Shweta Jhaveri / My Memoirs in Music

" My Memoirs in Music " by Shweta Jhaveri

A thing of beauty is a joy forever - in the spirit of this favourite Keatsian line I present a few of my memoirs in music. Whether it is the present, past or future, sweet memories stay forever. Often suggested by my wellwishers and students in general to write something about my training and music-life, I present excerpts from my teens and twenties in India and abroad. My first 25 years in music.

* My Hindustani Classical Vocal Music training *
Early years training
The Guru-shishya traditions
My beginnings abroad at the AACM

* Early years training :

Around my age of twelve I had performed a Hindustani vocal solo in my hometown. It was followed by brief solos in a concert series by SurSingaar and Saptak that had hosted music legends like ustad AliAkbar khan and pandit RaviShankar. Students of music like me had their blessings. Formerly singing classical songs I was prized by one of my most favourite film legends Raj Kapoor for singing raga Bhairavi.

Alongside schooling I was midway preparing for exams in Hindustani classical vocal music as suggested by my music teacher Vilas khandekar under whom I had begun formal training since my age of nine. When he was teaching me how to change the taanpura strings-the drone for vocal music, I could hardly reach the other side of the taanpura and it was quite a work for us. Khandekar-ji called himself a shikshak meaning an academic teacher. He ably taught styles, theories and forms of the Hindustani music system in general required for the exams. He was influenced by the kirana style. Khandekar-ji was not a performing vocalist and did not sing the gharana traditions.

I had then heard Pandit Jasraj perform a concert in my hometown. Upon the request of the organizer-friend of my father, who took us backstage I had sung one of Pandit Jasraj-ji's bhajans. He blessed me and said we will meet sometime. In a couple of years we were happily surprised one morning to see him at our home with a host on their way to Sanand where he was hosted. My training in raaga Bhairav had then begun singing the memorised passed on traditions in Hindustani vocal music. Alongside I had earned an m.mus.degree under the guidance of Khandekar-ji. Thus my academic training under khandekar-ji and training to perform in the mewati traditions of my guru Pandit Jasraj-ji had simultaneously begun in India, with their consent during my teenage.

Next to music I had loved dancing kathak for a few years. Besides schooling at the Vidyavihar as I loved languages I learned Hindi and Sanskrit privately for a few years as required for vocal music and was also fond of Bengali and French. I attended a yoga-school and graduated from the GLS-highschool, wholeheartedly supported by my beloved parents.

Next Excerpts :
The Guru-shishya traditions :
My beginnings abroad at the AACM :

(page 1 of 3)