Jamshedpur, Nov 23: Classical music is at the same platform like it was in the 80s but there is a need for repackaging of this genre of music so that it is presented to the youth of this country in an innovative manner and it would be liked by them.
The younger generation of India is looking towards west and is more devoted towards western music, said Famous Tabla Maestro Bickram Ghosh talking on the sidelines of �A Fusion Music Extravaganza� at XLRI on Saturday.
�Change is needed with time and the younger generation of this country should be delivered classical music in a package so that the interest level rises. The youth cohort has a large variety of music to choose from and they are more influenced by the western music and the western countries have also marketed it very well, to stop the youth from moving towards the western music I decided to merge the western instruments with the Indian ones which the youths appreciated and some after listening to my fusion started heeding to classical form. �, Ghosh added.
�We had very little western effect as in that time there was no internet and the repackaging should be done with the presence of Indianessin music. The classical music is safe in its place and with this fusion the people of this country now has variety to choose from. The Word Fusion is seen with disrespect in Indian society but the legend OP Nayar took out the fusion music back in 1950s�, said the Tabla Maestro.
Asked about fusion in classical music, Bickram said that I had played table in classical form for number of years and worked with Pandit Ravi Shankar for more than a decade but in the year 2000 I realised that there is need for repacking of classical musicso that its popularity can be maintained.
Talking about his future plans, Bickram said that he is working on to recreate old Bollywood hit songs of 1950-80 in a new form �Bollywood Oldies Recreated� were the famous old songs can be presented in a new form to the youth were around 250 songs will be presented and the project is under progress.
There is a lot of talent in this country and talking about the new artists Bickram says that Shreya Ghosal has flair to reach at the very top. On asked what does Bickramghosh listens to in his free time, he says apart from dead metal he listens to all others. But he heeds old hindi songs, soft rock, Jazz and Ghazals.
In his message to the upcoming artists, Bickram Ghosh says don�t follow the shortcuts as hard work paves way to success and those who think through shortcuts they will reach height then they are mistaken and they will end up as flash in the pan. Michael Jackson didn�t reach the top ladder without diligence so in any field one needs to put in his 100 % effort in order to gain respect and popularity.
At the Bickram Ghosh Academy in Kolkata we have more than 300 students learning and one we open 7-8 centres in the state we will move towards other states, Tabla Maestro signed off.