It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to shake hands with a genius you are in awe of, and I experienced mine yesterday.
It was an honour meeting @officialzakirhussain, master (Ustad) of the classical Indian drums, the #Tabla. Yet the venue where he was playing, @cadoganhall, didn’t seem to understand the magnitude of the star they had enlisted to play.
They organised a pre-performance talk and were shocked as people piled into the tiny room they had set aside for it. “We didn’t think so many people would come!” Really? Even though the actual concert was almost sold out?
They had to move us all to the main hall, where I was able to go up to the stage. I told Hussain it was an honour to meet the man who accompanied my great uncle, Pandit #NikhilBanerjee, maestro of the Indian stringed instrument of sitar. He was stunned, took my hand and said it was an honour to meet me because I had my great uncle’s DNA. I was moved beyond words.
Hussain is a blessing to listen to when he plays and it’s a pleasure to hear him talk. “My father was my teacher from the second day I was born,” he said. Born into the Muslim faith in Mumbai, from the age of seven, his day started at 2.30am learning Hindu traditional music, before reciting the Qu’ran and then attending a Christian school. “It was never like I was dealing with different things,” he said.
After the talk, he performed with the Symphony Orchestra of India @soimumbai - an amazing ensemble of musicians that promotes Western classical music in India. But out of around sixty musicians, I counted seven Indians. As the group grows, I hope that changes.
Hussain channeled the divine when he played, throwing his being into the impossibly perfect, rapid strikes of the tabla skins. But unlike Indian classical concerts that last for hours, Hussain was on stage for less than an hour, before the orchestra took over the second half.
It is wonderful when such contrasting traditions can come together through musicians whose gifts ought to be shared. After watching Hussain’s mastery, I hope Cardogan Hall realise there isn’t a venue big enough to house such an immeasurable talent. #zakirhussain #hindustaniclassical
