Zakir Hussain urges media to promote young talent

Mumbai, Feb 6 (UNI) Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain has urged the media to promote young talented classical musicians rather than focusing on those who have already gained reputation.

''The media was not doing enough to promote young Indian classical musicians,'' Mr Zakir Hussain said.

''Like cricket, Indian classical music has a pool of incredibly talented players, but the media was not promoting them. Artists and music lovers were doing their bit by promoting artists of various genres of Indian music through concerts, tours and performances which were often ignored by the media,'' he said.

''In my professional career of 45 years, I have had to spend 18 years just to get noticed,'' he pointed out.

''You can avoid writing about us, but do write about them'', appealed the Tabla meastro, while asking, ''In case the current crop of artists retire, where will we find the new talents to take their place?'' UNI ZC RN/MAZ SK HS1825