Only a few artistes are able to spin a magical tale with each one of the 88 keys of the piano. Thus when one names Delhi-based pianist Brian Silas, the reaction that’s often elicited is filled with reverence. A self-taught musician, he turned his instinctive passion into a lifelong journey that he now looks back at with much love, on World Piano Day (March 29).
Not many know that the annual event is celebrated on the 88th day of the year, to honour the instrument’s 88 keys. But this Kanpur-born artiste does and goes on to unravel his love for the instrument, which he found as a toddler. “My mother told me that even before I could properly reach the keys, I would find a way to play tunes with just one finger. It was a love and passion I was born with,” he recalls with a smile, as he sits in his home of many years, in the Capital.
Though encouraged to take formal lessons, he believed his music was a gift of Nature, and remained beyond structured training. For years, it remained a quiet passion for him, as he played purely for himself. It wasn’t until the age of 35 that he decided to turn it into a profession — thanks partly to a chance encounter. “Ravinder, my now wife, saw me playing at a hotel in Delhi back in the day. She always had a deep love for the instrument and believed I had something special. Later, she encouraged me to take it seriously, and that changed everything,” he recounts.
Brian then went onto carving a niche for himself by translating Hindi film melodies through the piano, an instrument that was traditionally tied to Western Classical music. “No one played Hindi songs on the piano because they are based on ragas, which are difficult to translate. But I spent time on it and eventually mastered it,” he says, sharing how his magic on the keys even prompted late author Khushwant Singh to comment how he ‘Makes the piano sing’! No wonder, thus, when asked about his relationship with his instrument, the key master says with gratitude: “The piano is my life. Even when I sleep, I feel as if I’m playing the notes in my head. It’s not just an instrument, it’s a part of my being.”
Having performed on some of the biggest stages worldwide, including the UN Hall in New York for India’s 51st Independence Day and the Rockefeller Center (NYC) — in the presence of former US president Bill Clinton — Brian has witnessed the world of music evolve globally. Yet, he believes the piano remains irreplaceable. He asserts: “You can never get the richness of the piano in any other instrument. It’s rightly called the the king [of instruments] because one piano can take care of bass, melody, rhythm and everything, without needing an accompaniment. No matter how much the music evolves, piano will always stand tall!”
At 68, the maestro is rehearsing dedicatedly to present a tribute to late poet Sahir Ludhianvi. “Sahir sahab’s poetry has a timeless soul, and I have played numerous compositions inspired by his words. The upcoming tribute is our way of honouring his genius,” he signs off.
Catch It Live
What: The Unforgettable Legacy of Sahir Ludhianvi Saab
Where: Auditorium, Chinmaya Mission, Lodhi Road
When: April 4
Timing: 6.45pm
Nearest Metro Station: JLN Stadium on the Violet Line
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