Young Notes..(The Indian Express) 7/Feb/2008

AT the age of six, he charmed all with his violin strains. And at eight, with his first solo violin concert, he had the crowd screaming encore.

Now, at 17, Aneesh Vidyashankar has widened his musical horizon with his maiden album Pure Expressions by Prodigy Aneesh Vidyashankar, which is on the racks at Landmark and will be available at other leading musical stores in the city soon.

The down-to-earth young artiste is matter of fact with his tag of a young master at violin. “Playing the violin has a soothing effect on me and I find it a total out-of-the world experience. I get to vent out my emotions and blend in ragas, adding a tinge using my own creativity.”

Having named his violin Happy at the age of five, he used to compel his father and guru S.R. Vidyashankar to play the instrument for him often. “It must have made me feel happy then,” comments Aneesh.

He recollects his first experience in front of an audience. “I wasn’t the least bit scared. My father had said that he would be recording the performance and I discovered that the recorder was not switched on.”

He adds with a laugh, “I remember, I started my performance only after he came in and switched it on.”

Aneesh’s album, which is marketed by Kosmic Music and sponsored by Lia Agarbathies, has traditional compositions like Vathapi, Jagada Nanda Karaka, Om Jai Jagadeesh and Raghupati Raghava.

“I have tried to blend in ragas and have also used four ragas — Bilahari, Kalyanavasantham, Kalyani and Kapi — in the composition Jagadoddharana. There is something for both the Hindustani and Carnatic music lovers.”

A PUC student at the Christ College, Aneesh handled both music and studies smoothly. “They don’t clash at all. I play the violin after 10 o’clock in the night and then it just goes on. Somehow, I’m not comfortable with practising in the mornings.

And, one needs to practise for atleast two hours to get the concentration and the flow of the music. So, once I’m finished with practising, it’s not hard for me to concentrate on my studies as well.”

Aiming to be an engineer, Aneesh also wants to carry his musical interests forward. But this young musician has other ‘loves’ too. ‘I love cars and Formula One racing.”

Aneesh is quick to add though: “But, music definitely my first love. I also love making fusion music and soundtracks with the drums at four-by-four beat.”