I recently heard two brilliant young teenage pianists in Bengaluru, winners of international awards, enrolled for summer workshops abroad, enthusiastically hopeful that their passion and talent will sustain a future professional music career. Not so different from Chelsea and Chloe de Souza, very talented sisters, who left Mumbai to study music in the U.S. and are currently touring India. But few performing artistes — even exceptional musicians, dancers and actors — can make a living solely from performing.
Pianist Chelsea admits, “It’s certainly very difficult. Besides Music, I graduated in politics so I’m interested in how culture manifests in western classical music, how it can be used to convey one’s identity and culture, whether it’s conscious or unconscious; the hidden cultural interactions that go into the creation of a sound. I’ve been able to differentiate myself by fusing different genres. I strive to explore issues of identity and culture by including contemporary classical music … I explore jazz, hybrid music of the Indian diaspora, and world music theory. Yes, it’s tough and competitive, so it’s really important to find your niche, have something special to offer.”
