Flute, Janmashtami and serendipityRajat Prasanna
Rajat Prasanna, a 32-year-old Indian classical flautist, remembers the day he stumbled upon his destiny like it was yesterday.
"It was Janmashtami, and I was playing a game with my friends when I picked up my grandfather's flute and began to play it. To everyone's surprise, despite being unacquainted with the technicalities of the flute, I managed to produce a few harmonious notes," recalls the 8th generation musician of the legendary Benaras Gharana.
Rajat began his formal training under the tutelage of his grandfather, Pandit Raghunath Prasanna and father, Ravi Shankar Prasanna, at the tender age of six. Since then, the humble bamboo reed has been his constant companion.
"Every time I walk up to the stage, I am reminded of the great privilege and opportunity I have today, because of my family. I will be forever grateful to them. This also means that the stakes are always sky-high" says Rajat whose debut stage performance was at the age of 11.
Since then, his flute, has echoed through various festivals, ritzy auditoriums, films, recording studios and concerts, in India and abroad, juxtaposing the authenticity of classical music with his fresh originality.
He was also part of the Chinese film, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,' and worked with Chinese classical composer Tan Dun to create the Oscar-winning soundtrack.
"I have been blessed enough to get several diverse opportunities, all through the years. But, for a classical artist, sustainability is always a challenge. We need to upgrade ourselves with the changing times, make ourselves and our music more accessible to the digital-only audience and be constantly connected with our fans. Through their online concerts, HCL Digital Concerts is helping create just the right platform for it. I was first approached by their team in 2012 and invited to perform. I found the concept to be immensely fresh and interesting, and have already performed thrice for them, one in 2012, then in 2019 and the recent one in April 2020. Honestly, every experience has been phenomenal," he adds.
Artists like him need more commercial opportunities, Rajat feels. "I would be lying if I say every performance we do is against some money. A lot of times we take to the stage just for the exposure and experience. But sooner or later, money becomes a serious issue for full-time musicians like me", he says.
CL Digital Concerts is a platform meant to identify aspiring musicians and provide them with opportunities to showcase their talent through digital as well as physical music concerts.
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