KATHMANDU: Nagendra Rai is a popular flute player in the Nepali music world.
A Khotang-born Rai was fascinated by the flute when he was a child. But he never imagined that he would become a flutist in his professional life.
Rai, who started studying flute playing after passing SLC in 2059 BS has played flute in more than 23,000 songs to date. Excerpts from a brief conversation with Rai:
How do you see your musical journey as a flute player and your contribution to more than 23,000 songs?
In fact, I was interested in flute since my childhood. I started playing flute in the year 2060 BS, and my professional career began a couple of months later.
I have been playing flute for almost two decades now. It’s interesting as I feel lucky enough to meet new people, singers and musicians. In fact, it’s exciting.
What gives you the energy and excitement?
The flute is a very popular musical instrument. As a shepherd in my childhood, I used to play flutes a lot. I would say it was my hobby.
Making your hobby a profession will keep you energized. This is exactly what has happened to me.
How do you see yourself as one of the most popular flutists?
It’s up to the audiences how they rate me. I feel I was born to be a musician, a flutist.
I have had the opportunity to fulfill my dream and passion with my gurus.
This incomparable relationship with them will last till the last moment of life.
In that sense, I believe that the fact that I have been playing the flute continuously in the Nepali music field for 18/19 years is something blissful.
Is it that your continuous involvement in flute playing has led to success?
To be able to do what you love is to feel a kind of happiness. More than success or failure, I’m glad to be able to work every day in the genre I’m interested in.
This seems to be the greatest achievement of life.
What special challenge does a flute player have to face?
Of course, there are challenges everywhere. But there are also many challenging aspects of instrumental music.
For example, there is no good place to learn for those who just want to learn.
We also see people who are able to play well have not found a suitable platform to make a living by making a profession.
The flute, which is an original Nepali instrument, is very popular. But how are you dealing with the disappearance of our folk instruments when foreign instruments are gaining ground among the new generation lately?
We see the world as a ‘Global Village’. Technology is playing a big role in people’s lives.
Similarly, it is natural to be attracted to the number of melodies in songs.
It takes a lot of effort to be able to play most of the instruments like flute, tabla, Sarangi and other instruments.
In the same way, it takes a lot of practice for any musician to be able to play his/her imaginary tune through the instrument.
In order not to forget this originality, it is necessary to create a desire to do something from one’s heart.
There are very few people who want to move forward with the self that they need to practice.
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