“Journey to the Heart of Melody” – Conversation with Shekhar Shastri, Creative Director of Raaga-Rang

Over the past few years, Raaga-Rang has come to be the ‘Rite of Spring’ for music aficionados of New England.  So, how would you define Raaga-Rang?

Shekhar Shastri: Raaga-Ranga is an innovative way to bring the joy of Classical music through the bridge of popular music. A raaga can be described in a mere few notes, yet hundreds of melodies and songs can be created from that tiny core. Our goal is to connect our music lovers to that heart of the melody.

Your audience loves your music. But, how is it different this year?

Shekhar Shastri: Music is our breath, so we sing, but we are energized by the love we receive from our audiences. This year we engage in a lyrical conversation between folk music and classical music.

A lyrical conversation between folk music and classical music?

Shekhar Shastri: Classical music is like the soul and it manifests in our minds through the lyrical folk narratives of different times, places, and themes. Classical music provides timeless wings to soar with, and the Folk gives it feet to walk on earth with.

Where does Bollywood music figure in this Classical-Folk spectrum?

Shekhar Shastri: Film music is popular music, thus, it is a kind of folk medium. In fact, within film music there are numerous genres of folk music. All of which is changing with times. This interchange, the journey between classical, folk, film is what Raaga-Rang this time is about. Most of us have been introduced to a wide range of music through the films.  Indian films have done a wonderful job of bringing regional folk music to the global stage.

Are you moving away from your Classical base for which you are known?

Shekhar Shastri: Classical music is our soul; it is the heart of all timeless songs. This year, we are entering a more engaging phase in our ‘journey to the heart of melody’. It is from the base of Classical Raaga-s that newer melodies emerge. However, popular music must delight the common man. It must drape itself in the contemporary idioms – all of it while retaining a connection to the timeless classical core.

Why the emphasis on folk music?

Shekhar Shastri: Society is organized around regional communities. Regional art and traditions are generally termed ‘Folk Art’; Here ‘Folk’ connotes music that is popular in certain regions or in particular communities. This music has deep connection with the earth, with the sunrise, with seasons, with various phases of life and rites of passage. Often this music is deeply embedded in day-to-day life; these songs are sung at birth, weddings, and festivals, working in the fields or fetching water from the river. Local stories are encrusted in these songs, and invariably there is dance, drama, craft, and visual art associated with these, as well.

Why is folk relevant in this era of globalization?

Shekhar Shastri: Globalization takes away your unique identity, leading to a search for something special that connects you across generations, across geographies that you can call your own. You may work on a truly global Wall Street, but when you are getting married, you want to engage with the traditions, customs, rituals and the arts of your ethnic origin – especially in your costumes, music, and dances. You travel half-way across the world to choreograph your wedding into a memorable event. Simply said, you want to celebrate who you are. The folk substrate gives you a tangible cultural identity instantly connecting you to existing social and ethnic networks.

Is 2016 Raaga-Rang going to be as entertaining as previous years?

Shekhar Shastri: Our Raaga-Rang team is a like a family where the chemistry of interaction continues to get sweeter and stronger. As a result, we are able to take on bigger challenges. Our singers are better prepared and the live orchestra is simply knock-out. There are fusion experiments that will charm the audience. We have raised the bar for ourselves, based upon the feedback that we have received over the years. Our task is to have people ecstatically swimming in music.

What is the signature flavor of Raaga-Rang 2016?

Shekhar Shastri: From Mughal-e- Azam to Bajirao Mastani, talented  Mumbai poets and musicians have taken the folk and polished it into unforgettable innovative choreographies for the big screen. You will hear many of these classic pieces at Raaga Rang 2016. Innovative compositions will be presented by our singers to weave a melodious fabric from classical to contemporary along with our live orchestra.

Who all are on your Raaga-Rang 2016 team?

Shekhar Shastri:
Our singers are: Shuchita Rao, Meena Sundaram, Shekhar Shastri, Dilip Acharya, Sankar Gangaikondan, Aditya Rohit, Uma Sankar, Shubhra Bhattacharya, Meesha Acharya, Vijay Kumar
Our Orchestra artists: Hitesh Master (Keyboard), Sujeet Phanse (Flute), Koushik Chakrabarty (Tabla), Hiral Parikh (Rhythm Pad), Phil Scarff (Sax), Abhilash Mehta (Dholak), Phil Kaplan (Guitar), Anirudh Nagesha (Bass Guitar)
Sound Engineer: Jawed Wahid

When and where is the event and where do we buy tickets?

When: Saturday, April 9th 2016 @ 6:00 pm

Where: Scottish Rite Masonic Museum and Library, 33 Marrett Road, Lexington, MA 02421

To buy tickets: Lokvani.com

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