'Instrumental music is expanding'

Unlike his father and well-known mrindagam player Vidwan Ullur Nagendra Udupa, Giridhar chose to play the ghatam (clay pot), which he says attracted him with its “simplicity”.

“Both mrindagam and ghatam belong to same family of percussions. But made from the soil, I find it the most simple form of instrument which creates a beautiful tone,” Giridhar tells Metrolife.

Starting at a tender age of four, he had his initial tutelage under his father, and later became a disciple of Vidushi Ghatam Sukanya Ramgopal and Vidwan Ghatam V Suresh. “My father has always been my inspiration. He was insistent that I should let my natural talent flourish,” recollects the 36-year-old, who also plays kanjira and morsing with equal aplomb.

Apart from playing authentic Carnatic classical music, he has also been part of fusion, jazz, blues, rock, flamenco, symphony orchestra, Celtic music and Latin music ensembles. He mentions, “I was exposed to different genres of music while growing up. As a founder member of ‘Layatharanga’ — a team of Indian classical musicians who have embarked on creating new waves of music by blending different forms of classical, folk and world music, I want to take music to the global audience,” he says. Giridhar has previously teamed up with Poland-based Flamenco Group ‘Indialucia’ (Miguel Czachowski) and France-based Celtic Band ‘Bamboo & Clay’ (Fabrice De Graef).

Having travelled close to 50 countries, Bengaluru-based Giridhar feels that instrumental music is “expanding more and more” throughout the world.

“It doesn’t need language or words to communicate. Vocal music stems from ‘sahitya’ or literature but that is not the case with instrumental music,” says the artiste who recently performed at HCL Concerts’ #TrueToOurRoots featuring ‘Baul and Bansuri’.