On A High Note

On A High Note

Odisha has always been a land of rich culture and tradition.  It has also been a hub of budding and talented artists who have made immense contributions in various art forms.

True to this rich legacy, Aastha Mohapatra from Odisha has not only created a name for herself nationally but also globally in the field of opera.

In fact, Aastha is the first Odia to have ventured into this less-ventured field of art. With this, she has soared above the instrumental line and adapted to the dramatic demands of theatre shows.

Making A Mark

Defying the presumed barriers of languages, cultures and borders, Aastha has proved her caliber in the world of international opera and proven herself to be just right.

Now dubbed as the first opera singer from Odisha, music has been her defining career since the tender age of six.

Aastha started her journey with Hindustani classical music in 2008. Three years later, her dedication and perseverance saw her being selected as a member of the prestigious Mozart Children’s Choir of India —an initiative started by the Austrian Embassy and late Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Since then, there has been no stopping for her. Aastha has since been honing her skills in this art form and proving her best.

“Mozart Children’s Choir of India is a huge name. I was among the 500 students who auditioned to be a part of the choir. Being selected was a big step towards my dream. Western music was a new concept for me back then. My knowledge of Hindustani classical music helped to understand and sail through it as well,” she said.

For Aastha, opera was literally love at first sight.  “Opera is such a beautiful art form. I fell in love with it the very first minute I was exposed to it,” she recalled.

“Both music and drama are integral parts of opera. It is a passionate form of artistic expression. The techniques used in opera drive a singer to become a vocal athlete, providing a voice with incredible strength, vocal flexibility and consistency, even enabling one to sing without a microphone,” she added.

On a personal note, music is an intoxicating and intimate experience for this Odia talent. “Music conducts an emotional connection with the audiences, driving them to joy and tears. Really, it’s an experience. Operas used to be something that the rich in Europe would enjoy primarily. But over time, many people have taken to it and enjoy it abundantly. The technology boom, internet and online concerts have definitely played a key role in making it more accessible,” she said.

Family & Education

Aastha hails from a family of civil servants. Her father, Debi Prosad Mohapatra, is a civil servant and mother, Seema Pati, works in the development sector. Growing up in a household full of academicians, police officers and government officials, she was always motivated to follow the trail of serving society. However, she had also developed a keen interest towards music at a very young age.

“Music and art form integral components of my family’s legacy. I come from a family of trained Hindustani classical singers. My mother is a sitarist and also sings. Acknowledging my inclination towards music, my parents enrolled me in Hindustani classical music classes when I turned 6. That marked the beginning of my career in music,” Aastha said.

After moving to Delhi with her parents, Aastha joined her school’s choir as well.

Aastha has recently been accepted at the University of Oxford where she will be pursuing her Masters in Philosophy in Development Studies. “Music is my major career. However, I’m also open to exploring public policy. My family members have also been exploring their careers in this arena and I aspire to follow their footsteps and well,” said the talented soprano.

Soprano Success

Aastha has so far received more than 50 awards by performing opera songs on various national and international platforms. Her recognitions include the special mention award at the International Art Song Festival, which was organised by KMMC Chennai and Trinity Laban London in 2021.

She is also a member of the Lyric Ensemble of Delhi which is a classical, jazz and Broadway orchestra. She has also been performing across the city in different shows and recitals.

Her journey from Hindustani classical music to opera and later being titled a ‘soprano’ is laudable and only proves her passion for the art. Over the years, the young opera singer has performed on several forums and received several awards and she credits majority of her successes to her vocal trainer Situ Singh Buehler, an international opera singer, under whom she’s been training for the past five years. “She’s my vocal coach and my inspiration. I look up to her so much along with vocal coaching. She has also worked with different professionals across the world from time to time as part of different workshops and master classes,” she shared.

She regularly participates in various workshops by foreign musicians that have immensely opened the world of opportunities and possibilities for her.

In 2011, Aastha performed for the then President of India, Pratibha Patil, at Rashtrapati Bhawan. She has also performed at several embassies.

Multi-talented

Besides being a meritorious student and a soprano, Aastha is a trained pianist and plays the ukulele as well. She can sing in French, English, German and Italian. Currently, she is also exploring other foreign languages like Czech, Russian and Japanese.

“Music connects people. Singing is such a beautiful art that removes the barrier of language and bridges all distances. Opera has attracted the common people over the years. It has let me explore different cultures and languages,” Aastha said.

The 20-year-old singer believes that language does not act as a barrier as long as the emotion is well-expressed and understood. “After a lot of practice and performances, I have become quite fluent in French and have picked up a bit of German along the way. Learning and singing in a new language is a satisfying challenge that I love taking. It inspires me to discover new cultures through it,” she shared.

In 2021, Aastha was a part of a single named ‘Transverse’. Made in collaboration with DJ Aneesh Chengappa, it streamed on Spotify.

“This was a special assignment for me as I was the lyricist.  In fact I had penned a poem during the lockdown period. It basically communicates the surreal idea of freedom; freedom from all bonds. This poem was an outlet for my own emotions. This turned into a lyric and it actually turned out amazing. It was intriguing because it was a fusion of electronic music and classical,” she said.

Her participation in the International Art Song Festival 2021 exposed her to many talents globally.

The young artiste is also a firm believer in music for a social cause. She is a part of many fundraisers and has collaborated with several foundations to raise funds to provide food and oxygen cylinders to COVID affected people.

“I believe as artists, we need to reach out to the needs of the society for its betterment. So, I have been associated with such work for quite some time now and it gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction. Music for a better cause and for a better purpose is a gratifying experience,” she narrated.

Dreams Ahead

Talking about her future, the young soprano said, “It is my dream to be a part of the global music circuit. I want to bring my art to life through my performances around the globe. Music gives meaning to my life. It is my career choice, my passion and my motivation to become a better person every single day and I find music the best platform to achieve this dream. I aspire to pursue it dedicatedly and professionally and set higher goals to become a better musician with time.

“I love singing and I wish to share this joy with the world. I believe that music is a catalyst for social change and through my singing I want to inspire new musicians, create initiatives, raise funds, develop projects and contribute to society. Basically, I want to have a lot of music, music-based friendships and just a good community of artists so I can hone my art and make the world a better place with my art form,” she signed off.