'Perfect' music for Vishal

HE IS young, talented and the music director for some top soca and chutney artistes. At 18, Vishal is following in his father’s musical footsteps.  The son of veteran musician, Veerendra Persad, Vishal is an expert on the keyboard. “While music itself is a complicated subject, it is easy when you can pick the notes on the music scale. And my concentration has been on both chutney soca and soca rhythms,” he explained. Vishal believes there is the perfect music to suit everyone in the world. “If you think about it, is really the sound vibrations that can comfort people. Sometimes we are in a foul mood but the perfect song can soothe out hearts and soul.

“If the words of wisdom are placed in a particular song by a popular star then people react to this song and this can bring about positive change in society,” he said. He has always been involved in music and was eight years old when he won first place on TTT’s Children Of Mastana performing “Suhaag” on the keyboard. Since then he has been experimenting with the keyboard and can play both English and East Indian music. He recently completed a CD compilation of soca tunes titled D Leaders of the JMC Trevini orchestra, of which his father is the leader. D Leaders carry such songs as “Mario” and “Chitra” which are topping the charts on East Indian and other frequencies.

He also arranged music for Sudesh Jagroo (current winner Mastana Bahar) in the hit song “Ochos Mochos.” Names like Adesh Samaroo, Anil Bheem, Papa Steve and Sarika Mahabir have been working with Vishal’s music. This business student hopes to one day develop his own music and recording business. He is due to enter Ryerson University, Toronto, to pursue a degree in music. He is also interested in broadcasting studies and wants to get into the broadcasting business. “Music is my life. If I hear a tune on the radio, immediately I am working out the notes in my head. And I just love to listen to music coming out of the East,” he said.

He is training younger brother Veeshan, 10, on the keyboard and synthesisers and they spend time each day working on music. Commenting on the tsunami disaster in the Asian countries, he said the disaster shows how unsure we are of our own lives. “These people who perished in the tsunami disaster must be building new homes and trying to get ahead with life, when in an instance they all died. It is really a wake-up call to the world. People should really take time to do devotion and say a prayer for those who have survived the tsunami,” he said. Vishal is enjoying the pre-Carnival season with his family in Barataria. “I love this country and I didn’t realise how much I miss out on the food and culture here. I feel Trinidad and Tobago is a blessed country and I am the first to say that I am Trinidadian.” He will leaves tomorrow to take up studies in Canada.