Sothie Paul Duraisamy, presented a well-appreciated piano concert at the Alliance Francaise last week, courtesy International Music and Arts Society started by Rani Vijaya Devi and other music enthusiasts. She spoke to Metrolife about her life as a pianist before the concert.
Sothie’s parents, were Ceylon immigrants, to Malaysaia and she was born in Kuala Lumpur. Her mother encouraged her to learn the piano, which she did, but not with the view of being a professional. In fact, she attended medical school in Singapore for two years, but figured music was her calling. Graduating from the Royal College of Music, London, training in Hague with Jan de Man. She went professional in 1955 and has performed around the continent and far East, in Mumbai and Chennai, the latter, which she visits every year.
Sothie met her husband Louis, on a flight during one of her tours. Louis was employed with Burma Shell, they lived in Mumbai for several years, where their children were born. His transferable job, has extended many opportunities for Sothie to perform in the several countries they have been in. She currently lives in Washington.
“South Africa was a great place” she says, “music has given me the opportunity to play to an audience from various cultures.” She recalls her most exciting moment  playing with an orchestra for the first time in Trinidad. “Performing with an orchestra, is physically exciting, there’s a sort of an euphoric high that surrounds you, as the music flows.”
Teaching at the Conservatorium in the junior department, and taking private tuition, Sothie found her five-hour practice sessions had to be trimmed down to three hours. With six to seven solo performances a year, she is looking forward to her concert in October in  the USA.
Their daughter Shonali, was tutored in piano by her, with private lessons at Princeton, and has performed with Sothie. When  very young, Shonali had decided to be a journalist. Living in Australia, she’s on a six month assignment in Bangalore. Sothie holidays with her every year in Australia, and  this is a good change.
Sothie does not have an agent booking her concerts. As always, friends who know her in many cities, organise concerts. One apparel she cannot do with out in her wardrobe are sarees. “I was mistaken for a West Indian. I wear only sarees for concerts, and when abroad, even for shopping.”
A good piano, is as important as a receptive audience. As for the music scenario, she opines, “It’s depressing. It’s an aging audience, from the stage you see heads with only grey hair.” Introducing each piece to the audience before playing, the music aficionados of Bangalore revelled in her presentation of Chopin’s ‘Fantasy’ in F minor, ‘Pathetique’ by Beethoven, Debussy and Ravel.