"Each memory in my career has a value."

George Mihalache was born in Bucharest/Romania in 1971. He was raised in a family of musicians with it's roots in the old tradition of gypsy music and the family musicianship goes centuries back. George is of the 6th generation.

George's music education began when he was only 6-7 years old, studying music with his grandfather and learning gypsy music and Romanian folk tunes by ear. As a 15-year old he had already been working with several reputable and coveted musicians and playing with most bigger ensembles in Bucharest, and he had been touring several European countries.

Shashank Meets Lelo Nika Trio

George Mihalache's musical repertoire comprehensive and versatile, ranging from the gypsy music traditions of Romania through evergreen traditionals and classical favorites. He has been living in Copenhagen since 1994 and worked with many musicians within the genres of world music, jazz and classical music. Recently, he was in Kolkata  to participate in "Shashank Meets Lelo Nika Trio" as part of the 10th edition of The Park’s New Festival- 2016.With over 30 years in the field of Indian classical music, Shashank has performed at Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Denmark and Skopje Jazz Festival - Macedonia among others. Lelo Nika along with Thommy Andersson (bass) and George Mihalache (cimbalom) teamed up with Shashank Subramanyam (flute) for a soul stirring evening of melodious music.

How would you briefly describe your journey towards music?

I grow up in a musical family with deep roots in gypsy musical tradition. I am in the 7 generation.

Can you tell us a bit about the history of Gypsy music and harpsichord?

The gypsies have been wandering for 400 years. The trip start in North Western India. Musical instruments as they brought has evolved over time. The Indian Saturn will be in Romania (Tambal) cimbalom.

What are your feelings about the globalization of Gypsy music?

It is well. I have the opportunity to play and rather than at international level.

You have played with many musicians of different styles. Are these mergers difficult? How to mix different musical influences and genres?

No it's not difficult. There is a provocation every time and it works fine.

What have been the most memorable moments in your career?

Each memory in my career has a value.

How was your experience performing here?

Fantastic.

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“I believe that all of mankind's aptitude is a mixture of genetics, culture, education and training.”

Cédric Villani, one of three Editors-in-Chief of Elsevier’s Journal of Functional Analysis is the recipient of the 2010 Fields Medal in mathematics. Professor Villani was awarded the prize for his work on proofs of nonlinear Landau damping and convergence to equilibrium for the Boltzmann equation..

In 2009 Prof. Villani was appointed the Director the Poincaré Institute at the University Pierre and Marie Curie in Paris.  He was awarded the Henri Poincaré Prize that year, presented by the International Association of Mathematical Physics.  He has served on the Editorial Board of Journal of Functional Analysis and was invited by the late Prof. Paul Malliavin to the role of Editor-in-Chief, joining Field Medalist Alain Connes and Daniel Stroock.

What first drew you to mathematics?

I could not say and it always looked like a naturally interesting subject to me. I don't remember a time when I was not interested in it. But after all, we all study it at school. I also had some secondhand books for math for children, which were quite nice.  

Are there any mathematicians, living or dead that you have particularly looked up to?

Oh yes,  so many of them! Well, when I set up my Web page, 13 years ago(in those days it was a big deal to have a Web page!), I chose 5"heroes" and put them on my page with some eulogies: Ludwig Boltzmann, James Clerk Maxwell (both of them physicists but with a strong mathematical inspiration), Mark Kac, Alan Turing, John Nash. I regularly lecture about John Nash and Henri Poincare, both of them geniuses with their specific style.

One must have wondered a number of times why a formula or a theorem comes so easy to a person while other cannot even decipher a simple problem. Is Math a part of one's genetic makeup? 

I believe that all of mankind's aptitude is a mixture of genetics, culture, education and training. Anyway the example of Ramanujan cannot be explained by just culture, education and training, so there has to be some genetic component. Why not?

 How important, in your opinion, is mathematics in Indian culture?

The respect for math is very important, for sure, and also the development of calculation recipes. India has produced a number of amazing mathematicians. On the other hand, the core of India's math education is very much applied, and there is a clear tendency in research institutions to, on the contrary, explores very fundamental subjects.

How should maths be taught? Because a lot of people say, "oh God, maths I can't stand it.

