Conscious Choice: In Tune with India

July 2005

In Tune with India

A local couple is among the handful of musicians keeping traditional Indian spiritual music alive

by Anna Poplawska

Clar Monaco was an avid guitar player in the 1960s when he was first exposed to the sitar, an Indian musical instrument, when it made an appearance in the Beatles’ “Help!” movie. He grew even more enthusiastic when the pop-rock group continued to incorporate the sitar into some of its songs.

Soon the teenager was purchasing any records of Indian music (particularly those of Ravi Shankar) that he could find in his hometown area of Washington, D.C. Although his ethnic background is Italian and Croatian, he had already developed a fascination for all things Indian and besides reading books about the Eastern culture, he had been initiated into transcendental meditation.

Today, Monaco, 50, who lives in Chicago Heights, is one of only a handful of musicians in the Chicago area who play the sitar, a high-pitched stringed instrument, similar to a lute, with a pear-shaped body and a long, broad neck.

There is debate as to when the instrument was invented; with some saying it was fashioned as recently as the 18th Century. What’s certain is that in India the instrument is traditionally used today on special occasions such as wedding and engagement parties. However, many Indians are struggling to keep this tradition alive in America, because the U.S. doesn’t have the ready supply of qualified players.

If you want to check out the music, you can catch a performance by Monaco and his wife, Gigi, who will be giving a concert at the southeast corner of Millennium Park, at Monroe Street and Columbus Drive, as part of the Lurie Garden celebration. The music begins at 3:30 p.m. July 8, and 2 p.m. July 9. Occasionally the couple invites a tabla player to accompany them, or some of Monaco’s more advanced sitar students to create an ensemble effect.

This is a long way from Monaco’s college days in Spokane, Wash., when it was nearly impossible to find an actual sitar, much less a sitar teacher. So he took classes in classical guitar and continued to play in bands on and off throughout the 1980s, while he worked as both a painter and audio producer. By this time Monaco was living in the Chicago area, where he chose to stay after earning his MFA at the University of Chicago.

It wasn’t until 1993 when a well-known concert sitarist, Mushtaq Hussain Khan, made Chicago his home base while touring America that Monaco got an opportunity to take lessons. It was about the same time Monaco met his wife, a native Hawaiian. She also had a background in music and soon developed her own interest in classical Indian music, and now plays a large variety of Indian instruments.

Before Khan returned to India, he introduced Monaco to Shree Patric Marks, 70, who also lives in Chicago. Monaco still studies with Marks, explaining that there are always more ragas (Indian symphonies) to learn. Although the notes may be written down, there are subtle idiosyncrasies and regional differences that can best be learned only from a qualified teacher.

Monaco and his wife had started a band, which they called “This Naked Body,” explaining that the name had a spiritual meaning that referred to baring the soul. But by 1998, they gave up the pop-rock band to devote themselves exclusively to classical Indian music. In 2004, Monaco was awarded a Praveshika Pratham certificate from the Bharatiya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal Music Institute in Pune, India.

In addition to playing for weddings and at universities, the couple performs during meditation sessions at a variety of locations, including Sanctuary Crystals in Alsip, Healing Earth Resources in Chicago, Practical Magick in Frankfort, and the Theosophical Society in Wheaton.

They said that part of what keeps them intrigued with Indian classical music is its spiritual dimension.

“It just satisfied me … musically, spiritually, intellectually,” said Monaco, adding that while he still meditates, the music has also become a spiritual vehicle for him.

The spirituality expressed in the music may be traced to its roots in the Hindu temples, where much of it originated. Other stories are said to have a strong link to the days when a rishi (wise man or sage) would go into the forest and chant mantras. Many scholars believe these melodies have been preserved in traditional ragas handed down over the generations. Other ragas are based on indigenous folk melodies. There’s also been a heavy influence from Persian music, due to repeated invasions of India.

What makes the music beneficial in meditation, according to Indian tradition, is that when the music is properly timed and played, the frequencies and harmonics are believed to stimulate the energy centers and chakras in the body. Some believe the droning of the tamboura can even lower blood pressure and heart rates.

The ragas also tell stories. Each one has its own sentiment or character. For instance, “Raag Hansadhwani,” which is particularly popular in South India, is about a swan, and seeks to portray within the music all of its graceful characteristics.

Clar and Gigi Monaco perform 7 to 9 p.m. every Friday at the Khyber Pass restaurant, 1031 Lake St., Oak Park. They also sell Indian musical instruments via the Internet, and give instruction. For more information: www.geocities.com/musicmeditation, or phone 708-754-7026; or e-mail [click to e-mail].

Anna Poplawska is a freelance arts writer, member of the Chicago Art Critics Association, and an artist. On July 23, she’ll teach a class “How to Look at Art” at the Ferencak Gallery Summer Festival of Art, 1740 N. Normandy Ave. For more information, call 773-622-0324 or e-mail [click to e-mail].

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