JOIN USThe incredible power of harmonica
“This is my first visit to India and so far, I’ve liked what I’ve seen. It’s great to come here and tell people about the harmonica, which is far less popular than say, the guitar or drums,” says Power.
“There are so many effects that can be created with the harmonica — you can make it sound electronic, you can play the blues or jazz on it, and you can even sing into it making it sound like the Australian didgeridoo,” he adds with great passion in his voice.
Power’s so-called ‘workshop’ was more a lecture interspersed with short performances by him to back the theory he was providing. He spoke of the history of the instrument, the versatility of it, and how it has evolved over the years. He effectively used the loop pedal as well, beatboxing as he played and recorded. To add to the fun, Power even conducted impromptu jam sessions on stage with popular Carnatic harmonica player Saitejas Chandrashekhar, beatboxer Vineeth Vincent, and the vocalist and drummer of Bangalore-based punk rock band, ‘Live Banned’.
Another highlight of the evening was a short but enlightening talk on music education and careers in music by Abe Thomas, Director of Business Development, Suzuki Music India.
“Music is a language you can and should learn when you are young. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle — you can never forget it,” says Abe.
“I urge each one of you to explore an instrument, any instrument. After all, it’s only 12 notes to remember!” he adds, receiving a positive response from the audience.
The auditorium session was followed by an open jam session at the mini-auditorium, where students and outsiders joined Brendan with their own instruments or simply hummed along and watched the music take over.