Stephen lives, dreams and breathes music. Music is Stephen Devassy's
love and profession. "I was never academically inclined. Since
I was always into music, I thought, why not make a career of it,"
says this 24-year-old from Ottappalam, Palakkad who is gaining recognition
in the music industry. He is now settled in Chennai. Stephen Devassy,
whose passion is music, composes, sets tunes and arranges music. He
scored the music for the 2004 Malayalam movie - `Hariharan Pillai Happy
Aanu,' starring Mohanlal.
Stephen Devassy who plays the piano has done eight grades in music
from the Trinity College of Music, London and was the best scorer in
Asia whose record is yet to be bettered. He started learning the piano
at age 10 and entered the world of music, under the guidance of Leslie
Peter who was his first guru. He learnt the organ and then was introduced
to the piano by Fr. Thomas at Chetana Music Academy in Thrissur where
he completed his Eighth Grade examination conducted by the Trinity College
of Music, London. "Fr. Thomas was a real slave driver, he also
taught me the perfection and discipline needed for a pianist,"
says Stephen.
His first chance to play for Hariharan on his tour of Europe was a
big experience, says Stephen. "My mind opened up. I began seeing
good musicians and it made me learn my western classical music better.
It was a fusion of ghazals and Western music. I went as an accompanying
artiste to play the keyboard. As it was concentrating mainly on ghazals,
all the other artistes were from Mumbai. I was the only South Indian.
I still join him on his tours," he says. " Explaining his
work on the keyboard, he says it is primarily about arranging several
types of music. "This enriches and fills up the space in a song."
With some hard work and luck, he got a programming keyboard. "Going
with Hariji to the U.S., Canada, Paris, Germany, Belgium, Rome, South
Africa, Middle East was a great experience. I thought of some solo performances
-- contemporary yet inspired by classics," says this shy youngster.
In his teens, instead of hanging out at hot spots, Stephen was busy
working with Colonial Cousins and then, with the musical wizard, A.R.Rahman.
The rest, as they say, is history. "It's all thanks to my family
who gives me full support," says the music prodigy.
"Fusion is the trend in music today. Bringing together the Western
and the Eastern style of music. Merging them to contrive a new style
in music. I play the Indian musical style which appears to be Western,"
remarks Devassy. Yanni, the Greek musician and Michael W. Smith inspire
Stephen, who loves Mozart’s Symphony, in musical compositions.
He is one of the regular band members in a band called Rex Band, a
Christian contemporary band singing gospel fusion and pretty soon, he
says, " I got the opportunity to sing before Pope John Paul II.
It was at an event bands from all over the world were present and we
were the only one from India. It was a very thrilling experience."
Stephen, who is the pianist of Rex Band, has orchestrated an instrumental
version of the popular Rex Band melodies called ‘Different Vibes’.
In association with Kosmic Music, Stephen has also set to tune to
a background of western music, Sanskrit slokas, mantras and verses from
the Upanishads, called `Sacred Chants of Kosmic Music,' and albums of
holy chants on Ganesha, Shiva and Vishnu.
He has also accompanied violin maestro L.
Subramanian at the Lakshminarayana Global
Music Festival. "It was a fusion with the London Symphony
Orchestra. I was given an opportunity to arrange three of the songs
sung by Kavitha
Krishnamoorthy for the concert for the London Symphony. It was
a great exposure," he says.