Joseph Pius is an extraordinary man with a great passion to music. He has a collection of 150 musical instruments at his apartment in Kuwait. These include Senegalese kora, Russian balailaka, Arabian Oud and Nepalese Sarangi.
Joseph began his hobby with an Indian violin, which was his father’s gift while at school. This is one among four violins, which includes Chinese and Japanese ones, which he treasures. “I am now in search of a German violin, which is regarded as the best among violins,” says Joseph. Recently he bought an angklunk, an eight-piece percussion instrument made of bamboo.
Joseph has a storeroom at his home where he keeps the instruments. Recently, he bought a Nadaswaram, a south Indian wind instrument from Kerala which is kept covered in cloth.
When he gets some free time, he plays the various instruments including one which is in the shape of a frog. Sometimes, he plays a 12 stringed harp, an African instrument, which has many artistic decorations.
The other instruments include the rebab, oud, and also the Malaysian fiddle. He has a string instrument called bulbul which is no longer manufactured. Joseph is planning to visit Nepal to buy strings for the sarangi.
Joseph regrets that he hardly finds time to play his favorite musical instrument, the violin. He is planning to open a museum for traditional musical instruments from all over the world. Joseph plans to equip it with the sound, history and growth of the instrument.