Nobody knows how math should be taught, probably because there is not such a "must-be" way of teaching. It depends on the teacher, on the child, on the society. Nowadays there are many opportunities to enrich the teaching, with online games, enigmas, advice, experiments, public lectures, etc. But eventually it depends mostly on master and student relation, not the method.

Apart from research and teaching, what are the future career options we can pursue only doing maths?

Doing only math these are the main areas. But if you allow for blending with other sciences, mathematicians can do great engineers, developers, algorithm wizards, and so on. The field is so full of opportunities that 'mathematician' was ranked several times "No.1 job in the world" by the American company Career Cast.

What research problems and areas are you likely to explore in the future? 

Problems at the intersection of geometry, analysis and classical physics are for me.

What advice would you give a young student trying to learn mathematics in India?

Widen your views as much as possible, and please travel widely for learning.

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LILA YOGA is unity within life

Yogacharya Erica Kaufman - Erica Kaufman, MFA, E-RYT500+, is the founder of Lila Yoga and the owner of Lila Yoga Studios in PA, USA. She is a life long student of JidduKrishnamurti’s philosophy and Krishnamacharya’s teachings. Erica’s mother introduced her to yoga at age 9 and she has continued as a devoted practitioner ever since.

Teaching since 1984, Erica has the highest Registry with Yoga Alliance, been awarded Yoga Journal’s Karma Credit, and is featured in numerous publications: The Times of India, DNA India, THE WEEK-SMART Life Magazine, Centered Magazine, and Center Daily Times, along with European and American TV.

Workshop at The ICCR, Kolkata

Erica is faculty at Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado, the world famous International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh, India and at the Penn State University in America. Erica teaches the ancient wisdom of yoga as a daily practice and is dedicated to wellness and appreciation of life. As a mentor to yoga teachers, aspirants, and community members alike, Erica tours the USA, Europe, Israel and India teaching the full spectrum of master classes, workshops, and teacher training programs on Lila Yoga, Movement Improvisation, and Contact Improvisation. Recently Erica conducted a  4-day programme on Lila Yoga Surya Namaskar and Lila Yoga Asana Practice at the  Abanindranath Gallery, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Kolkata and taught in Chennai as well.

What is Lila Yoga?

LILA YOGA awakens energy in our yoga practice & our lives. It is a holistic vinyasa practice that aligns body, breath & intentions. Yoga postures become playgrounds to awaken, explore and unite with prana—the universal life energy.

You see LILA YOGA combines physics & consciousness. Lately it’s feeling like a revolution of love and life! You see lila is the Sanskrit word for the loving-creative divine rhythm of life. Yoga is Sanskrit for unity. So LILA YOGA is unity within life.

Why practice YOGA in a class?

One of the most magical things about yoga is how it can melt away differences and illuminate our common humanity. Yoga is a practice that continues throughout our lives. We learn from each other. We are a community of diversity with a common heart truth.

What we do on our yoga mat should not stay there. In fact what we do on our yoga mat is only useful if it is applicable in our lives at large and how we relate to each other, ourselves, and situations.

I am forever thankful to the community of people I meet and the opportunities to learn and grow and discover.

As a teacher, I learn from each person who practices with me. I learn from teachers who I once taught and trained. Life is a beautiful opportunity to learn and evolve.

Being together in a yoga class offers us the opportunity to be in each others presence and respect and honor the journey we each need to go through. Yoga is a life long practice that provides tools to support a healthier way of being.

How did yoga become such an integral part of your life?

I was sick as a child. I was suffering a lot with health. My mother is  a smart marvelous creative being who was very interested in  Krishnamurti and his philosophy. Through this she learned about yoga and Krishnamacharya. She started to teach me pranayama, meditation & simple yoga postures. It had a profound effect on me. The first time we practiced, I felt a sense of ‘vacation from suffering’. That’s what I told my mom. It was powerful in a great way, so I wanted to continue practicing and we did. We continued ever since.

What do you like most about yoga?

I like that there is no end to it. Yoga is an extraordinary expansive and complete science of the human experience and our potentials within that experience. I so appreciate that every aspect of human  nature is addressed within it.

Stress, tension, frustrations, depressions are key things identified in today’s youth life. How can one get rid of such symptoms through Yoga?

