The gentle sound of the flute met the power of poetry at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in King Koti recently, as Hyderabad witnessed Ritu Barwa, a unique cultural performance that brought together celebrated poet Vaibhav Joshi and renowned flautist Amar Oak. The programme, described as a ‘new bloom of two arts’, saw words and melodies come together to explore the many seasons of life, supported by an ensemble of musicians that added depth to the evening. In a candid chat with CE, flautist Amar Oak talks about Hyderabad, music and more.
For Amar, performing in Hyderabad felt familiar and heartening as he returned to a city that appreciates Indian classical music. Reflecting on the audience here, he says, “I have performed in Hyderabad before, and the audience is very nice for Indian classical music.”
The performance also highlighted Amar’s long-running collaboration with poet Vaibhav Joshi, a partnership that has grown stronger over the years. Speaking about working with the poet, Amar shares, “Performing with such an accomplished artist has been a divine experience. He has written many wonderful, deeply meaningful poems and has also worked in more than 100 films. This collaboration has worked beautifully, and the audience has shown immense love, because of which we have completed more than 30 shows in a very short time.”
He adds that audiences have responded warmly to the combination of poetry and flute music wherever they have performed the show. “This combination has worked very well, and in a very short time we have done more than 30 shows because audiences have received the programme with a lot of love,” he says.
Blending poetry with music requires careful listening, Amar explains, because the rhythm and emotion of the poem guide the melody. Talking about this process, he notes, “The poem says everything itself and everybody knows that the poet understands it best. However, to accompany a particular poem as a musician, one must first be a musician and an artist, which I am. Moreover, I have been performing with Vaibhav for more than five years, and this helps me understand his temperament, how he delivers, and what the poem conveys, so I simply pick the genre and the pulse of the poem and ride its journey.”
Although Amar has spent years in studios recording music, live concerts remain his favourite space. According to him, “My first choice is performing in front of the audience because I feel the energy and vibes of the audience, and I love that. Every time it becomes a new experience. Every audience is different, and I never know how I will connect with them or where things will land, and that uncertainty fascinates me.”
Interestingly, Amar also has a background in computer science, but music eventually became the path he chose to follow. Reflecting on that moment of clarity, he says, “During my master’s in computer science, I had to go to an office from nine to six for an assignment. At that moment, I realised this is not my way of living life. I finished the course but decided that music is what I want to pursue.”
Reflecting on what keeps him inspired, he shares, “The first note always fascinates me because you never know what will happen. No artist can say that yes, I am going to rock the stage because that will be overconfidence to me. Unless and until you get the blessing from Maa Saraswati or from the stage itself, you cannot deliver well.”
For Amar, music is more than a profession. It is a lifelong devotion that continues to guide him. “While doing my master’s, I realised how fortunate I am to be a flautist and to have the flute in my hand rather than any other instrument. The flute is the instrument of Lord Krishna, and because of that, I feel deeply blessed to play it. I will be playing the flute for the rest of my life, and even whenever I am born again,” he concludes.