Years passed by living in India as I learned the ancient art of its classical music, giving my life to the gurukul and honoring my Senya Gharana, becoming the love on every note I play..." Fernando Perez
Fernando moved to India in order to learn about Indian guitar as well as its music and culture. Settling in Jaipur, he was received by famous Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt who helped him, putting his own son Salil Bhatton charge of Fernando's education. He received lessons from him until he found who were to become his next Guru Jis (teachers), Shri Satish Pareek from Jaipur, who studied under Pt. Vishwa Ji's guidance and his wife Dr. Geetsudha Bhatt daughter of acclaimed Padmashri Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt from Benares. They also received him in their own home and offered the chance of learning in the traditional indian way, the Gurukul system.
The Gurukul system in India has been the oral way of education in music for many centuries, once a student is accepted by the Guru, becomes part of the family by double party; part of the guru's family and part of the gharana's family. A gharana is a lineage of artists who carry on the style of its founder who established the lineage by artistic merits, inside a gharana everyone is related, every student is a guru bhai (brother), a guru is like a father, a guru's guru is called 'guru dada' (grand father), a guru's guru's guru is 'guru pardada' (great grandfather) and so on.
Just like a dream come true Fernando was accepted in what is called the Senya Gharana, founded by Ustad Miyan Tansen, a famous artist who served in the court of the greatest Mogul King, namely King Akhbar. In this way Fernando's indian musical lineage goes back to his guru Satish Pareek, his guru dada Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, guru pardada Pt. Ravi Shankar and so on until reaching the mythical Ustad Miyan Tansen. Since then, Fernando has been trained in the art of rendering ragas (Melodic part), and the different talas (rhythms) in instrumental music. He also entered in the vocal program of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh Mahavidyalaya which is a music institution related to the Bhatkhande University of music in Lucknow, being this among the first to be established in India.
I think of her as I play 'Bageshri' remembrances of a challenging love I cherish in my heart, If I could only touch her heart... I'm waiting for
the Spirit to bless us. Evenings passed by sitting with Guruma Ji and the children taken by the joy of playing 'Khamaj', when the news of my friend’s new born baby came and inspired me 'Shandhya Lori' (indian lullaby). Guru Ji trying to correct me as I play raga 'Pilu', not realizing I'm far away lost in a world of dreams where I share the sunset with the one I love, and the music in my heart is thanks-giving offering to The One who created her. One good day I discovered the abstract beauty of Ragas throughout 'Yaman', impossible to describe with words, now I understand many things Guru Ji tried to explain me by actions... Away from home longing for mother and father I wrote 'Mata Ji' and 'Pita Ji', their musical presence, to help in the loneliness. Meanwhile the easiness of 'Bhairavi' carried me during the indian days, astonished at every adventure awaiting on every corner...
In Benares lives a talented man who wrote a song about 'Kelas', one of Shiva's dwelling places, Guruma Ji learnt it from the man himself; Padmashri Pt. Balwant Rai Bhatt; her father, and together we offer it as a tribute to him, may he forgive us for not reaching the performance greatness it truly deserves. How can I explain the beauty of my homeland in words? perhaps in a song, 'Mallorca' riding throughout the castilian fields, the majestic Pirineos arriving to my Ejea... it is to me like Ithaca to Cavafy. And with one of the names of the deity is always safe to finish what once was started 'Jago Mohan Pyare'..." (Fernando Perez)
Guitar and Music of India