Yoga is extremely powerful.  Even just allowing 10/15 mins a day to practice can enable healthier thoughts and energy within our lives. Yoga enhances our coping abilities, recovery capabilities and capacity for joy. And all of this is measurable in the neural receptors of our brain. Science has shown if you practice yoga, you can actually create an environment within the brain that is more receptive to positivity and to relaxation.

Workshop at The ICCR, Kolkata

Many of today’s youth have grown up with constant access to computer devices. These devices are amazing but can also pull us out of the current moment. Think about how rare it can be to just walk down the street and not being caught inside of your own thoughts or inside of your own computer/phone. I think this has been a real challenge for the youth. They grew up with it.

It used to be that doctors were the only ones who had to deal with the stress of being on call. Now everybody is on call all the time. We don’t have as much down time that is free of devices (phone, television, etc).  I’ve seen first hand how many youth suffer from anxiety, stress, tension and even panic attacks. Those of us who are in the field of yoga can extend ourselves with compassion to our marvelous youth and offer to sit quietly with them for a few peaceful minutes.

Yoga has tremendous benefits for children and it would be fantastic to see this integrated in schools. Do you possibly see this happen in the future?

 Yes. Traditionally India has offered yoga in school. I think India  is at a pinnacle point right now between tradition and modernity. I  hope India keeps its India spirit…and yoga is a big part of that beautiful spirit. Perhaps some think that it’s more modern or sophisticated to abandon the great science of  yoga. But honestly, I have never encountered anything more current or sophisticated than yoga. So, no matter how modern or posh a school is, I do hope that the basics of life skills that yoga can offer us continue to be an integral part of education.

Do you see any trends or tendencies in yoga industry?

In the US, for the general public, there’s been an emphasis mostly on fitness and the physical beauty that results from the physical practices of yoga. Now, there seems to be more interest in meditation. In India I’ve noticed that there’s a shift happening in the past 7 years or so, where yoga is not only being offered in traditional ashrams and schools but in studios as well. I plead to all of India to keep the heart of yoga honest. As yoga becomes more available in studios, I plea to the studios owners to keep the integrity and depth of yoga as a central focus.

My body is very fit, but that’s not my focus. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Yoga supports me and feeds me, excites and stimulates me. Through the application of yoga practices I learn how to rest my troubles; how to broaden or clarify perspectives; how to elevate awareness. These aspects of yoga are profound and have contributed into my health in all aspects of my life.

Do you have any advice for beginners? How do we start?

Find a good teacher. Even before you find a good teacher know  that inside of each of us is a wise teacher. There is a part of us that  is wiser than our years. We just don’t listen to our wiser self. We don’t listen to our higher soul. Even if you are not in a position to finding a teacher, try to sit with yourself (even for few minutes) to be peaceful. Relax your body. Relax and slow your breath. Feel a peaceful heart. Allow yourself to enjoy being in a quiet state of being. Allow yourself to develop a relationship to that particular state of being.

Here it is in a nutshell: What you think and how you are, affects  everything about the way you act in the world. Taking a few minutes a day to relax and be peaceful can allow a calmer mind to make wiser decisions that are in harmony with the heart.

Workshop at The ICCR, Kolkata

Do you believe yoga can act as a catalyst for World Peace?

Lately I’ve been interested in inner-peace. Science shows that when we are within a calm, peaceful, healthy mind, we make better decisions. Yoga can bring about these qualities and help establish them within our ways of living. If we can start locally, I believe it will affect us all globally. Let’s each take time to cultivate a calm mind and a peaceful heart. And within that state of being, wish well for everyone, everywhere always.

This conviction is evident thought yogic literature and traditions. In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the first ethical declaration is ahimsa—non violence. He states that when we are firmly established in yoga, all hostilities cease. In order to live peacefully, our breath, heart, mind, words, actions towards others must also be peaceful.

So yes…I do believe that the tools of yoga can be a powerful catalyst for inner-peace, which in turn leads to peace within thoughts and actions, which leads to more and more peace in our world. There is a beautiful mantra often recited in yoga practices that serves as a declaration of such peace:  Lokah Samastah Sukino Bhavantu—May All Beings Everywhere Be Happy and Free.

For more information please visit www.LilaYoga.com and sign up to be on the email list.

