Music
Mission of a Musician
Being an Indian Classical vocal performer, teacher, student, practitioner and listener of music myself, it is almost impossible to express what music truly means to me. Music just touches the heart and soul so intensely and binds the spirit in bliss simultaneously allowing it to soar. You may be a singer, instrumentalist or composer of any genre of music in this world, it simply doesn’t matter: just grab a moment of introspection and look within. Why is it you do what you do, how does music make you feel? What is your aim, your goal, your mission? Make music to the best of your ability and listeners will follow. They will fall in love with the honesty, beauty, genuineness and grace that you bring to this universe.
Here is my REVELATION:
I am a musician, my mission is to sing,
To convey all that is hidden, and
All that has sunken, to the bottom of my heart.
To dive into deep dark pools and
Emerge unscathed,
To chain roaring lions, and
Bring them to submission and grace.
To catch fleeting moments, and imprison
Them in mellifluous strains
Of infinite music…
The unabated flow, from
The depths of my soul…
To reminisce centuries of longing –
To be one with God,
To recreate lovers’ trysts
In the Gardens of Sweet Passion…
Of amorous quarrels,
Of valiant battles
Fought at the altar of Faith…
Of untold secrets and
Undiscovered magic…
Of sensual pleasure and
Spiritual pain…
Of transcendental meditation and
Mercurial ideas…
With great humility and awe,
I begin to explore,
To sing to my heart’s content
And pour out my soul to all and sundry
Who choose to partake
Of my innermost feelings and
My most guarded emotions!
Lavanya Dinesh, an accomplished performer and teacher of Hindustani classical vocal music, lives in Tampa. She regularly performs at musical venues in India and the United States. The singer has three album releases to her credit. She can be reached at [email protected]