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Flautist Catherine Potter feels Indian classical music is about getting a good grasp, and not grabbing what you need
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Photo: Murali Kumar K.
TUNING IN Catherine Potter: ‘Crossover music is about working together and having a common language’
Canadian flautist Catherine Potter does not want to call her music Indian. Says the bansuri-player, who performed as part of the Duniya Project at the Eleventh East West Dance and Music Encounter by the Bangalore School of Music: “I would prefe
r to call it contemporary Canadian music as it reflects the inter-culturalism of where I come from – Montreal.”
A student of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Catherine is trained in Western classical music, jazz, Persian, Arabian, West-African, Balinese in the Gamelan orchestra and Hindustani classical music. She was eight-years- old when she started off on her grandmother’s grand piano. “I was just punching around keys before I started formal training and moved on to a simple flute.”
An M.A. in Ethnomusicology and a B.F.A. in Jazz Studies, Catherine always felt drawn towards India. “I had the intention of coming to India when I was in my 20s, and started with South East Asia, before India became my destination.”
She learnt the basics of Indian classical music in Benares before she met Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. “It was in Amsterdam that I met him and asked him to help me find a teacher. He asked me to meet him the next day and volunteered to be my teacher!”
She discovered that Hindustani classic music has a rich oral tradition. “It was all about imbibing the music, which is a long process. I learnt a great deal when I accompanied him on concerts and performed with him on the stage.” “Indian classical music is never-ending. It is about getting a good grasp and not grabbing what you need.” She finds that each performance is in itself an improvement, an artistic expression of who she is. “It is a complete and a very high art form.”
If Western classical music has evolved greatly over time, Hindustani is more individual – about personal expressions.“Western classical music is like museum pieces, but the Indian classical music that we hear today is not the same that was played 200 years ago either.”
Seven years ago, she decided to get together musicians from other traditions to perform on the same platform. So, a South American, Palestinian and other international artists became and created the “Duniya Project”. “The music has elements of Indian music but has a lot of open spaces, which sounds jazzy.” Her first album of ragas “Bansuri” was released in 1998.
Catherine, who likes the concept of ragas which are very demanding, satisfying, challenging and at the same time a lot of fun, believes that the “Duniya Project” will help people open up to Indian music.
“Cross-over music is inevitable,” she feels. Coming from Montreal, which has more French-Canadian history and has since then seen the immigration of Ukrainians, English, Chinese and Indians, her music is a ‘true fusion collage’.
“Like say how Chinese perform jazz, Africans perform Western Classical, then why not a Canadian-white who plays the Indian bansuri?” she asks. Catherine laughs, “It reminds me of one of my compositions which I named ‘Gori’ for that was the one word I would keep hearing, moving around in India!”
She finds that fusion music is not really a fusion. “Two people from different musical traditions come on stage and start doing their own thing, throwing music at each other.” She feels that crossover music is about working together and having a common language. “In my music, I try to use some of the vocabulary of ragas, but try to be freer.”
But, she says, it’s a shame if people don’t maintain their individual culture and also give in to cultural exportation, like in the U.S.A. “I would call it sacrilegious.”
Interestingly, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia told her that though she was born in Canada, God made a mistake. “You’re an Indian at heart.” And yes, Catherine Potter feels very much at home here. The Duniya Project, which comprises tabla-player Subir Dev, guitarist Joy Anandasivam, double-bassist Nicolas Caloia and drummer Thom Gossage is largely supported by the Canadian government. The album, by the same name, which was recorded as a live performance to give a realistic, concert feel, labelled by Music Today was released in Landmark, and is priced at Rs. 295. Visit www.catherinepotter.net
AYESHA MATTHAN
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