The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bushra Rahma

Sharif Ahmed is a very renowned music director in our, who works for all most all sectors of music. This music lover started his affair with music in his childhood with playing of Tabla. His love and passion for music has led him to establish himself as a successful musician in our cultural arena.

He did background music in 6 films, many dramas, composed 400 jingles and around 35 album songs. For his works he was awarded several times. He was awarded as The Best Music Director 2003/2004, Best Jingle Maker in 2005, The Best Music Director in 2005 and Zia Shangskritik Padak in 2006.

: How did you come to the cultural world?

: I used to play Tabla when I was 7 years old. Then I started practicing songs. In 1977, I attended 'Natun Kuri' A Section and I got a prize. This is the main step from where I got inspiration to be in the cultural arena. After that I participated many national and local programmes.

: How did you come to music direction?

: Well, after getting the 'Katun Kuri' award I had a 3-4 years gap from music because of my studies. Then, again I came back to music world and started performing.

At the time of changing my voice from teen to adult, my music teacher asked my to stop singing for two years. Because that time it is a pressure on the tone to sing professionally. But, under request of my family members and relatives, I continued singing in different programmes. As a result, my voice cracked and I had to stop singing. Then I thought to just be with the music as I already fell in love with it. Gradually I came to the field of music composition. By the late 80s, I planed to establish a music studio but I found it very expensive. So, I went to Japan in 1989.

I worked there to earn for my dream studio and alongside it, I completed a two years diploma on Sound Engineering and did a course on Key Board from Roland School in 1993. I also worked in a music studio called 'Sound Palace' in Tokyo. Then I came back to Bangladesh in 2001 and established a music studio named 'Studio Acoustic' and started my career a music director.

: Did you find any difference between the past and present when you started your career as music director after coming back in Bangladesh?

: Of course. Before I left the country, we used to work on acoustic but now, as the technology has developed, works are done mostly on technology. We use a lot of software.

: And how about the environment?

: I am a bit depressed about the environment. In the past, people who used to practice culture used to work in media.

But, now media has become a commercial place. People hardly justify qualification. Most of the people work with favor from others. So, ultimately quality of work is hardly found.

: What is the possible reason you think is responsible for this situation?

: I think as people have become more commercial these days, they hardly think about maintaining the quality of the work as more works are done within a very short time. On the other hand, the producers don't have sufficient budget for the musical side. So, the music directors also do not give enough time. But yes, now some of the people are maintaining quality and as a result we are getting some of the quality works. Which is a hope for us. Another thing is, we don't have any institution in our country for the music directors. But most of the countries have such institutions.

: What do you think can be a possible way out of this problem?

: We need training and for training we need institutions. And it should be in every district just like Shilpakala Academy. Then it is possible to find the real talents from all over the country with academic background.

: As a music director, which are sectors you worked for?

: I composed background music 6 films, around 400 jingles, composed music of around 35 audio albums and background music for dramas. But recently I stopped composing background music.

: Why?

: Because we are supposed to work for minimum of 5 days to compose one-hour long background music for drama. But we don't get the right remuneration for that and enough time as well.

: Do you think we have the environment to take music direction as a career?

: It's a very tough question. Well, if anyone wants to take it as profession, s/he has to be very smart. S/he has to have the contemporary music idea. Moreover, it's a very challenging job as I told you that hardly anyone values quality.

: What is your suggestion for the new generation?

: If anyone wants to be a musician, he/she has to love it. The singers need to remember one thing that s/he has to learn singing properly and need to practice it regularly.

: What is your future plan?

: I am planning to do some eastern and western fusion work in future. I think our audience is fond of fusion music.

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Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"My studio is the most important place of my daily life. In my studio I spent most of the time, creating my pieces. The atmosphere of the studio inspires me to paint whenever I feel like. It got its own meditative aura to make me feel at peace to create and experience the journey of creation all together. My studio has the perfect spiritual connection with my soul and surroundings. I believe every artist has desire to have their own place for inner exploration. So they have their studio. All my paintings are all around the space, which helps me to see all the works each day and night. So I can feel the warmth of each of them," Nazia Andaleeb Preema, visual artist, Chair and Creative Director of Preema's Atelier, said this at her open studio exhibition of Eid holidays.

Preema organised the open studio exhibition at her studio at House No 28 (3rd floor) old DOHS at Banani in the capital during the Eid vacation.

The open studio exhibition was continued from October 12 to 18 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. During that time she worked there and exchanged her works with artists, art lovers and critics. While asking about her works and working process she said, "My works are dependent on design fundamentals like form, colour and composition. I believe the most complex emotion can be evoked from the simplest of forms. My style explores the relationship between man-made structures and the natural world - the idea recognisable shapes and structures living within irrational thoughts and emotions. I begin a piece very spontaneously and become more detailed as the composition starts to show itself. The process involves layering. The first layers are the most erratic and freeform, similar to automatic writing. An impasto style is used during this time creating thick textures. I sometimes add other elements like pumice, gels and collage in these early layers. There are no preliminary sketches or notions of what is going to transpire. I notice different characters and forms in the middle of the process, which I then nature and allow developing almost at their own will. A dialogue is created with the paintings, and it starts to show me what needs to be done. Determining when a painting is finished is a crucial and difficult step in my process.

I always have to see it with fresh eyes after at least a day has passed to decide it is finished." Many artists, art critics including foreigners, media personnel and visitors came into the studio to see the exhibition and to share experiences with her about her art works and working processes.

She said, "I derive titles in the same spontaneous fashion that the work is created. They are intended to give the painting an identity and character. My colour theory, which seems to be the most immediate aspect of my work to the viewer, is very instinctive and unorthodox. In recent years, I have been using more neutral and oxide colours to enhance the vivid colours, which would be similar to a less is more technique in a more traditional style. Non-object abstract art is difficult to fathom, and this keeps the viewer interested. As an artist, I am intrigued by this idea. I believe how the viewer interprets the painting becomes the reality for that person. I would be reluctant to interject another perspective."