Remco Helbers

"In music no one leaves empty-handed. Everyone gets as much as he can take."
Hazrat Inayat Khan


Hi there!! Welcome to My Space


Dhrupad/Indian Classical Music
I'm Remco Helbers, a student of Indian Classical Music (in particular a style called Dhrupad). I play an instrument called the Rudra Veena. I'm since 2005 a student of Ust. Bahauddin Dagar, the Rudra Veena player. I was also fortunate to study with Bahauddins' uncle, the dhrupad vocalist Ust. Zia Fariduddin Dagar. My teacher here in the Netherlands is Marianne Svasek, a student of Ust. Zia Fariduddin Dagar. I also practise with Marianne's husband Nathanael, who plays pakhawaj.

Before studying with the Dagars I studied sitar with Darshan Kumari (2001-2005) and surbahar with Pt. Ashok Pathak (2003-2005). Early 2007 I travelled to India for 3 weeks to study with Ust. Bahauddin Dagar in Mumbai and to travel to Benares to attend the Dhrupad Mela.

Ambient/Bands/Projects
Though my main interest in music is Dhrupad these days, I also played the Chapman Stick solo and in bands (including Born For Bliss and Stargazing) until 2003. A GuitarCraft-course by Robert Fripp in 1998 marked a change in my view on music. I began to search for ways to use music as a form of selfrealisation, rather than entertainment. When fellow GuitarCraft-participant John Kimber told me he was organising an exhibition for his paintings I offered to make accompanying music. The result was released in 2002: "On Some Road". The music consists of ambient soundscapes on the Chapman Stick with various Tibetan Bowls and Bells.

Vinaya is an older (2003) Stickrecording done "live" in the studio, one take, making use of the feedback capabillities of the Oberheim Echoplex. The gradual fading of the layers of sound creates a constant changing flow of the composition.

Recently I've picked up the guitar and started composing again with Frank Weyzig of Born for Bliss. Also my interest in the Postrock-genre made me start working on an instrumental project.

Influences
Indian Classical Music
Ust. Bahauddin Dagar, Ust. Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, Ust. Zia Fariddudin Dagar, Pt. Pushparaj Koshti, Marianne Svasek, Darshan Kumari.

Ambient/Rock/Pop Music
Robert Fripp, Brian Eno, David Sylvian, Trey Gunn, Michael Brook, Talk Talk, Rain Tree Crow, TUU, Klaus Wiese, Fields of the Nephilim.

Currently spinning
This Will Destroy You - This Will Destroy You.
Russian Circles - Geneva.
Caspian - Tertia.
Fields of the Nephilim - All their old albums.
Ust. Bahauddin Dagar - Raga Megh.
Ust. Zia Mohiuddin Dagar - Raga Bhairav.

Art
Mark Rothko,
John Kimber (www.johnkimber.com).

Books
Hazrat Inayat Khan.
Ritwik Sanyal - Dhrupad.

My other bands & projects
Stargazing
Born For Bliss..

Download/buy On Some Road