Artiste who found the right keys at the right time

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Unlike most youngsters who at the age of 17 are either busy playing cricket or like spending time watching Bollywood dance and song shows, Abhay Goyle dedicates most of his extra time — when he is not at school or studying — in playing the piano.

And despite being just 17, he has entered his name in the Limca Book of Records as India’s youngest pianist.
Recently at the opening ceremony of an art event, Art Mart, at Epicenter, Gurgaon, Abhay mesmerised everyone with his performance. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Indian cinema, Abhay did complete justice to the theme of the event by churning out tunes like Mere sapno ki rani ki kab aaegi tu, Pal pal dil ke paas and Abhi na jao chor kar with an ever-inspiring zeal.

Abhay took to piano when he was just six years old. His grandfather, Arun Kumar Goyle, was the first one who inspired Abhay to play on a piano. As the saying goes, Doobne wale ko tinke ka sahara hi kaafi hai, Abhay too just needed someone to hold his hand and take him to a piano.

“My grandfather led me to the piano, who himself used to play on it. I pressed the keys on a piano for the first time when I was just six years old. When my grandfather saw me pressing the keys he taught me to play Om, Jai, Jagdish, which were my first keys. The next day he helped me with four new keys and then told me to join the keys. This was my first introduction to a piano,” says Abhay.

First taught by his grandfather and then by Jaideep Lakhtakiya since Class 10, Abhay is very much interested in old Indian melodies. Abhay is so much in love with Kishore Kumar and old Bollywood melodies that he recently came up with an album titled Magical Journey: Hits of Kishore Kumar as a tribute to Kishoreda on his 83rd birthday.

“I like songs of Kishore Kumar so much that I wanted to do something for him. This album is a tribute to Kishoreda and his songs,” says Abhay.

Starting from late Jagjit Singh to Kavita Krishnamurthy, from L. Subramanium to Pankaj Udhas to Anup Jalota, Abhay has played with all the maestros on the same stage at this young age. But he is not proud of this achievement as he feels that it is a part of the learning curve. “While playing for singers like Jagjit Singh, I learnt to play according to the singer and carry forward in the same note,” he says.

Studying in Class 12 at Modern School (New Delhi), Abhay has completed the Trinity College of London Grade VIII exams through Theme Piano School, New Delhi. Excelling in diverse themes, he plays devotional, patriotic, golden Hindi melodies as well as English melodies with great confidence. His mother Anjali Goyle says, “It is Abhay’s luck that his grandfather was a big fan of piano. He has been playing on a piano since he was six years old but we noticed him when he started playing nursery rhymes on a piano.”

Abhay has even composed music for a Bollywood movie titled V3, which is at its pre-production stage now. Tracks like Babuji dhire chalna, Piya tose naina laage, Pal pal dil ke paas, ajeeb daastaan hai ye, are a delight to hear when played by the young maestro.

This is not all. This child prodigy was selected at the all-India level by the POGO channel for the “Pogo Amazing Kids Awards” (2004) where he was the youngest boy on the piano. He also uses his talent for promoting social causes and has performed for various NGOs.

Besides, Abhay has also played for former President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam at Rashtrapati Bhawan. “In 2007, we had sent Abhay’s biodata to the Limca Book of Records when we knew that no one of his age is playing a piano. Given the achievements of Abhay and after looking at Abhay’s records — he used to do charity shows to help the poor — Limca chose him as the most talented young pianist,” says Abhay’s mother.

Abhay too had his share of struggle in the beginning when his academics used to clash with his practice sessions and domestic and foreign assignments, but he had managed them well.
“Although we had initial troubles as Abhay’s study used to clash with his practice sessions and performances, now everything is all right. Abhay has managed them well. However, we let him decide what he wants to do in the future,” says Ms Goyle.

No doubt music can do wonders — but when a young maestro like Abhay plays it, it gives a feeling that wonders even take place in this 21st century world. Jimi Hendrix once said, “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.”

This young maestro is sure to bring a change in this world with his music.