Published in “The Rising Nepal – Friday Supplement” /April 8, 2016
– Sampurna Lata Tuladhar
A 5 years boy who loves to spend his time playing has become a hope for many as a future star in music field. Luckily, I am the mother of the talent boy, Yatsu Ratna Bajracharya.
Yatsu dedicated his first ever outdoor performance to his preschool teachers on teachers’ day (Guru Purnima) six weeks after resuming his practice. Then he was only 4. But he amused entire school family as his was excellent performance. He sang rhyme “Butterfly, Butterfly” in three different languages (English, Nepali, Nepal-bhasha) back to back. Laxmi Maharjan, his teacher, couldn’t stop herself to praise the tiny tot’s talent and said, “I’m so happy that my tiny dear student is so much talented. I must tell you, he is also a very good in his studies. He is an active and lovely student of mine.” After this, Yatsu’s performance was set for upcoming parents’ day at his pre-school.
Yatsu, 5, Playing Drums
Picture: Ishwor Shrestha
The difference in Yatsu’s and other young drumming performance is that he played in rhyme songs rather than adults’ song which is the reason every kid in school enjoyed the time since they all knew the songs.
It had been just 2 weeks when he started to learn to hold sticks, kick bass and hit snare when the most unfortunate earthquake hit the country in April 2015. He even hadn’t practiced to use hi-hat, bass and snare together. The area around our house was devastated by the quake. Several houses just in front of our own had collapsed. Practicing drumming became almost fearful since the people were afraid to stay inside their houses. After 10 weeks’ gap, when he again started to try drumming he made both his parents surprised. He took over quickly. “When he was 2, I remember he took away my drum sticks while I was practicing, he didn’t let me play at all. Now I realize music is in his veins. He proved it. He made me surprised when I returned home, he had already covered beat and timing” said his father, Anuj Ratna Bajracharya, former drummer. Drumming became very interesting to him when I sang rhymes he already knew while playing it. “Five little monkeys jumping on the bed” was the first rhyme he sang with drumming. Now he is practicing double bass too.
In March 2016, He again performed in his Parent’s day of his school. His performance was very much appreciated by viewers when he performed his drumming with singing three songs, all in different languages.
“Congratulations to both parents for making Yatsu an extraordinary.” said Ms. Subarna Keshari Maharjan, Director at Times International School Montessori Pre-School (TIMES). “His performance was very higher comparing to his tender age. Playing drum and singing together are unbelievable. It is really amazing. Keep working Yatsu. You would be a great musician. We entire Times family feel really proud to have you as our student. Lots of love and best wishes.”
“Yatsu is a very talented boy.” said Mr. Deepak Swopnil Shrestha, a well-known and award winner musician, singer, composer and the music teacher at the school. He further added, “He has good sense of rhythm. His future is bright in drumming. My best wishes are always with him.” Yatsu soon got invitation to perform in another parent’s day by the school. The feedback from every single guest was an inspiration for him. “He had improved far better than last performance.” said Nirmal Bajracharya, Chairperson of TIMES. He said, “His communication with the viewers during performance is very good. It is not an easy task.”
As a mother of the talent boy, I am naturally very happy. His father, who is a drummer, is also very happy with Yatsu’s performance. We hope Yatsu will get plenty of opportunities to nourish his talent and platform to present his abilities. There are many other talented kids who vanish before they come to highlight when they don’t get proper platform. But we are sure we won’t let Yatsu vanish from the scene. There are few videos of Yatsu’s drumming in YouTube as well.