Flautist Ronu Majumdar talks to Ila Sankrityayan about his struggle, musical journey, interests and influences in life
It would be wrong to consider him just a flautist for he indeed is a deep thinker, philosopher and musicologist. His involvement with music is over 38 years but he still considers himself a beginner. “I am just a humble student and learning is long-term process,” says Pandit Ronu Majumdar.
Currently, he is involved with a few fusion projects. “I admit fusion is a wide umbrella to cover. It’s a joyous feeling to see people experimenting with different sounds. My collaborations are very close to my heart and unique. But the most memorable one was to record with Ry Cooder and John Hassell for my international album Hollow Bamboo and, of course, with larry Corryel the Moonlight Whispers,” shares the musician.
His music finds its roots in the Maihar gharana and he considers himself fortunate to have performed under the tutelage of Pandit Ravi Shankar. That rooted classical grounding helped him understand the concept of fusion without confusion. And he could match ragas with folk rhythms. Over the years, he has associated and collaborated with different musicians such as the Amercian banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck, our own M. Balamuralikrishna, Swiss pianist Christian Seiffert and saxophonist George Brooks.
Majumdar is passionate about singing but he finds peace in flute. He adds, “I love singing but my forte is flute. Though I took vocal training from late Pandit laxman Prasad Jaipurwale, I never tried to sing professionally except with louis Banks and Shankar Mahadevan.”
Talking of his recent noteworthy albums, Song of Nature and Music for Children, Pt Majumdar says, “Music for Children is very close to my heart. We in India do not record music specially composed for kids. So this year, I will be releasing my long-awaited albumFlute Symphony: A tribute to Mozart, which tracks my journey and learning in different kinds of music. This is intended to encourage beginners and help them pursue their skills.”
Ask him about the experiments he intends to do with his music and he says, “It totally depends on the mood of the subject that I am dealing with.”
As the discussion veers towards his musical journey, from the ghats of Varanasi to Mumbai, Majumdar mentions how hardships and struggles helped him rise to his best potential. He recalls, “I stayed in Varanasi for a while but then our family left for Mumbai to start afresh in the hope of a better living. I have re-learnt and struggled so much that I now know the processes. My life, music and personality were shaped by this city. The turning point of my life came when I got a chance to associate with RD Burman. But after his passing away, I plunged back into financial insecurity. Overnight success is dangerous for an artiste.”
Majumdar loves listening to other musicians and singers. “Though I was deeply taken in by Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Pannalal Ghosh, I grew to love Kishoreda (Kishore Kumar) too. My influences have been varied,” he says.