Interview with pianist Anika Rahman - a talented Bangladeshi living abroad

Rome, it is said is the city of dreams. It has attracted artistes, painters, musicians for untold ages. As we walked past the Coliseum we couldn’t fail noticing the imposing architecture and grandeur, the legacy of master architects, from all those centuries ago.

Rome, at present times, is also home to one of the largest Bangladeshi communities in Europe. Against this backdrop was it any surprise to come across a talented Bangladeshi who apart from studying for a law degree, was also into pursuing her dream of learning the piano?

After our tour of Coliseum, we visited part of the old Rome, famous for its winding roads, towards the “newer” Rome where I met Anika Rahman, a budding pianist who has already won acclaim in Europe.

During a tête-à-tête, the gifted artiste shared her musical experiences, aspirations and more.

Who did you learn piano from? Is piano/western music less popular in Bangladesh?
Anika: I started taking piano lessons at the age of eight from a local music teacher in Rome. Then I enrolled in a music school. Eventually, I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a pupil of a very renowned musician and music director at the Music Academy of St. Cecilia, one of the most prestigious music institutions in Europe. He taught me for over 6 years.

I would say that the piano as an instrument is less popular in Bangladesh. In Europe, many households will have a piano. In Bangladesh, for obvious reasons, this is not a trend.

As to ‘western music’, I suppose western classical music is certainly less familiar/popular in Bangladesh. I think this is because music is closely linked to the culture of a certain place. Whilst many people will recognise famous composers like Beethoven or Mozart, I think few will possess detailed knowledge in this field.

That said, I am quite sure that modern western music (pop, jazz, rock) does get significant exposure, especially amongst the younger generations.

Is classical music your forte?
Anika: Classical music forms the base of all music, and when I perform, I do predominantly play classical music, although I am also able to play other sorts too.

Who are your teachers? Which pianists do you admire?
Anika: I have been taught to interpret the music in a very individualistic way. As such, I rarely look to other sources for inspiration. My greatest mentor has been my piano teacher himself, Maestro Luciano Cerroni.

Is the piano difficult to learn and what are the qualities required to be a good pianist?
Anika: Well I think to use the word ‘difficult’ you would have to compare learning the piano to learning something else. I think that compared to learning other instruments, the piano is difficult in that it provides the starting point and the fundamental basis to composing, directing, singing and playing other instruments. Many people therefore choose to tackle the piano first and as such, it is difficult because it is a person’s first contact with the world of music.

The piano is also a highly complex instrument and as a pianist, you are often faced with a multitude of challenges. The number of things you can do on a piano is unrivalled on any other instrument. In this regard, it is difficult to master.

In answering your second question, the notion of being a ‘good’ pianist, again, is very subjective — as is everything else in music. However the basic skills one needs to possess in order to flourish are motivation, talent and technique.

Pianists…are there any particular ones you admire and what do you think of the quality of playing?
Anika: Richard Clyderman and Lang Lang are amongst some of the big contemporary musicians whom I admire. Both are incredibly virtuous pianists who definitely add something special to the music when they perform.

However, to date my favourite pianist is Sergey Rachmaninoff himself, who was also a composer in addition to being a pianist. I think his talent and the extent to which he pushed for the development of the previous romantic works of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov through his own performances, makes him one of the most influential pianists of all time.

Anika took exams from the Royal School of Music (England), and from the Music Institution of St. Cecilia, passing with the highest grades.

She has won several international competitions including the ‘Premio Valentino Bucchi’ and the Perugia Music Competition in addition to being awarded several musical bursaries and scholarships.

Anika has performed extensively throughout Europe. “Places where I have performed include the Capitoline Hill of Rome, and a famous church in the capital also. Other places I have performed at include embassies in Copenhagen and Cairo, to name a few,” she adds.

Anika is currently taking a year out from legal studies and working at the World Food Programme. Being in Rome, she hopes to take up the opportunity to start practising again, having access to an instrument and may be involved in a fundraising concert for an international organisation in the near future

Sadya Afreen Mallick