When three years ago the Harmonica Club of Gujarat was formed, there were only six 'middle-aged' men who got together with the mission to popularize this small musical instrument which was fast becoming extinct because of the advent of electronic keyboard.
Today the HCG has over 30 members, half a dozen of them school children in the age group of 10-15 years. The man who deserves credit for attracting the generation next is Paresh Bhatia, who turned 50 last Septmber 11. Bhatia had not only introduced harmonica in his music class in a leading public school of Ahmedabad, but also gave personal tuition to anyone and everyone who wished to learn how to play this instrument.
It is Bhatia Sir's efforts which have given the music world child prodigies like Devansh, Aditya, Mihir and Pratham who have not just learned the 'Sa, Re, Ga, Ma' but can today play popular tunes from olden days, decades before they were born.
The result of this Guru-Shishya parampara was witnessed at a public performance of the Harmonica Club of Gujarat at Ahmedabad's premier Rajpath Club on September 10, 2011 where the kids outshone the veterans in presenting scintillating and romantic numbers.
We present here a few of the numbers played by the child prodigies.
Today the HCG has over 30 members, half a dozen of them school children in the age group of 10-15 years. The man who deserves credit for attracting the generation next is Paresh Bhatia, who turned 50 last Septmber 11. Bhatia had not only introduced harmonica in his music class in a leading public school of Ahmedabad, but also gave personal tuition to anyone and everyone who wished to learn how to play this instrument.
It is Bhatia Sir's efforts which have given the music world child prodigies like Devansh, Aditya, Mihir and Pratham who have not just learned the 'Sa, Re, Ga, Ma' but can today play popular tunes from olden days, decades before they were born.
The result of this Guru-Shishya parampara was witnessed at a public performance of the Harmonica Club of Gujarat at Ahmedabad's premier Rajpath Club on September 10, 2011 where the kids outshone the veterans in presenting scintillating and romantic numbers.
We present here a few of the numbers played by the child prodigies.
