BORN TO PLAY

Crystal Slider and Indian Classically trained musician Shivam Rath is breaking down the barriers of many genres into new territories with the 22 string Hindustani Slide Guitar, Japanese Shakuhachi, Indian Tabla and vocals crossing over many languages often synced live with a looper.

Since Covid 19 in 2020 Shivam finished his last national Indian Classically based tour and during the lockdown applied for a 2 year scholarship in the diploma of music production at World Wide Media Institute SAE which he was awarded. This led him further down the path of not only a musician but a music producer branching into many different genres and styles and integrating the electronic elements into his live acoustic performance.

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REVIEWS

"With years and years of training and experience with high level musicians and masters around the world, shivam is both gifted and skilled in his creative expression. He has a really strong sense of style, and flavour and brings this to everything he does musically. This allows him to stand out in a uniquely beautiful way in which he flourishes and thrives, sharing his wholesome sound with the world as he pushes boundaries. He has an incredible ear and understanding for music. Through mastering his craft and western styles he merges the two beautifully. He has a strong and sound sense of creative workflow. He is a hard worker, dedicated and passionate."

Peer Review from SAE Student Council member Alice Magill

"When I close my eyes and listen to Shivam play the Slide Guitar I am truly surprised to see he is not an Indian"

Sangeet Mishra, 7th Generation Sarangi Player.

"A celestial Skywalker"

Murray Kyle, Music Troubadour.

Short Version:

A UNIQUE JOURNEY ?
A Universal feel yet based soundly in Indian classical Music, blending harmoniously ancient sounds with timeless tastes and modern tools, across many cultures & genres; using the Indian slide guitar studied and gifted from world renowned guitarist Pt Debashish Bhattacharya.

Shivam has played and studied many instruments in his lifetime, but of current pursues only a select few including vocals, Tabla & Japanese Shakuhatchi Flute from renowned grand master Riley Lee. His main instrument of choice however has become the Chattarangi or Indian Slide Guitar combined with the traditional Veena method of using a crystal ball as his gliding means within the vast deep Raga Sphere.

Traveling extensively around India and Asia, studying and sharing this musical practice and performance leaving a profound impression of something far more than just entertainment to the listeners in different language & different contexts.

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Shivam Rath began traditional training from a child in Indian music from his father. He later resumed this focus into Indian classical music in Varanasi with his fathers Tabla Teacher; master Pt Chhote Lal Misra, alongside Indian slide guitarist Dr Shibbanath Bhattacharya from 2010 ~ 2013 at the same time as studying a 2 year Yogic Diploma in Australia with the Satyananda/ Sivananda Yoga tradition. Thus he combined the experience and philosophical pursuit of musical practice with yogic practice, creating a concentrated effort of musical meditation and transformative healing through sound.

MEDITATIVE SOUND EXAMPLE OF SHIVAM'S MUSIC & VOICE AVAILABLE FOR FREE ON THE APP INSIGHT TIMER ~ ( AN INCREDIBLE WORLD WIDE MEDITATION APP FOR ANY SMART PHONE. SHIVAM"S GUIDED MUSIC MEDITATIONS ARE AVAILABLE UNDER HIS NAME OR HIS POPULAR TRACKS NADA NIDRA ~ A FLOWING MELODIC SLEEP)

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After his tabla teacher passed away he shifted from Varanasi to Kolkata in order to perform more extensively on the Indian slide guitar with world renowned guitarist Pt Debashish Bhattacharya. Shivam has adopted the traditional Veena method of using a crystal ball as his slide and aims for crystal clear clarity in tone and Meend (glide). He has travelled extensively around India and the world, studying and sharing his practices and performance as more than just a form of entertainment but a sacred experience & a meditative discipline.

Shivam Rath, a second-generation musician, was born into a Western musical family enriched by the deep influence of Indian Classical music through his father's extensive studies and the folk singer-songwriter, Rosemary Rath, who passionately explores themes of Indigenous affairs in her songs. Growing up in the vibrant alternative community of Byron Bay, Australia, Shivam was immersed in a Yogic and alternative musical lifestyle, shaping his musical journey from an early age.

