this is exciting

Last Tuesday we went to Shubendra and Saskia’s beautiful gracious home for refreshments and a lec/dem.  Shubendra lived and studied with his guru Ravi Shankar for 10 years.  Saskia is Hildegaard Westerkamp’s niece and introduced cello to Indian classical music.  The evening was eye-opening, and the concert was one of the most engaging and mind-altering that I have ever experienced.  Shubendra and Saskia kindly agreed to meet with me periodically while I am in Delhi to teach me more.  Durjey, the head-bobbing-master tabla player agreed to perform with me for my presentation on Indian influence in Western music (and vice versa).  I am the luckiest girl in the world.
Today I went to Shubendra’s house, introduced him to the pipes, and learned more about how I can apply Indian music to them.  I will go again in a few days.  Certainly I won’t learn to play a raag- that would take years and years to learn.  But hopefully I will gain some understanding of the language/grammar, culture, tradition, and history, and further free my pipes (and self) from limitations.  Maybe, even, we’ll get to jam.
Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni.