Hyderabad, February 25: Saskia Rao-de Haas, a brilliant cellist from the Netherlands has truly introduced a new sound in the world of Indian classical music. She has modified the cello to perform north Indian classical music.
With a strong foundation in western classical and Indian classical music, she has ensured that critics and audiences worldwide have always received her music with great enthusiasm. The cellist was presented the Pt Jasraj – Rotary Club of Hyderabad Award by Sangeet Marthand Pandit Jasraj for cross-culture understanding. This event coincided with the Rotary Club formation day and ‘World Understanding Day’.
Saskia introduced her ‘Indian cello’ to North Indian classical music, mastering the instrument under the tutelage of Koustav Ray and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, and also studied under eminent artists during her visits to India.
“With no precedent to follow, Saskia has worked with singular dedication to adapt the cello to Indian classical music,” it was stated.
Playing the instrument since she was eight, Saskia got her cello custom-made to suit the requirements of Indian music, based on a comparative study of Indian string instruments and western baroque instruments. “Hyderabad is a meeting point of Northern and Southern Indian classical music,” opines Saskia.
This is her fourth visit to the city of pearls and like most of them even she likes the Hyderabadi cuisine. “I love the Hyderabadi Biryani,” she says.
It was the rich and vast features of Indian classical music that pulled Saskia deeply into it. Saskia started learning cello from late cello virtuoso Tibor de Machula. Subsequently, she was introduced to Indian classical music in her musicology class, and she started enjoying it. Gradually she continued listening to it even more. “I was intrigued. Was listening more and more. Eventually I learned that there is a department in Amsterdam, which is the first conservatory in the West to have a classical Indian music department. I enrolled for it,” adds Saskia on an optimistic note.
Her Indian cello consists of 15 strings that are tuned to suit notes of different Indian notes. “I took the help of Eduard van Tongeren in Holland. He was willing to make me an instrument that has a blend of Indian and European attributes,” says the Dutch cellist.
Saskia’s affection to Indian music brought her close to eminent sitarist Subhendra Rao of Karnataka. They tied the knot in 2001 and are now blessed with a seven year old son Ishaan.
Settled in Delhi, the musical couple often tour and perform together in many National and International concerts. “I also speak swalpa swalpa (little little) Kannada.” says Saskia, adding “My son speaks better than me and he is also good at speaking Deutsch.”
–Agencies