An ambassador of Classical and Harmonic World Music Fusion, Shivam has become a beacon for this genre in Australia and beyond. His musical focus centers around three pivotal instruments—Tabla, Indian Slide Guitar, and the Shakuhachi Flute—learned under the tutelage of esteemed teachers Chota Lal Misra, Debashish Bhattacharia, and Riley Lee, respectively.

In addition to instrumental prowess, Shivam's artistry extends to vocals, rooted in the profound vocal system of Indian Classical Music and Sanskrit Mantra. He seamlessly weaves these traditional elements with progressive blends influenced by his Western upbringing, creating a unique musical tapestry. Shivam believes that each instrument offers a distinct perspective on music, enriching his understanding of rhythm, melody, wind, and vocal nuances. This holistic approach allows each instrument to complement the others, contributing to his comprehensive mastery of music as a unified and diverse art form.

Shivam specializes in meditative music, group orchestration, rhythmical accompaniment as well as Indian classical and original solo performance

He believes music is more than just a form of art or entertainment however and follows it as a sincere practice of lifestyle and a tool for meditation and healing. The philosophy of Nada & Yoga is a practice he has both studied, developed and is now sharing through concerts, workshops & group and private lessons around the world.

2021 Regent Cinema

Interview

First memory of music :

My first formal memory of music is singing with my father Indian scales (Do, Re, Mi equivalent ~ Sa, Re, Ga) for pocket money in Suffolk park Byron Bay.

Why was I drawn to Indian music ?

With a father who named me Shivam and played Indian music himself it could seem clear. But then again I rebelled for a long time until I left Byron at 18 and began living with my father in Sydney resuming his influence. This eventually led me to Yoga which led me independently to India where I met my Father’s Tabla teacher and began formal training from nearly 30 years apart.

When did you start playing the Crystal Slide ?

Firstly lets define the instrument I play as the Hindustani Slide Guitar (Hawaiian Lap Steel meets Sitar meets Veena) and my father and my Tabla teacher directed me to that instrument given my inclination to melody and string having already expressed my ability to play guitar. Instead of using a steel bar I began exploring other objects after losing my slide in the Himalayas and eventually drew upon a Crystal Ball. Crystal Slide is like a stage gimmick.

What am I doing in Lockdown ?

I am producing my own new work and practicing to blend live acoustic looping with electronic synthesis for deeper sub bass frequencies to contrast with the high end of my instruments. Since COVID began I applied and received a scholarship at SAE which is a 2 year course that I am nearly halfway into.

How can people best support my music?

I think Bandcamp is one of the best platforms to buy music directly from Independent artists as opposed to online streaming. However even without buying “my music” simply subscribing to say my YouTube channel or to my Website and encourage me with feedback and communication would also be highly meaningful.

3 best albums ever ?

My musical taste is always changing so this is actually the hardest question yet.

Stevie Wonder ~ Higher Ground

Ravi Shankar ~ Chants of India

Debashish Bhattacharya ~ O Shakuntala

Kolkatta India

Nada Yogi

Nimbin Australia

NEWS AND REVIEWS

THE NATURE OF RAGA

Raga's are based from nature and times of day/ night. Ragas require the musician to become a medium to invoke the mood and feeling above all else in learning a new scale. A small clip based on Indian Raga Durga.

PRIVATE BOOKINGS

One on one lessons or intimate concert settings for serious seekers; in person or across the web of space & time

Whether we want to become famous musicians or we simply want to enjoy the practice; the purpose of NadaYoga is neither. Like any life path it is a way to recognise the profound benefits music and sound can bring to our own lives subsequently impacting and effecting those around us. Having experienced this for oneself we can then share this as a living experience. Lessons can be arranged in person and in traditional temple settings or in the comfort of your own home via Skype and other online mediums.

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