Ilaiyaraaja was the right teacher and therefore corrected me when I was wrong, says Lydian Nadhaswaram

Chennai, Mar 12 (IANS) Lydian Nadhaswaram, who is ace music director Ilaiyaraaja’s ‘first and only’ student, has now explained in detail how Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja’s words and guidance had enabled him to come up with his first symphony, ‘New Beginnings’.

On the day Ilaiyaraaja created history by becoming the first Indian to present a western classical symphony at the Eventim Apollo theatre in London, Lydian, through a video posted on his X timeline, announced that he had composed his first symphony titled ‘New Beginnings’.

In this video, Lydian said Ilaiyaraaja had encouraged him saying, ‘You too must do a symphony.’ And that it was only because of his encouragement, that he had come up with his first symphony.

However, when Ilaiyaraaja was asked if he had told Lydian to write a symphony. Ilaiyaraaja said, “Lydian was a student who came to me for learning music. Once, he told me he had composed a symphony and played a piece of music he had programmed. Within 20 to 30 seconds, I told him, “Why have you made this like a film background score? This is wrong. This is not a symphony. First learn what a symphony is and then compose it.”

Now, Lydian, in an interview to a news channel, has thrown light on what exactly happened and how Ilaiyaraaja’s words had inspired him to compose a symphony.

Lydian explained, “Two years ago, when I went to attend classes, I once asked him (Ilaiyaraaja), “Uncle, which symphony orchestra did you use to do the film ‘Neethane En Ponvasantham’? I asked him that because I like that album a lot. At that time, he asked, ‘Why? Are you going to do a symphony, Lydian?’ I replied, ‘No, no uncle.’ He replied, ‘You must not say no. You too will do a symphony. You must learn it properly and do it. You must get awards and keep it at home.’

“Those words were what motivated me. They were encouraging. After that conversation, a couple of classes later, I composed a small piece and played it for him, saying, ‘Uncle, I have composed something like a symphony. Please listen to it.’

“He listened to it for 20 to 30 seconds and said, ‘This is not like symphony Lydian. This is like a background score. Read what a symphony is. There are lots of rules and regulations for it. It has a form, a structure. Read well about it and do a symphony.’ So, I wouldn’t have done this symphony if he hadn’t said those words two years ago. He is the right teacher and that is why he corrected me when I went wrong. He encouraged me to correct myself, study it and do it properly. So, I bow my head to him. If I have now completed scoring this symphony, it is his blessings,” Lydian informed.

–IANS

Mkr/