National 10 (Spotlight Weekly)

Passion For Music

A close look at the career of Bajracharya reveals that Nepalese music industry can look for brighter future

By THAKUR AMGAI

Opening up a band and singing songs of new styles that suits the taste of youngsters was the aspiration of Nhyoo Bajracharya during his adolescence. Talking to Bajracharya about his career in music suggests that he was born at a wrong time. Back in 1970s, when the music industry - particularly the modern and pop ones - were next to non-existent, Nhyoo with his friends would go around various places like Hanumandhoka durbar square to sing songs by popular western musical bands. Their aspiration to open up a band and sing such songs on their own could not take shape given the limited number of audience back then.

Probably because of this reason, Nhyoo Bajracharya's had to limit himself to strumming songs of his liking with his friends at the dormitories of the Tribhuwan Adarsha Awasiya (boarding) Madhyamik Vidhyalaya in Pharping.

He did open up a band (he prefers to call it a group than a band) named 'Blue Moon' with some of his like minded friends including Prabesh Man Shakya and Roshan Shakya and performed a few stage shows, but it did not last long. The dim career prospects led them all to choose alternate professions. "All my friends of that group have scattered to various other professions," says Bajracharya. Only Prabesh Man Shakya and Bajracharya himself are still linked to music.

Had he not started teaching music at early age, even Bajracharya might not have stuck to this profession for this long.

Bajracharya is gifted with a skill of music composition. Otherwise, without taking a formal course in music he probably would not have come this far. His success in Nationwide Music Competition organized every year by Radio Nepal 15 years ago is also a testimony to his talent in music. "We had not expected that we would win the first prize," said Bajracharya. "It was one of our whimsical decisions to participated in the contest." Apparently, the victory added confidence in Bajracharya and encouraged him to continue in music.

However, the environment in the music industry 15 years ago was not very favorable for a professional career. He quickly, but unexpectedly, found a way to continue in music. After teaching guitar for three years in one of the institutes, he found that the demand for music schools in the city was high. At a time when there were limited places to learn music and guitar, he started guitar classes at the Sadhana Kala Kendra which instantly became very popular.

After the success of the program he sensed business possibilities in music education, which led him to open the Doremi Music School in 1994. "After my guitar classes got popular, I decided to pursue my career by opening up a music school," said Bajracharya.

Doremi institute soon became popular among the aspiring artistes longing to learn music with consistent efforts of Bajracharya and teachers like Guru Dev Kamat. Four years down the line, Bajracharya's brain child was able to establish as a brand in itself.

As a child, Nhyoo had two passions - table tennis and music. "I used to be a very good table tennis player," said Nhyoo. "But I gave it up when I lost in one of the tournaments to a person who was not that good." He is now a well-known name to the audience of Nepali music.

He has just come out with a solo album with rising singer Ani Choying Dolma, which is topping the charts. Bajracharya says he does not go for overnight popularity but for lasting songs. "I do not believe in compromising the music for money and cheap popularity." A dictum that all beginning artistes should adhere to.