biography My full name is Modeste Hugues Randriamahitasoa. I grew up in Betroka, a town in the central southern part of Madagascar. When I was young I heard a neighbor playing the guitar and I loved the sounds so much, I new from that moment that the guitar was going to be a part of my life forever, so I borrowed my neighbors’ guitar and started to teach myself how to play. When he moved away, I had no money to buy a guitar of my own so I built one in a workshop at the local technical college where my father was a teacher. I used fishing line for strings so it meant I had to hold the guitar very close to hear the sound, and even though it was difficult to play and out of tune, I loved to try to recreate the natural sounds of the birds, insects and life in the village. I was also used to hearing my mother singing and this gave me the inspiration to persevere. It did not take long before I began to take interest in other musical sounds especially those of the marovany, A 24 string traditional Malagasy instrument, which is box shaped and played like the West African kora. I eventually started to fuse the traditional rhythms and music of Betroka with many of the sounds that had appealed to my senses. I have spent years soaked in the sounds of the bush, the birds, whistling of the shepherds in the hills and it is this amazing pallet that I draw on when I play, and it is this place that I return to whenever I perform. My brother, Zariny Albert, was also into music, He was a singer and played guitar, we learned so much form each other as we played together at local celebrations. Later he even had a hit with the group, Zafisony Karimbary, and became a well-known musician in Madagascar. Zariny, my Brother has now passed on, but I owe my love for music to our experience together and I hope that in my music I can preserve his spirit. In my early twenties, partly due to my father's encouragement, I took a degree in engineering and when I was 26, I left Madagascar for Bulgaria where I had been awarded a U.N.E.S.C.O. scholarship to do a post-graduate course in electronic engineering. It was in Bulgaria that I met my wife who is Greek and after I completed my studies we moved to her hometown, Volos. I worked as an engineer for a few years but by the time we moved to London in 1996 I had decided to pursue music. It's a pity my father has passed away. Although he was happy I completed my studies, I'm disappointed that he can't experience my music as it evolves now. I have experienced many cultures outside of Madagascar, and I find inspiration in everyday life, it is these experiences that keep my music alive. Thank You |