BENGALURU: Pianist and conductor Shantanu Patel’s affair with the harmonium happened at the age of seven. On Saturday, Patel, 26, took to the stage at Aruna Sunderlal Auditorium, RT Nagar, with a versatile performance, which ranged from Baroque to modern 21st century music. However, the concert veered towards the romantic period and French Impressionist music by composers like Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel and Messiaen.
Born in Ahmedabad and based in Chennai, Patel recalls that his hometown’s music scene only comprised Bollywood and Indian classical songs. “I come from a musically-inclined family with my father being well-versed in 20 instruments, but he only pursued it as a hobby. Growing up, I picked up a few western classical influences like Yani but it was AR Rahman who bought orchestral music to Bollywood and that shifted my interest towards the genre,” he says.
Patel would go on to play the piano at the age of 17, which he first approached as a hobby as he was deeply drawn towards a career in space technology. But his move to music was solidified when he joined KM Music Conservatory, Chennai, at the age of 17 and went on to explore the nuances under his teacher Adam Greg. “My teacher spent a lot of time with me and changed my perspective towards music by introducing me to composers not only in western classical but jazz as well,” he says, adding that he went on to pursue his Bachelors at Middlesex University in London followed by his Masters in Music for a specialisation in advanced piano performance and conducting skills at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He graduated in 2017, after which he returned to KM Music Conservatory as a faculty member.
Patel emphasised the struggles and lack of performance venues across the country with respect to western classical music. “Performing in Ahmedabad is a struggle as there are no big performance venues except for Alliance Francaise and Natrani theatre, since classical or authentic jazz music is not amplified. Because of these reasons, the struggle for venues is only growing,” he says. This has made Patel resort to perform in more intimate spaces like art cafes, which suit the requirement of the genre.
In March 2015, he made his debut in a concerto performance, playing Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor, K466 with The London Firebird Symphony Orchestra, for which he composed his own cadenzas that incorporated Indian classical music as well. Speaking about his upcoming projects, Patel says he looks forward to uploading content revolving around his work and is currently gearing up for competitions abroad.“Starting next year, I’m participating in international piano competitions in Thailand and more performances across the southern states, including Chennai and five others along with fellow musician Lijo K Jose,” says Patel.