new delhi talk about working hard and playing hard aeronautical engineer scientist teacher author veena player bharat ratna awardee at 75 the versatile president a p j kalam now has another feather in his cap that of pianistapart from the obvious benefits of a musical hobby kalams new passion may also help him strike the right chords next time he meets condoleezza rice after all the us secretary of state is an accomplished pianist rice has been playing since she was nine and at one stage seriously considered a professional career in music her detractors might unkindly quip that musics loss was diplomacys loss too as a matter of fact rice still plays as often as she can with a select group of friends and has been quoted as saying that she finds piano playing transporting kalam is quite excited about it too and these days the corridors of rashtrapati bhavan are echoing with the lilting tones of the piano as its famous occupant takes time off to perfect his notes ive always had a keen interest in western music and i am finding it extremely interesting and fascinating he said in an exclusive interaction with stoithat the president has a fondness for music is well known he has been playing the veena a difficult instrument to master for many years so how does he find playing the piano in comparison in western music the notations are in written form therefore it is relatively easier to play a piece based on it indian classical music on the other hand requires intensive riyaaz as one has to play from memory he saysand when does he get the time from his 247 presidential commitments to indulge in his passion mostly on saturdays and sundays he saysthe president is reputedly picking up the nuances of piano playing fast but he might do well to remember the words of ignacy jan paderewski third prime minister of poland and worldrenowned pianist if you dont practise for one day you know it if you dont practise for two days the critics know it and if you dont practice for three days the audience knows it