Student Achiever: ‘Music makes the people come together’

Music is his escape to the paradise where happiness exists in galore. Meet Rudraksh Maheshwari, presently studying in class X at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park. In a candid interview, Rudraksh shares that his music gurus were instrumental in bringing him achievements.

Read edited excerpts here.  

Tell us something about the recent competition.

It was my first zonal competition where I won the second prize recently. Before this, I have performed in many school assemblies, annual days and inter school competitions. At the zonal I performed Raag Kirvani solo. The duration of the musical piece I played was 5 minutes 14 seconds.

How did you prepare for it?

I performed Raag Kirvani with a group of students from our school at one of the events. In the beginning, it seemed as if it was very hard to play but as I practiced with full determination and motivation, I mastered this piece, built muscle memory on my fingers and played it during the zonal competition.

How did Apeejay support you in your craft?

Apeejay School supported me a lot. I met my music teacher – Naval Sir who taught me a lot of music at school. Additionally, Rajesh sir, Rekha ma’am and Rishi sir also played a vital role in teaching me music.

What’s your training schedule like?

I started learning harmonium when I was 4 years old. The first instrument I learned was a keyboard till V standard. Later I learned music from Rajesh Sir and then from Naval Sir. I practiced day and night and did riyaaz daily from 5 pm -7pm to improve my music skills.

Who is your favourite musician and why?

My favourite musician is my music teacher- Naval Sir. He is a fabulous percussionist. He is a master at teaching difficult music pieces to me in a very easy manner. All my learning credit goes to him.

Who is your inspiration?

My inspiration is Tulsidar Bolkar, a great harmonium player.

How has music changed your life personally?

Music has made very big changes in my life. Whenever I am dealing with hardships in life, music has come forward as a therapy for me. It has helped in enhancing my concentration ability which has helped me a lot in my studies.

What does music mean to you?

Music has always been a therapy for me. Music is not just a subject or an art form but it is a way of life. Just one practice session of music is enough for me to forget all my problems.