A casual social media posting spiraled into a gratifying musical journey for Sandhya Chopra and her family during the Lockdown.
An educationist by profession, Sandhya was always inclined towards performing arts from a very young age. An avid dancer, she trained with acclaimed dance maestro Shiamak Davar and formed a deep connect with both music and dance.
“I have not undergone any formal training in music and call myself a passionate pianist with no degree and I play by the power of ear,” says Sandhya who does not follow any notes or music sheets when playing the piano.
“A day in my life is typically managing responsibilities and rehearsing on my grand piano for at least 4-8 hours a day! I often wake up at 6 am so I can manage a few hours of practice before the day’s routine starts.”
Her love for music has also rubbed on her 13-year old son Shiv, who in his own right is an exceptional drummer and is also formally studying music.
Trending on Social Media
A casual post of Sandhya playing the piano wherein she only featured her hands on the keys and not herself, garnered a lot of appreciation. She was encouraged by all to share videos which showed her playing the piano. And as they say, there was no turning back!
“Seeing all the posts making their way online during the lockdown, I decided to post something too and uploaded my piano episodes. After 2 videos I asked my son to join wherein I would play the piano and he would perform on the drums creating an interesting ‘jugalbandi’. Little did we expect the terrific response we would get! Soon people started requesting dedications and special numbers which we took up joyfully. My daughter who is three wanted to join the fun too and became our compere.”
Over 24 videos have been put together during the lockdown which have seen over 3 – 3.5 lakh views. Sandhya has also performed online live shows for various groups and events, many along with her son.
“These are very informal and warm performances which form a very good connect with the audience as I am interacting and talking during the breaks with them. These videos are all captured by my husband in our own home and there is no studio feel to it . Everyone has been very generous with their appreciation. It has also become a great bonding activity for the whole family as well.”
Accolades
Her passion for music and dedication to this art has been a source of inspiration during the pandemic. The musical videos of the family have been featured in The Literary Mirror magazine, Momspresso, All Indian Women Music Festival, Rang Foundation, One Beat , Music Online, World of Kidz and many prestigious platforms. Most recently, she was also awarded the ‘MOST TALENTED FAMILY’ award in the Women Who Win Talented Family Hunt Contest. Their last song video garnered over 2.5 lakh views in 3 days.