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"Jean-Jacques Lemêtre : the musical soul of Théâtre du Soleil"

Jean-Jacques Lemêtre has composed the music for all shows of the Théâtre du Soleil since 1979. He has performed with several French symphonic orchestras, engages - partly exclusively - in the music and the instruments of the Middle Ages (Orchestre Médiéval de Paris), works with Pierre Boulez in his Orchestre Inter contemporain. In between he returns to Rock, plays Jazz and Free Jazz, pertaining stilistic elements of European and extra European Folklore, as well as traditional music of the Middle East.

In 1978 he worked for the first time with Ariane Mnouchkine and her Théâtre du Soleil (Mephisto) where he found his artistic focus. The work and success of one of the most important theatres of our time is now unthinkable without him.

He does seminars and workshops on traditional instruments and theatre music throughout the world (Japan, China, Indonesia, India).Several of his pieces of theatre music for the Théâtre du Soleil were awarded with a prize of the "Meilleure Composition Scénique de l’Année".

In 2005 he was the first to be awarded with the newly founded Prix Molière for Theatre Music.

Recently, Jean Jacques Lemetre conducted a workshop at the The Old House, Kolkata which was organized by  The Alliance Française du Bengale & Culture Monks.

Why do you think Theatre du Solelei is so popular given that it has no speaking parts especially against the Hollywood era of violent big explosion genres?

The “Sun Theater”  [created by Arianne Mnouchkine, in Vincennes, near Paris]  is a popular, but elitist theater, which speaks about everyday life, with both a political and social vocation, trying to be in total respect with the audience : welcoming them, offering them authentic shows, making them dream, giving them some keys, encouraging them to take part in the show, feeding them, in every sense of the word, explaining them, showing them, that is the difference with Hollywood.

What is it about acting (mime) and music that stirs emotions?

Music come from actors and characters, and then it brings a plus to the play and to the text, but it should not touch too much the right chords.

Do you personally have a favorite type of music to play or listen to? You seem proficient in so many.

I love all kind of music, unless they are good, unless they talk to me, learn things to me, give me various pleasures, make me dream and give me some “elsewhere”.

What was your early training in music? Did you come from a musical family? I began music when I learned singing Gregorian Chant, and at the same time when I learned clarinet and bassoon in the music school, and also saxophone by myself, percussion instruments, and later, ancient middle-age instruments, baroque music, and finally plucked and bowed stringed instruments.

I understand that Circus Ethiopia is an outreach program teaching mime and acrobatics to poor children in Addis Abba. Infact that used costumes and equipment is given to that program so that children and their families do not have to beg. Would that work in India?

Every thing that makes possible for a child to have a « child’s real life » must exist and all the government's should consider this as a priority.

I don’t know if we have to copy  this African system for India, but the idea is magnificent and authorize a direct connection with adults(children’s parents), and make it possible to join the more disadvantaged and poorest persons who live in the most inaccessible places of the world.

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A Magical Left Handed Repertoire

Maxime Zecchini is a French pianist, winner of many prizes all over the world. He has played in Paris as well as in numerous festivals and concerts in France and abroad. Maxime Zecchini is an eclectic musician: he has orchestrated music for television, and directed musicals.Fascinated with composition since early childhood, he is the composer of numerous original works and transcriptions. Maxime Zecchini had the idea of exploring the left hand repertoire a few years ago when he first studied Ravel’s Concerto pour la main gauche. The idea that playing with just five fingers could sound like two hands seemed like an extraordinary wonder to him. These works display the left hand’s vast capacities: at its best, it can make the piano sound like a full orchestra.

What made you take up the piano?

I have seen someone plays piano on the TV and I have asked to my parents to begin piano. Because I have found the sound of the piano very beautiful and attractive.

Max Zecchini  at the Calcutta School of Music

Who have been your mentors?

I have had the chance to have fantastic teachers since always; I have a lot of mentors!

Is playing with your left ( non- dominate hand? ) just an interesting thing to try or does it have vast Implication for composers?

It’s a big challenge for composers, because with just five fingers, the piano must sound like with two hands!

Would left handed people enjoy the piano playing more if they started out earning left hand pieces?

No I think it’s not important! Because on piano, 

there is no difference or facilities between the left handed people or right handed people! The sensations are the same.

Because being left handed was discouraged for centuries, is playing left handed a way of validating left handed people and giving them access to music in a way that starts with their dominate side?

