After over a year without performing due to COVID-19, musician and visual artist Indeera Pujar ‘22 is ready to make her final mark on the Baldwin music scene. 

Her excitement isn’t in anticipation of praise or recognition, though. It lies in the joy of finally having audiences who can connect with her art again. 

Pujar said, “Words may not express a specific feeling, but listening to one song can give you a window into someone’s soul. Once an artist releases music to their audience, in a way, it isn’t theirs anymore. The audience has the gift to interpret the words and the instruments in a way that speaks to them.”

As a member of the B-Flats, Baldwin’s acapella group, Pujar has that opportunity again. Pujar said, “It’s so rewarding to see actual audience member’s reactions to your repertoire instead of just singing and that being it.”

When speaking about the B-Flats, Pujar said, “Everyone in the group genuinely enjoys singing and music in general. When we are singing a certain song, and the energy is there, and we are all looking at each other, something clicks. There is this subtle understanding that everyone has of one another. We will all know how to express the musicality in a certain song the same way because the connection is there. That experience is something I am so grateful for.”

Although the lockdown prevented live performances, Pujar’s love of art wasn’t hindered. She was able to channel her emotions into abstract drawings and paintings, which she worked on during her time with Ms. Wilke in Baldwin’s Drawing and Painting class.

Pujar said, “Art provides me the comfort of being by myself. I am never lonely when I am doodling, painting, or drawing.”

Pujar also had time to practice the drums, which she has been playing since she was a child. She was able to display her drumming skills in the recent Baldwin Upper School Winter Concert, where she played with the Jazz Band. The ability to feel and understand music that is necessary to drumming has influenced her perception of music in general. 

Pujar said, “As a drummer, I am taught to pick apart songs—for example, how to distinguish the bass guitar and a bass drum (one you can hear and the other you can feel). That skill has carried with me throughout every song I listen to; I will pick apart a song I have never heard before. I have learned to appreciate the sheer beauty and experience that comes with listening to music.”

In addition to the drums, Pujar also plays the violin, guitar, ukulele, and the dhol, an Indian percussion instrument. 

Ultimately, as a musician, Pujar finds value in the emotional bonds music provides. Pujar said, “It gives me so much joy to be a part of a group like the B-Flats because those musical connections and emotions bond you beyond just camaraderie or friendship.”

Indeera uses her bonds with others and her instruments to evoke feelings in her audience, making her both a thoughtful and successful artist.