Classical music is here to stay: Tabla maestro Bickram Ghosh

“Indian classical music has been a chamber music format and it has been accorded great respect. While it does need the youth to participate to enjoy the wonderful intercession of this form, classical music is here to stay, that’s something we need to understand,” Ghosh told PTI. 

Known for blending classical, Carnatic and western influences into one, Ghosh says Indian classical music is one of the greatest forms ever created in music. 

“The attention spans are shorter and people have too many things to do, they don’t necessarily have time to watch a 5-day cricket match or have 3 to 4 hours to listen to a concert. But, besides this the greatness of the classical music stays. I am awed everyday by the greatness of this form. It is one of the greatest forms ever created in the world of music across the globe.” 

Ghosh holds the rare distinction of being one of the most well-known names in the world of Indo-fusion music. Having performed the world over with the greatest names in classical music (especially Pt Ravi Shankar with whom he played for over a decade), Ghosh went on to form his hugely successful band Rhythmscape. 

“It is only because of the fact that I am able to be a fusion artist or a collaborator or a composer. I have done 24 films so far, 7 in Hindi and the rest in Bangla and I think one in English, it’s all been possible only because of the knowledge that has gone into becoming a classical musician.” 

He is now working on a host of new projects including music production and acting for a Hindi film which he calls as an “exciting phase”.

“I am currently scoring for a Hindi movie Band of Maharajas , which is directed by Girish Malik. In the movie, I am scoring two songs besides the background score of the film. I am also acting. I am playing a Middle Eastern percussionist who has a very interesting story line. I am part of Maya — an album produced by the Pandit Ravi Shankar foundation which features about 55 musicians from across the globe.”

The tabla player performed here recently at the three-day HCL concerts that brought together a cultural potpourri across the NCR with artists such as percussionist Sivamani, violinist Bala Bhaskar, tabla player Fazal Qureshi among others sharing the stage. 

“I have been performing in Delhi for the last 25 years now. Many of my important concerts, including the ones with Pt Ravi Shankar have been in Delhi. Ghosh is keen to take the legacy of Indian classical music and his father Pandit Shankar Ghosh’s teachings beyond the Indian sub-continent by opening his Academy in places like Singapore, Dubai, London and Australia.