Indian music exotic, not predictable like Western music: Emmy-nominated composer

The tunes of classical instrument sitar led Emmy-nominated music composer Kevin Kiner into the world of Indian music. The American composer says Indian music is not only alluring but has a wave of freshness in each of its composition, a quality that musicians in the West lack.

"Indian music is exotic and is unpredictable unlike western music. We as film composers are always trying to find something new and your country found something new a long time ago and we are yet to discover it," Kiner, who wants to visit India someday, told IANS after a autograph signing section at D23 Expo 2015 in Anaheim.

The three-day Disney's biennial fan event, which was being held in Anaheim Convention Center, concluded last week.

The music artist, who got nominated in The Daytime Emmy Award for doling out music for "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" TV animated series, noted that he has basic knowledge of sitar.

"I own a sitar and can play it, but not very well. I have a rudimentary knowledge of the instrument. I do play it, but not that often. I'm a guitar player and I'm always looking for unusual sounds and sitar has a very distinctive sound. I was interested in its microtonal tuning and different notes that we really don't have in western music," he added.

The artist, who has rendered music for "CSI: Miami", "Jane the Virgin" and "Star Wars Rebels", seemed excited to work with an India as he said he "would jump on the opportunity to collaborate with an Indian artist".

Kiner's tryst with Indian classical instruments doesn't end with sitar as he also plans to learn tabla.

"I'm also a bit familiar with tabla. The sound doesn't repeat and it is a very long rhythm and that is something that interests me. That is on my list of things that I really want to learn about," said the music composer, who also gave music for video game "GoldenEye 007".

(The writer's trip is at the invitation of Disney. Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)