I don’t think,  the repertory for thee left hand is not more way for the left handed people; it’s just an another work, because the difficulty will be the organization of the energy; it’s very physical to play this piece!

Could starting with the left hand be more creative since it crosses over to the right ( creative ) side of the brain?

I don’t know…. Maybe… It’s an interesting question . But, I don’t have the answer….

You have played in India. How different is it to play here as compared to playing at international venues?

It’s the first time for me in India; It’s a beautiful experience to play in this fantastic country. I’m very glad to do discover this repertory for the left hand. The audience is very attentive and interested and it’s a big pleasure for me!

As a pianist, what recommendations do you have for these children in India who are learning piano? How would they also become successful in their music?

The most important is the determination. Because, the work is different and intensive: but the result is very  fantastic! Travel around the world, share his/her passion of music, play on stage in front of the audience are the big motivation to practice piano each days!

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“Art is what comes from within”

Imani Gaston is a solo dance artist, choreographer, fitness and dance instructor. She has danced with Taurus Broadhurst Dance Company, Bebe Miller, Sabela Grimes, Abby Zbikowski, in “Descent into the Water” choreographed by Dayton Contemporary Dance company's Crystal Perkins, and with Next Reflex Dance Company and Errant Dance Company. She has BFA in Dance from The Ohio State University after graduating from the Dance Department at Duke Ellington School for the Arts and City Dance Conservatory.

She has also trained at BalletMet, Jones Haywood Dance School, University of California Los Angeles, under the tutelage of Irene Tassadembo and others in Burkina Faso, and under the tutelage of Kaustavi Sarkar. Trained in Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Modern Dance (Horton technique), Contemporary and Odissi styles, she incorporates influences from the various genres in her teaching style and choreography.

She has taught to people of all ages at City Dance, Columbus Refugee and Immigration Services, King Arts Complex, The Phillips School, The Highwood Theatre, and Wuhan University (Wuhan, China). She has choreographed for musical productions Cabaret, Hairspray, and Musical of Musicals with The Highwood Theatre, for internationally competitive Bollywood team OSU Nashaa, and for her solo project Delineation in conjunction with The Ohio State University, which explored the influences of Odissi and Contemporary to create a new movement aesthetic.

How did dance become such an integral part of your life?

I started with step-dancing. I was on a Step Team in Middle School.  The teacher who taught step got broken leg so she couldn't teach any more. My mother and aunt put me in a dance class. I started with jazz and I instantly loved it.  The next year I added hip hop and ballet. I joined a junior company at City Dance.  There I got to study jazz, ballet, modern dance, and hip hop. That’s where I was introduced to Bollywood. We had a teacher (Vishal Kanoi) come in from India who gave workshops in the summer. I auditioned for Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where I intensively studied West African dance, Ballet, Pointe and Modern dance (Horton) technique. I auditioned for The Ohio State University Dance Department obtained my BFA.  While I was studying contemporary dance there I took a class called "Indian Classical Dance" which turned out to be Odissi. I loved it. The teacher was Kaustavi Sarkar and I have studied with her for three years.

What makes Odissi special?

It was so different. Odissi comes from a rich history, I enjoyed learning about all the stories, the Gita Govinda, the language of the actual dance was difficult and the technique is rigorous, but I love it.

What were the initial challenges?

The initial challenge was the technique. I have been brought up with ballet, modern dance, contemporary...all of these are very straight, aligned vertically. There is a language barrier while learning the songs that makes it a little difficult to learn. When I started learning the abhinaya, a lot of the facial expressions were/are culturally coded. Learning those was difficult.

Do you believe music/dancing connects with a higher being?

Definitely.  I had a moment while learning Odissi when it became spiritual for me. I was really intensively studying Odissi. It became a problem for my knees. I was doing ballet at the same time. My ballet teacher was concerned about me continuing to do Odissi because of my injuries. But I wouldn't stop. I had to explain the spiritual connection.

How do you see the Idea of fusing Indian and western dance forms?

It is a double edged sword. It can be beautiful but you have to intensely study. If you don’t know western techniques or Indian techniques, there's no point in using it. You can’t just throw things together. Otherwise you're pushing few different movements into the technique you are doing anyway. There has to be a thought process behind fusion. Having a thought process and being cognizant to culture is important. 

