Bored of same route of music through instruments, welcome to the world of beatboxing, a form of vocal percussion which primarily involves the art of producing drum beats, rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue and voice. At 26, Shlomo is already considered to be one of the finest beatboxers in the world.

By the age of 24, he had already achieved some amazing feats including recording music with Bj?¶rk for a Grammy nominated Olympic Games performance, creating the Vocal Orchestra (his 8-piece beatbox choir), and becoming an Artist in Residence at the prestigious London Southbank Centre.

The beatboxer currently on India tour, has been invited to perform in the country by That Cat Entertainment. His tour has been organized and managed by them in association with British Council and is also supported by Only Much Louder.

Passionate about his art and determined to build an army of talented beatboxers with his initiatives, Shlomo also rechristened by some as 'Harry Potter of beatbox',  in conversation with Radioandmusic.com's Harpreet Khokhar.

How did you get into beatboxing?

I've been making noises since I was tiny, before I knew it was called beatboxing. I took up drums at the age of 8 and the vocal stuff was just a way of practising the drums when I didn't have my kit. I didn't hear any other beatboxers until my teens and I was excited - I had to learn how to do that!

Beatboxing is not very known in India. Could you give a little information about it for the Indian audience?

Beatboxing is genre-less in a way - people often expect you to be 'urban' or to play lots of hip hop beats, as that's where the culture grew from, but these days beatboxers make any music they like - it's fantastically versatile. It's all about experimentation. I find new sounds and techniques all the time, and it comes out of constantly performing and challenging yourself to create new ideas.

What made you come to India? Do you foresee an audience for beatboxing here?

I've always wanted to come to India to witness the culture – especially the food, and of course the music. When British Council and That Cat Entertainment invited me to come and do a tour I was really excited. Hopefully it will attract a diverse audience – beatboxing tends to appeal to a whole range of people.

You also started the world's first beatboxing choir, the Vocal Orchestra. Tell us more about it.

The Vocal Orchestra is my favourite toy - it's an 8 piece troupe of incredible beatboxers and vocalists, 4 boys and 4 girls. The sounds that those guys can create together are incredible. People seem to be really attracted to the unity that we have to maintain, to be able to create 8 part beatbox routines that have the subtleties and textures of fully orchestrated music. We do a lot of improvised stuff as well as intricately prepared routines. Lots of fun!

You have started a training institute for beatboxers.  Were you trained for this genre of music, when you started out?

Beatboxing is much easier than it's made to look - we are all born with the same vocal equipment, and most of the techniques we use in beatboxing are the same tools we use in basic speech. I'm always beatboxing - once you catch the bug it's hard to stop. Until everyone you live with hates you.

Yes, beatboxing is another form of musicianship so having the heavily rhythmic background (I'm a classically trained percussionist and jazz drummer) has really helped me. I started my first street percussion group when I was 10, it was called Binbashers. Our neighbours weren't that keen on the noise so it didn't last long :)

It is a very unconventional form of music. How in your capacity are you promoting it?

I'm always trying to break new ground and reach new audiences. Right now I'm working on a theatrical show called Boxed and also a new solo piece called Mouthtronica. I'm trying to make as many different styles of music fit into a show as possible, all performed using only the mouth.

What kind of response are you expecting from India since it is a new market for you?

I hope it will attract a really varied crowd of people who are intrigued by new music. From my experience beatboxing tends to really unite a crowd as it is a skill that anybody can appreciate, regardless of age, gender, background or musical taste.

Is there any particular Indian artiste you want to collaborate with?

I'm really excited about jamming with Raies Khan and his morchang, and cooking up some new rhythms with Vivek Rajagopalan.

How do you promote your music?

I don't release any records, as beatboxing is more of a performance art than a recorded one – you have to see it to truly appreciate it. I promote my work through my website www.shlo.co.uk and also using video sites like YouTube.

Any other initiative that you are starting?

I'm starting to work on writing the first formal course in beatboxing. We now have a notation system which grew out a classical commission I did earlier this year called Concerto for Beatboxer and Orchestra... which I use in my teaching and writing. I believe that beatboxing is uniquely accessible as a tool for learning music and we are using it to help many inner-city kids in London who don't have many opportunities to shine.

Tell us more about your future projects.

I'm working on two shows, a group piece called BOXED which takes place in November, and a solo piece called Mouthtronica which I'm touring in the Spring. Who knows, maybe I can bring them both to India sometime soon!

Send in your comments to: harpreet.khokhar@indiantelevision.co.in