After travelling to many parts of Asia and Eastern Europe, Chilean musical duo Ser O Duo, comprising of Tomas Carrasco and Moa Edmunds, recently performed in Mumbai. The performance was followed by an interactive workshop with music students, where they spoke about rhythmic development and the use of wind instruments from many places of the world.
“We have had an amazing welcome in India. I think we are on a good path. I hadn’t expected anything from the audience here, but it’s good to see that audience in India is kind,” says Moa, who plays the acoustic guitar.
Popularly known by their project name Ser O Duo, both the musicians have mastered classical western and contemporary music styles. And on this particular trip to India, they are all set to chronicle their musical exchange with Indian musicians in a documentary. “This is kind of a study travel where we will be recording all the experiences we have with local musicians. This is an opportunity to share with the world how music connects people and cultures,” says Moa, and reveals that they have already recorded some sessions with a few local musicians, and have played with some other artiste as well.
Moa and Tomas have worked for many bands and projects together for over 10 years. They admire each other’s musical talent, which helps them work through their differences. “I think it’s important to respect each others’ process, both musical and personal. There is no competition among us. We admire each other’s work and the focus is on collaborating so we find solutions,” says Tom, who plays wide range of flutes from all over the world.
Talking about his love for the desi instrument, Tomas shares that he has grown up listening to veteran Indian classical musician Hariprasad Chaurasia’s music. He is now learning the intricacies of the bansuri from the maestro flautist himself. “I am fortunate that I got accepted at his institution. I have started this long path of Indian classical music, which I will surely incorporate into my own compositions,” Tomas says.
After completing their trip, Ser O Duo is all set to launch their debut music album Testimonio in Chile and other parts of the US. Moa explains that the album is about the idea of believing in yourself and in your partner. While the duo has learnt to follow the rules when it comes to music, they have broken the monotony with their latest album. “We believe in making music that comes from within. Each note is different with all our musical history in it,” says Mao.
When asked about their process of composing music, Tom says that it all starts with one vague idea. “We work over each idea that we come up with, and figure out how an idea can be transformed into a process. It is a collective work that we do after a lot of discussion,” concludes the musician.
