flamenco, Persian and Indian music, composition and
music education. Rao assiduously attended his classes, and
they crafted her perspective and practice. She absorbed his
conception of music as meditation, worship and existential
path. As revealed by the divinity he breathes into the bansuri
(bamboo flute), his mastery is the consequence of a spiritual
acquiescence to his sound, coupled with the “practice regime
of a former Soviet gymnast”.
Rao’s own expertise honours both her roots in the West and
her heart in India. She exemplifies this in the Indian Cello, an
instrument of her own design. Born of “the need to create a
specific sound that was of a cello but with an Indian essence”,
it is modified with a high extra string, 10 sympathetic strings
and tuning, as well as decreased size allowing for it to be
played while sitting on the floor (in the way of the Indian
classical practitioner).
The instrument emanates a tone that is sparse, polished but
unpretentious, and in the hands of Maestro Rao, infinitely
malleable. She wields it like Orpheus’ lute, causing a device
born in 16th century Italy to sing the Raag Vibhas and Miyan
ki Malhar with unabashed ease.
Maestro Rao de Haas’ artistry is grounded in culturally
heterogenous soil. She applauds the benefit of having been
educated with wildly opposing techniques prevalent in
traditions of the West and India. “Western teaching is all
about encouraging to ask questions, to explore freely and to
regard your teacher as a mentor whom you respect, but not as
a distant unapproachable person…An Indian learning style
is more bout surrender to the Guru who molds the student
based his infinitely larger experience and knowledge. The
student should do as he is told, since the Guru has his best
interest in mind. For that reason, he is not encouraged to
question the guru.” Her gurus pointed out the path that led
her to glory, but left her curiosity untouched. Rao states that
she has received the benefit of being given knowledge without
being deprived of the right to question the knowledge
being given:
“There is no replacement for the guru shishya parampera, yet
students should be encouraged to foster an inquisitive mind
and be open to explore. Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia told
me that my mission should be to create a style for the Indian
cello. Not play like another instrument or vocal style.”
The Indian Cello was built by Eduard van Tongeren, a
Dutch lutier who has earned accolades for restoration of
old, difficult and forgotten instruments. An electro-acoustic
avatar of the cello has been created by French lutier
Alexandre Letellier. Rao has designed five different models of
the cello, most of which are used by her students.
Rao might have been initiated into the rich tapestry of
classical music by her teachers, but much of the inspiration
and experimentation emerges from her partnership with
composer and sitar player Pandit Subhendra Rao, her
husband since 2001. A protégé of Pandit Ravi Shankar,
Subhendra Rao is known for his proficiency, prowess and
extensive collaborations. Their classical jugalbandi is a thing
of joy, merging the gentle, sprightly, elusive meanderings of
the sitar with the earthy sheaths of cello strings.
Their partnership extends beyond stage and home to
entrepreneurship. The Sangeet4All curriculum was born
out of their belief that all children are entitled to musical
education that actually offers some merit. Currently serving
about 12,000 children and 50 music teachers, it comprises
“an on the job professional development program for music
teachers, effective musical games and activities, text books
in the form of attractive picture books, songs, new small
instruments, reading Indian music notation and flashcards.”
She calls it “the science of teaching music in an Indian
classroom” as it takes care to incorporate classical Indian
sensibilities into its structure.
Saskia Rao de Haas’ discipline is evident in a daily routine
saturated with yoga and slow scales, care for her son, riaz,
teaching, workshops, meetings, concerts, more riaz and
working on the curriculum. She draws her persistence
from her philosophy that hails music as imbued with “the
power to unite people and…let them experience intimately
what it means to be one with…the sense that we are all one,
all connected by a higher power…” It has served her well,
fostering a sound made unique not simply because of her skill
in manipulating an instrument but in shaping an entirely
new one.
For a world obsessed with definitions, discrimination and a
superficial “advancement” at the expense of any lessons the
past might have offered, Saskia Rao de Haas is a reminder of
what might happen if artistic boundaries are relaxed, and the
past is given a place at the table.
The
Score Magazine
highonscore.com
19