Twin Melodies
crescendo: a piece of music that gets louder and louder Characters Shruti Sharma
: A young aspiring violinist Guru Nabin Sharma : Shruti’s father, a violinist, and
the Principal of Sangeetika
Music School Leela Devi
: Shruti’s mother Avinash
: Tabla player of the fusion
group Iqbal
: Flutist of the fusion group Peter
: Keyboard player of the fusion
group
ACT I The scene opens to the notes of a beautiful Indo-Western fusion music piece in its crescendo. There are four children on stage playing in a room that has a small rack and a wooden table stacked with books. On the wall are posters of famous Indian flute players Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shashank Subramanyam. The room belongs to Iqbal, who is playing the flute. On the tabla is Avinash, Peter on the keyboard, and Shruti on the violin. Soon they wind up their performance and are packing up their musical instruments. Shruti wears a look of distress on her face. Peter: That was a good rehearsal. Well done guys! Let’s meet again tomorrow. Iqbal: (picking up a newspaper from his desk) Wait wait, before anyone goes. Did any of you guys read what they wrote about Shruti’s performance with her father yesterday in the Parbatpuri
Daily
Clarion?
Ahem ahem, “Melody runs in the veins of Miss Shruti Sharma, daughter of the master violinist Nabin Sharma!” Avinash:
Oh ho! Wow Shruti! You are a
sensation now! The least you can do
is throw a party! Peter:
Shruti Sharma for the win, sweating
on the vi-o-lin! (Shruti remains unaffected, lost in her thoughts. The boys surround her trying to distract her.) Peter: Shruti! Iqbal (a little loudly): Shruti! Avinash (very loudly): SHRUTI! (Shruti is startled. There is silence for a few seconds while Shruti finds the words) Avinash:
Oh god, don’t tell me you still haven’t
told Nabin sir about the concert! Peter: Does that mean you have still not told your parents about these practises? Just tell them you come for the practice from 4 to 5! Iqbal: Yes Shruti. Just tell them you practise with us. Tell them about the concert. There is no need to worry! Shruti: There is need to worry Iqbal! You don’t know papa. He is very strict about these things. He will think it a desecration of the violin to be played to Western tunes. Papa firmly believes that Classical Hindustani music, with its ragas and aalaaps, is the only kind of music that an artist of any worth should play. I don’t want papa to feel that I don’t care about his opinions, because I do. It’s just that I want to give this a try too. I just don’t know how to tell him in the right way! Iqbal: All ways are right ways, Shruti. He is your father, he will understand. Avinash: I agree. You are making matters worse for yourself by not talking to him. What’s the worst that can happen? He will scold you a little, maybe. But he will eventually come round. Iqbal: Yes Shruti. And what is a little bit of scolding? I basically have a little bit of scolding for breakfast every day! (all laugh) Shruti: You are right guys; I guess it is time to bite the bullet.
Thanks
for
encouraging
me
Tonight, at dinner, I promise to bring
this up. Peter:
That’s the spirit!
A Friend Found in Music
Music is the ocean That pulls me to the shore.
Music is the rhythm That moves me to the core.
Music is the therapy I need when I feel blue.
Music lifts my spirits To make sure I pull through. The times when I’m most cheerful, It’s clear, music was there. Music is the needed friend When no one seems to care.
Bryanna T. Perkins