More and more foreigners are appreciating and learning India's classical dance forms and 'want to learn our Indian culture. What are your thoughts?

I see lot of European and Russian dancers learning Odissi dance. I don’t see too many Americans learning Odissi technique with the exception of Indian Americans.

Could you enlighten our readers about BollyX classes?

BollyX is a dance fitness class. It’s a 50 minute cardio class. The basic premise is to have fun while doing exercise. We incorporate Bhangra, Western Indian folk dances and Bollywood style. It mixes all the styles and brings it to an international audience.

Are more and more westerners taking interest in Bollywood dance?

Bollywood is not necessarily one thing in itself. Older Bollywood was a mixture of classical style...maybe some bhangra, hip movement and big facial expressions. Newer Bollywood has started to incorporate hip hop and jazz. In terms of westerners taking to Bollywood I think it is a double edged sword. It's good to become more worldly, but some people take to Bollywood as something exotic and they don’t delve into the deeper culture. They just want to learn superficially.

Please share about your experience in Kolkata?

The performance at the American Centre, Kolkata was amazing. Not just that show, but the workshops I got to teach  to do with Bouyant Arts at Sparsh Studio and  the workshops with ACCESS ( an underprivileged kids group) at the US Consulate was special. I got to collaborate with local Artists Snehasish Das, Sayan Debnath, and Dipanjana Dutta to create an hour long show. It was indeed a cultural collaboration! Meeting different people and being able to share ideas, dance and energy was an unforgettable experience!

Your upcoming projects?

I am doing some directing and choreographing for my theatre company Highwood theatre-I do kids productions, teenage productions and also do some outreach for them. I am also planning to choreograph with my company, Errant Movement. We're doing a show on the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality, so I'm excited to have those conversations.

What advice would you give to other aspiring dancers?

Work hard! Work hard in terms of technique, body conditioning and listen to every single bit of advice. However, don’t lose yourself. Know who you are, know what you stand for and know that some advice not necessarily be the best advice for you. Art is what comes from within. The choices you make, finding your voice. These things make you an artist. Never let someone mute your voice.

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"Every experience holds within a blessing of some kind"

Paul Kim is currently a rising junior at Oberlin College and Conservatory.  He has been playing the violin since the age of 3. He has won numerous competitions: The Korea Time competition, US open music competition, El Camino Youth Symphony Concerto Competition, Tuesday Musical, and Twentieth Annual Music Competition winner of Bay Area Music Association. During his High school years, he volunteered at Hop3 Box, which is an organization that gives out a benefit concert and raises money towards a good cause. 2010-2011, Paul has participated on the Bon Voyage tour to France and Spain with El Camino Youth Symphony.  Paul loves to play chamber music and is hoping to get somewhere through chamber music. During the month of January of 2016, Paul has also participated in the 150th anniversary of the Oberlin Conservatory Tour to Chicago. This summer, Paul will be attending the Litomysl International Music camp, which is located in Czech Republic. Recently, Paul performed at an event titled "Connecting Culture through Music "organised by the American Center, Kolkata.

You started playing Violin at the age of 3. What or who gave you the desire to play the violin?

I started to play the violin because the son of my father’s friend actually inspired me to play. He played a mini concert at his house and I really wanted to play. He was the person who got me started to play the violin. I actually don’t remember his name.

Did you always know that you wanted to follow a career path in music? 

I wanted to pursue music during freshman year of high school. Before then, I did it for fun and to give my mind some peace when I’m stressed with school. After freshman year, I started to focus more on music because my passion for music was growing tremendously.

Do you remember your first appearance on a stage?What is it about performing that you enjoy?

My first appearance on stage was one of the most terrifying experiences that led to the most memorable experience. My stage anxiety was very bad when I started out playing the violin. This was when I was 12 years old. I played with my former teacher’s orchestra. That was the first time I have ever played with a real orchestra. What made it the worst to the best was the passion that grew inside of me. The music took over me and I started to play with my heart. The memorization and the technically of the music didn’t matter anymore. What mattered was to play the piece to the best of my ability and show the audience what my interpretation of the piece is. I still remember it to this day.

You have received many awards and performed at various places, what would you say have been your favourite experiences so far?

All of the experiences from competitions and performances were stepping stones towards a bigger goal. Every experience holds within a blessing of some kind. I can’t say which one is my favorite. I think all of them hold a special place in my heart.

If you could meet a composer, who would it be?

I would really want to meet J.S. Bach because his music is out of this world. The music is so simple but yet it holds such a deeper meaning to each masterpiece he wrote. It would give me a deeper understanding if he explained to me the deeper meaning of the pieces.

What advice would you give to young people who have aspirations as an artist?

Follow your dreams and never give up. I went through a lot of hardship trying to major in violin performance but the one thing I didn’t do is give up. I stuck with violin to the very end and now I am at a great conservatory in the United States. Never giving up is the key.

How do you see the role of music as a tool to improve cultural ties between two nations

As my uncle ( US Consul General in Kolkata) said in his speech at the American Center, “the US and India relationship could be one of the defining partnership of the 21st century.” Maybe this isn’t referring as much in music but I hope to make this partnership in music happen. My experience in Kolkata with the Kolkata Youth Orchestra changed my point of view. There are a lot of talented musicians that haven’t been given a chance to shine. I want that to happen and I hope in the very near future, I can get the tools and connections to make it possible. 

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The Kiwis: Uncharted Adventures, Explorations and Discoveries

Jeff  and Maggie Vickers are a motorcyclist couple from New Zealand  who love to travel.They completed  54-day road trip of India, covering 10,000 kms!

What motivated you to make this trip?

We've done a bit of adventuring around the South Western states of America, as well as most of New Zealand.  We started sharing our travels with friends and Facebook groups and seemed to have gained a bit of a following.  This found us creating the Facebook page, "Kiwis Wandering", and then the blog.  We enjoy sharing our adventures, and hope that our travels will inspire others to get out there and see this fabulous planet!

We don't have any sponsorship. We do this purely to inspire other riders to achieve the same thing. We want to be an inspiration for other riders so that they might say, "If two Kiwis can go from New Zealand to the top of Khardung La, then I can do it as well."

When we started the trip we really didn't plan it.  We arrived in Kolkata and met a person on Facebook who was part of the group Royal Rider.  He helped us get bikes.  We expected to complete the ride in three months, but we ended up traveling for two months!

What kind of reception did you get from the people you met during your trip?

The reception has been great!  We met some generous people who helped us along the way.  When we were hot, frustrated, tired, and could not find accommodations, complete strangers would step up to help us.  We met so many people whom we now consider great friends.

What has been the most challenging experience while travelling?

When we were in traffic, with all the vehicles coming towards us, or attempting to cross in front of us, well it just drove us crazy!  That was probably our biggest struggle. Traffic was scary.  We have had some close calls.  We have been nudged and pushed off the roads.  Back home, our summer temperature is around 27-28 "C, occasionally going up to 30 "C. Here we have been biking 40"C.  It is like riding in a furnace. Our gear was not appropriate for this type of humidity. When most people go for a holiday, they go for maybe two or three weeks.  They know they eventually must return to work.  One of the biggest hurdles for us was to get out of that mindset.  When we left New Zealand, we had only a one-way ticket to India.  The constant moving was not a problem, but the packing and unpacking has been a bit of a grind. To avoid the heat, we have been waking up at 4:00 in the morning.  As a result, we found we were tiring easily after a few weeks of rising early.  Because of this, we now stop for longer periods of time.  The language barrier was was also an issue.  There have been times when we have been searching for accommodations where nobody knew more than a few words of English.   Also, we like basic, bland food.  The Indian cuisine has been a little troublesome to our stomachs.

What's been the major highlights for you in this trip?

The highlight of our trip has been going to the top of Khardung La to ride the highest motor-able road in the world- at a height of 18,380 feet/5,602 meters! We have completed what is called the Golden Quadrilateral, which we didn't even realize we were riding when we started out.  That was like a secondary bonus for us. Namaste Cafe and Lodge at Om Beach, near Gokarna Beach, was beautiful We were warned about not going to Srinagar (J&K) because of the militancy issue, but we went anyway.  We were glad we did, because it is an absolutely beautiful place!  The people were very friendly and we were glad we went, despite the warnings .We loved visiting the Dal Lake.  There was no road noise and no car horns honking.  Just peace. That's probably the thing we found most overwhelming.  The best part of the Dal Lake was getting in the boat and being out on the water.

