“Music is about perseverance”

Photo: Star

For over two decades, renowned Guru Razwan Ali has been training Indian Classical Music at Chhayanaut. Currently, he is also working as an Assistant Professor at the Department of Music, Jagannath University.

He completed his BPA and MPA in Classical Vocal Music from M.S. University, Baroda, India, on an ICCR scholarship. A doyen of Gwalior and Jaipur Gharana, he was trained under renowned classical music maestros including Pt. Shikantha Garage, Pt. Anilbhai Vaishnav and Pt. Narayan Rao Patbardhan. Last year he was conferred the title of Sangeet Acharya (equivalent to PhD degree) in vocal music from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai, India. He is the first non-Indian to receive the title.

For him, music is a way of devotion. Anyone who intends to be a musician must indulge in proper practice. At the same time, adequate patronage is required for the promising musicians to showcase their talents. “Music has not been propagated as a profession in our country; it is still a subject of interest,” he says. He also suggests that, a proper university for music is absolutely necessary. He focused on the availability of proper instruments, acoustic arrangement of the practice room and performance space which are necessary for music students. Although there are a number of universities offering degrees in music, none provide the optimum level of structure. “The existing provisions are not enough to encourage children to pursue music as their career. Music is a performing art, there must be platforms for performance,” he adds.

Along with Dhaka he also conducts workshops all over Bangladesh. He regularly takes classes at Lakshyapar, Narayanganj. He says the media can play a great role to propagate classical music. He also urges the government to make music a mandatory subject from early levels so that the appreciation for music takes a prominent position in society. However, he says musicians should not be bothered about what they get and what they don't. “Music is about perseverance, and if you are honest, success will follow you,” he asserts with a smile.

On receiving the prestigious Sangeet Acharya, the highest degree in classical music, he says, “I feel humbled. I am still learning, I learn from my Gurus and also learn from my students.” He wrote a thesis titled Bangladesh-er Loko Sangeet-e Raag-er Swaroop O Byapti. He firmly believes that the power of music, art and culture can deter all negative forces from society.