The best of Indian and Japanese music of the classical variety was on show at the “Japanese classical and Indo-Japanese Crossover” at Yavanika on Tuesday.
Effortlessly blending Japanese classical tunes and Indian ragas, the pieces reflected the five musicians’ Indian experience —  the spirit of its people and the crowded streets.
It was a jugalbandi of Japanese and Indian musical heritage as the notes, beats and tunes from shakuhachi, koto, tabla, tambura and mridangam coalesced in perfect rhythm.
Suzuki Mai on Koto, Anantha Krishna Sharma on Mridangam, Sato Tetsuya on Tabla, T M Hoffman on Shakuhachi and Aruga Shakiko on Tambura forged new styles, improvised and experimented on the stage.
The concert was based on the theory that Indian and Japanese music share important principles, and traditional Japanese instruments like shakuhachi and koto are well-suited to playing Indian raga music — essentially, applying the compatible Indian ‘software’ (melodic modes raga) to Japanese ‘hardware’ (instruments).
A lot in common
Says Hoffman, there’s a lot in common between Indian and Japan’s classical tones. The concert was organised as part of the India-Japan Friendship Year by Association for Overseas Technical Scholarship, Alumni Association.