I find spiritual bliss in Indian classical music

Multi-instrumentalist Hannah Louise Winzentsen, who performed at Goethe Zentrum recently, is more than just passionate about Indian classical music. Despite having her roots in Germany, Hannah found spiritual bliss in the ancient ragas of India. She has been residing in Varanasi for the past eight years and studying the Indian slide guitar with Dr Sanjay Verma.

On how she developed interest in Indian classical music, the artiste says, “I was first exposed to Indian classical music when I tuned to the traditional LPs of Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar.Listening to them inspired me to get into classical music.”From plucking the strings of a western guitar to experimenting with some percussion instruments since the age of seven, the artiste admits that she has always been in the process of evolution and improvisation.

“Percussion instruments have always fascinated me and they still do. But right now, I am learning vichitra veena at the Dhrupad Institute in Bhopal,” says Hannah.Hannah is of the opinion that genres besides classical music lack depth. “If a person learns to appreciate silence then he can understand classical music. Because it has deeper content and meaning.

Meditation and yoga are instrumental in getting attached and understanding classical music,” said Hannah Expressing her unhappiness with the commercial cinema employing classical music, Hannah quips, “I am not happy with the way classical music is being portrayed in Indian cinema these days.Classical music has its own life and should not be mixed up with the commercial cinema.”

By Chand Ahmed