him to know more about his performance and lots more...
Can you tell us about your upcoming performance?
This concert (Music for Meals) will feature me alongside the amazingly talented Vijay Prakash. We have a bunch of very talented musicians who are part of my Krishna Fusion band. This concert is going to be unique because Vijay and I have planned something that is a confluence of different genres. Both of us are trained in classical music, which will be the basis of our concept. But we'll also have a mixture of folk, western, both the classical styles and of course a little bit of Bollywood music as well. But everything will be on the foundation of classical ragas.
What drew you to the flute and how did your journey in Indian classical music start?
I started playing with the flute at the age of three because my father was a famous classical flautist and a vocalist. So there was music all around when I was growing up. That's how music was a natural choice for me. Although I finished my engineering, I chose music as my profession because flute has been my companion forever, since my childhood. So it was a natural choice for me to become a musician because there was music in my blood.
Can you tell us about your training and the gurus who have influenced your playing style?
My guru for the flute is my father, pandit Venkatesh Godkhindi. I had this fancy to learn the intricacies of carnatic rhythm. So, I underwent training under vidwan Anur Ananth Krishna Sharma ji, who is a reputed mridangam artiste. He is my other guru for layakaari or the rhythm intricacies. But apart from that, I have been greatly influenced by legendary maestros like pandit Bhimsen Joshi ji of Kirana gharana to which we belong. My father was his disciple and I've also been a fan of Kishori Amonkar and of course ustad Zakir Hussain ji. I feel my music is a mix of hindustani, carnatic and so many other genres. So I would be happy to call my music with my band as a wholesome Indian music band.
What aspects of Indian classical music do you find most challenging or rewarding when it comes to playing the flute?
I was brought up in the vocal format of training. So my father used to teach vocal as well as flute. He was the one who started and popularised this trend of playing gayaki on the flute. Gayaki is a vocalist style of playing. I have tried to continue that tradition of singing through the flute, which is very difficult. Apart from that, sometimes it's challenging to understand the thought process of the person you're collaborating with. So, gujjibandis and these collaborations with western musicians are always a challenge and I love to accept that challenge. Whether it is for classical or fusion or sweep or bundle. I always look forward to enjoying the process of serving out newer styles of music. That is why I am obsessed with wind instruments and have a collection of different kinds of wind instruments. I love being challenged. It makes me humble and understand and learn from other musicians.
What role does tradition play in your music and how do you balance tradition with innovation in your compositions?
One of the most important teachings that I got from my father was never to deviate from the traditional and therapeutic values of classical music and classical ragas. All my efforts in the last two and a half decades have been to promote and preserve our rich classical raga culture and the music I create as a basis of this classical process. That has helped me keep my music grounded. So it doesn't deviate from the traditional values. Yet, the knowledge of different forms of music helps me create something unique, which is traditionally rooted, yet very contemporary to us.
What advice would you give to aspiring flautists who are interested in learning Indian classical music?
I feel this is a golden time for musicians if they are inclined to set aside a few years of their life dedicated only to classical music. I firmly believe that especially flautists have to learn one or the other stream of classical music for at least a decade or so to get a hang of what the ragas are and how to produce the right notes on the flute. Without that basic foundation it wouldn't be possible to do collaborations or experiment with music, so classical knowledge is a must. It also helps you improve your technique as far as the flute is concerned because it all depends on your breath. To control your breath and to have hand and brain coordination requires a few years of dedicated sadhana. I advise the younger generation to stay put in a place in the classical environment for at least a few years before they jump on to the fusion of collaborations.
Can you share any memorable experiences or performances that have shaped your musical journey as a classical flute player in India?
There have been many instances, but one that I would like to quote is this. There was a performance where my flute performance was an opening act for ustad Ahmed and his tabla solo here in Bengaluru. I was performing my solo and at one point in time I just happened to look at the side wings and there he was watching me perform. At that moment I felt like getting up and going to his feet. There were mixed emotions. For a moment, I had kind of deviated. My thought process was like ‘Help me please’. But then he, from that distance calmed me down. That has remained etched in my memory. He's such a humble person. He came to listen to my performance on the side and he appreciated me. I have several such instances but I think that reminded me that you need to be very humble and grounded to become a successful musician.
Entry is on donating for three children (INR 1,500 each). March 1, 5 pm. At Taj Yeshwantpur, Bengaluru, Tumkur Road.
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