Kanfusion of music and technology

BANGALORE: A wise man once said music is the universal language of mankind. And, without music, our existence may be meaningless. Over the years, musicians have experimented with a wide variety of styles and genres. And, in their attempt to dabble into as many spheres of art as possible, Vishwesh Bhat and Ashwini Bhat have managed to strike a balance between music and technology. Engineers by qualification, this Bangalore-based technocrat couple have earned a reputation for developing their own genre of music called Kan-fusion. “With this genre, we blended in elements of Western classical music with Kannada poetry in our debut album Ghama Ghama. The album consists of nine songs ranging from light music to folk, and also includes compositions by Kuvempu and Purandaradasa,” says Vishwesh Bhat who is currently working as a project manager at a leading software firm in the city. Trained in both Hindustani and Carnatic music, under the tutelage of Vidwan Jairam (Bellary) and Pandit Parameshwar Hegde (Bangalore), Vishwesh Bhat felt that Indian classical music should be taken to the masses. “Classical music — be it Western or Indian — isn’t really popular with the youth today. Coming from a family of musicians, we grew up listening to a lot of devotional and classical songs. Our music has a lot of depth. And, I feel that the younger generation should be exposed to Indian music.” Apart from being a musician, Vishwesh is also an actor, dramatist, composer, recording artist and a cartoonist. He has published over 1,000 cartoons in various newspapers. On asking him if he would ever like to compose music full time, the talented musician said, “Why of course! Music is what keeps me alive. I am waiting for the right opportunity to make a permanent shift. Until then, I will be an IT professional by day and a dedicated musician by night,” he added. Currently pursuing her Masters in Engineering, Ashwini Bhat is a Veena player, vocalist and a recording artist. She has won several accolades for her sophisticated style and rendition of classical music. Understanding music at a fundamental level, she has successfully imbibed different styles into her vast music vocabulary. “Well, I have been privileged to learn under the guidance of Manjula Gopinath. Presently, I am training under Vidushi Lalitha Kumar. Every musician should try to enhance the beauty of the genre with their music. It is all about discovering new layers and refreshing sounds every day,” she says. So, how does this musician manage to balance her personal life and studies with music? It is all about good time management and how one prioritises their responsibilities, says the artist. In order to satiate their ever growing appetite for good music, Vishwesh soon formed a band called SvarAmrita. Comprising a group of extraordinary musicians from the IT background, SvarAmrita attempts to create music that redefines boundaries. “We give concerts on a regular basis. I think our music caters to all styles and genres including Carnatic, Hindustani, folk, fusion and Western. We would like to define our music as secular and experimental,” said Vishwesh. The versatile group has given stellar performances in Hindustani, semi-classical, and fusion music too.