On a Musical Journey
Rav Sira comes from a family of artists in Oslo, the capital of Norway. Music, football, and fishing became an integral part of his life during his school days. His greatest passion was music – so much so that he chose to pursue music full time. In 2014, he joined the world music department at Codarts Rotterdam, University of the Arts, specializing in Brazilian music. His love for music and his zeal to imbibe its various forms took him to faraway lands.
During his graduation days and soon after, he spent months in Brazil, El Salvador, Mozambique, Scotland, and the Netherlands, learning different instruments and performing at major music festivals. “I was pursuing music not as a mere hobby, but as a career option. I knew that I’d found my calling, and this is the thing I wanted to do,” he shares.
His passion for music allowed him to explore the historical connections between Scotland and his native Norway. In 2019, he formed a music troupe with two other musicians in Scotland, and began performing gigs across the country, including a particularly memorable one at the historic Edinburgh Castle. Rav’s last formal engagement with music before coming to Isha was as a substitute music teacher in a Sami village in the upper reaches of Norway during the pandemic, from August 2020 to June 2021.
While people’s warmth and silence made the stint easy, the cold waves and 24 hours of darkness put his physical and mental limits to the test. “Hatha Yoga practices came as a huge, invaluable support,” recalls Rav.