Bengaluru drummer Gopi Shravan will share the platform with percussionists from across the world at Festival of Rhythm in Pune next month. Shravan was one amongst the 10 contestants chosen from 141 entries.
In its third edition, Dumru Rhythm Festival, is a fundraiser that aims to increase awareness about hunger and malnutrition. The ticket proceeds from December 19 event, which will boast talent from UK, USA, Spain, Portugal, Africa and India, will be channeled to various organisations working in this sphere. The initiative, which aims to eradicate hunger in India by 2025, is captioned ‘Music for Food’.
As a Class eight student, Gopi Shravan started his training for mrindangam under A V Anand.
A couple of years later, he was initiated into the world of drumming by his social reformer grandfather T Shrirangachar, who bought him his first drum kit.
At present, he’s pursuing his advanced training in morsing under Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma, best known for accompanying the who’s-who of Carnatic music on his mridangam, apart from his experimentation with percussive sounds.
Shivu, as he is better known in the music circles of the city, is also a founder-member of fusion band Naada Kalarava.
Shravan came across Dumru Rhythm Festival’s competition through Facebook. “So, I sent in a video of my performance called ‘Solace’ for the competition,” he says.
It was guru Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma who composed the piece for this competition with some complex calculations, says Shravan.
It was composed to retain the authentic western drumming essence along with roots in Carnatic classical music.
“It’s this unusual blend of the two forms of music that made me stand out, for few drummers can play both,” says the 22-year-old.
Of the 10 contestants, five were chosen through Facebook based on the highest number of likes. He stands fourth in Karnataka, tying with another contestant.