You must have had a pre conceived idea about India. How different is it from New Zealand?

It is actually as I imagined it.  There are parts of India that are beautiful, magical.  There are other parts that are full of rubbish, hot and dirty.  There are places where I would not like to go back to, but I am glad that I have been there once to see them.  Then there are other places where I would return to everyday if I had the opportunity.   You can't possibly imagine the complete flip the environment has been compared to New Zealand.  New Zealand tourism promotes clean green.  Here we have seen seen clean green in signs, many towns saying clean green only, but nothing compared to New Zealand.  Our water is crystal clear, our lakes are cleaner.  There is no rubbish, no pollution, no trucks pumping out diesel fumes.  It will take a long time, but we do see people trying.

Which destinations are at the top of your bucket list?

We both have jobs waiting for us and we are pretty much on sabbatical at the moment. We no loner own anything.  We sold our home a number of years ago.  We don't have any possessions.  Everything we own is in our bags.  We have a couple of motorcycles, a van, and a few pieces of furniture in the van.  When we return, our plan is to work for 2 1/2 years and save money again.  We will be house-sitting, which means we live for free but stay at other people's homes and look after it while they are away.  That saves us a huge amount of money. The next big thing we are planning is 12 or possibly 18 months in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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''Open your mind and enjoy drumming!”

A player with remarkable technical skill and energy, Akira Jimbo has in recent years become the first Japanese drum set artist to achieve worldwide acclaim on the clinic circuit. His amazing ambidexterity and musical command of both acoustic and electronic sounds always brings the house down.

Akira came to fame with the four-piece Japanese jazz-fusion band Casiopea. Casiopea was formed in 1979 by guitarist Issei Noro, keyboardist Minoru Mukaiya, bassist Tetsuo Sakurai and drummer Takashi Sasaki. The band released its first album in May of 1979, a high-energy fusion of jazz and funk augmented by a horn section consisting of top American stars Michael and Randy Brecker and David Sanborn. Akira took over the drum chair in 1980, appearing on the band’s third album, Thunder Live, the first of several live albums. Akira stayed until the end of the decade, during which time the band toured the world three times, appearing in Europe for the first time in 1983.On first leaving Casiopea in 1989 Akira formed the band Jimsaku. He has since played with Keiko Matsui, Shambara and many others. Over the years he’s released many solo albums, including Cotton (1986), Palette (1991), Slow Boat (1992), and Lime Pie (1994). He’s also to date released four instructional videos entitled Metamorphosis (1992), Pulse (1995), Independence (1998) and Evolution(1999).

Today his solo performances are legendary. Unlike many other clinicians who play along to sequenced backing tracks, Akira is quite capable of playing both acoustic kit and electronic kit simultaneously in real time to create amazing, complete pieces of music.Recently , a drum clinic by him was organised by  Yamaha music India at the ICCR, Kolkata.

pic courtesy - www.manager.co.th

You started playing drums at the age of 17. What motivated you  to pick up drums?

Steve Gadd made me play drums. His playing was so amazing. His drumming sounds as if the drums is the main instrument.

How important was it playing for Casiopea in terms of developing  both drumming and composition skills?

I had to write one song at least for one album of casiopea. That was the rule. I’ve started to analyze the songs which I like and got the skill of composition  little by little. Also Casiopea has a lot of tough tunes to play. That helped to develop my drumming skill.

How important is it to develop your own sound?

The sound is the signature of the player. All of my favorite drummers have their own sounds.

pic courtesy - vicfirth.com

What would you say inspires/influences your creativeness?

Everything. Experiences.  Like a trip to India!

There are a few drummers today who seem to be practicing for drum clinic performances and not  for gigs. What is your opinion?

There is no practice only for drum clinic or only for performances. Performances seem to be more important than drum clinics, I like both,though.

What is your approach to drum clinics, do you generally have some sort of set routine  worked out before hand or does it change depending on audience?

I have my set routine for the clinic.  I speak about some topics which I found through my drumming experience.

How was your experience doing the drum clinic here in  Kolkata? 

Great!  People seems to be enjoying.  If I could give them some inspiration, that’s would be wonderful.

What do you feel is the most important piece of drumming advice you could offer other  drummers out there?

I could say one thing. ''Open your mind and enjoy drumming!”

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