Culture of India shared with songs
As a young college student, Nandkishor Muley would walk for miles carrying his santoor on his shoulder to receive music lessons from his guru.
Today he is known around the world for his music and work spreading Indian culture. When he’s not making music he teaches at Stetson University in DeLand and the University of Central Florida.
“Music is the best bridge between all the cultures,” said Muley, sipping tea in his Sanford living room. A cultural ambassador with every performance, Muley believes music is the best way to unite people from different parts of the world.
Muley, 60, will play his beloved santoor and share his culture tonight in Maitland.
The venue will be filled with the sounds of India as Muley and others sit down to perform. This concert will be a “kirtan,” which involves traditional Indian chanting, accompanied by meditation music and discussions about philosophy.
Originally from Baroda in western India, Muley’s musician father filled their home with music from morning to night. His father also taught music at Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda.
Muley says the first time he heard the centuries-old santoor the music touched his heart and he knew he wanted to master the instrument that involves striking 100 tuned metal strings with wooden mallets.
Before coming to the U.S., Muley said he spent years giving musical clinics in India and Germany, where he learned about European culture and western music.
He was invited to perform in Central Florida around 16 years ago and af- ter the concert, Muley says, he was offered a teaching job at Stetson. He started with just one course a year and now teaches multiple classes at both universities.
A majority of his students are not music majors, he says, but take his course to learn about Indian culture.
During one memorable show in Orlando he performed for A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the former presi- dent of India who died last year. Kalam began his speech by saying Muley’s music was so beautiful he was at a loss for words.
Muley says he is blessed to be where he is today, and as a young student he never imagined his music would take him so far.
Finding the time to perform is a challenge for the music scholar. His travel and work schedule limits him to one show every three to four months.
“Whenever I sit and play my instrument I feel very relaxed and I feel good,” Muley said.
Muley’s ultimate goal, he said, is to make people happy and open their eyes to better understand a culture from the other side of the world.