We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandeep Hattangady and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandeep, what principle do you value most?
I strongly believe that the process matters more than the outcome. I believe that something done in the proper way will always yield the expected outcome even if it comes delayed. I find that shifting the focus to the journey, to the effort is more rewarding than focusing on the outcome.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a Tabla player, I represent a centuries-old Indian percussion drumming tradition replete with challenges, aesthetics and nuances that is evolved to an extremely high degree of sophistication . The responsibility I carry while presenting my art to a discerning audience as well as when imparting it to the next generation makes me feel both excited and proud. I often engage in musical activities such as performing percussive solos in various rhythmic cycles and accompanying other musicians who perform Indian classical art in the form of vocal, instrumental or dance. My traditional training taught me patience, perseverence and made me detail oriented which makes me relish any opportunities to collaborate and perform with like-minded musicians. I hold a special interest in sharing my art with anyone who is interested. I believe Teaching and Performing are two sides of the same coin. I love to change lives for the better by creating both performers and teachers through my efforts. I spend a lot of time working with my teacher evolving methodologies to teach children so they can execute complex material easily. Traditional Tabla training methodologies involve many years of constant practice, and grandmasters are known to have played tabla for up to 18hrs a day. We have undertaken the work of evolving methodologies that make the subject easier to learn, targets easy to achieve and material accessible to students despite the constraints of today’s fast-paced lifestyle. My teacher and I work with children as young as 5yrs of age and as old as 70yrs of age to enable them to perform Tabla in various capacities so they can derive the joy of performing Tabla.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Most of my friends are musicians who are excited to jam together. It is a matter of celebration to meet and play together, listen to each other and appreciate nuances of each others’ playing. So when our friends visit us, we celebrate and indulge in the joy of sharing our music. Room for practice, food to eat and a place to sleep is all that is needed to tap into this place of joy and bliss. That is where we will be for more than 8 hours a day sharing techniques, material and knowledge with each other!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Gurus Shri Prabhakar Betrabet, Ustad Shabbir Nisar & Pandit Mohan Balvalli have been my primary influences. My mentors Pandit Sadanand Naimpalli & Pandit Omkar Gulvady have guided and supported me throughout my journey with Tabla. I would love to mention all the fellow students of our school Guru Krupa Music Academy. I would like to give a special shoutout to my sister Deepa Hattangady Karnad who is an amazing Indian classical vocalist of the Agra tradition. Of course, my journey would have no beginning or continuity without the constant love and support bestowed on me by my parents Krishnanand & Radhika,  my wife Gayatri, my daughter Kriti and all my friends. Finally, I would like to shout out to all the musicians from India, UK and US, particularly those in the Raleigh-Durham area in North Carolina, with whom I have had the honor of collaborating over the years. I am grateful to the brilliant sitar player of the newer generation, Shri Sayan Ghosh, who recommended me to you.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gurukrupamusicacademy6962/about

Image Credits
Photo of Sandeep_Hattangady was clicked by Arun Kumar

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