Music: An Inseparable Part of Life

by PURVI RADIA
Posted on 2009-01-12
Remember the famous stalwarts Kesarbai Kerker, Lay Bhaskar, Khaprumam Partvatkar and Pt Jitendra Abhisheki. They all came from musical heritage. Music was part of their life and their soul. Even though these people worked hard, their music was not recognised at that time, but their passion and desire did not stop them from learning. Many of them moved outside Goa to avail of more knowledge on music.
So it is said that music should be in your genes. “Make music a part of your life and not just a mere entertainment,” said professor Kamlakar B Naik, Principal of Government College of Music.
Education brings in a genuine love for music, a musical sense, which means a sense of time and rhythm, besides versatility, creative ability and also stage confidence.
There is rarely anybody who is not touched by music in some way at some time in his or her lives. The only thing that is needed is the trigger to develop the art of genuine music in you.
Do you know that Indian Classical music is one of the oldest Indian musical traditions in the world, which can be found in the ancient scriptures of the Hindu tradition, the Vedas? “The earliest written records of musical expression are to be found in the Samaveda of India,” said Mr Naik.
There is a wide variety of forms in music like jazz, pop, fusion, rock, etc which forms one of the heart touching genres of music to the present generation. “Actually these different forms of music jazz, pop, rock, fusion have been originated from Indian classical music,” told Mr Mayuresh Vasta, lecturer, Government College of Music, Altinho.
Mr Naik informed, “Develop the love of music right from the early age so that you can establish yourself after 15-20 years of rigorous practice.” This practice requires some effort to achieve excellence in the field of vocal and instrumentation.
Get yourself admitted into any of the music colleges and receive credits for taking music courses. These course focus on listening to music and learning about different musical styles. “It is always necessary to learn the art of music from well renowned sources. The best way to learn music is through ‘Shravaniya Vidhya’, which means listening and grasping the music from your instructor,” mentioned Mr Naik.
He further said that Bachelor of Performing Arts (with a major in music) typically takes three to four years to complete and Masters of Performing Arts takes two years to complete. These degrees particularly provide students with grounding in music theory and music history. They also study an instrument or learn singing techniques as part of their program.
Joining an institution and getting trained is one of the first steps towards making a career in music but making a career out of this talent demands genuine interest, sincerity, willingness to work hard and most of all regular devoted practice with real dedication and commitment. “One should apply as many as 7-8 hours of practice in a day in listening and learning music,” said Mr Naik.
Understand the meaning of music. It is not to be studied for money. This attitude will not help you to establish yourself in front of an audience. Although this field demands a lot of practice and hard work, “a lot more depends on the acceptance of the audience which sometimes is a real worry for a performer.” Getting a good break is just luck by chance but “once you are established in this field, there is ample of opportunity to make money depending upon your performance.” said Mr Naik.
The opportunities are many besides becoming a performer (vocal or instrumental) or a teacher. One can be a music critic, composer, songwriter etc. Today with the advent of growing popularity of music channels and corporate, music is big business.
Music is one of the most profound human achievements. It not only soothes the mind, but is an universal sound, which can create emotions and express feelings.