Schools that Rock

While there are many classical music schools teaching the basics,including the Pracheen Kala Kendra in Sector 35,it’s the desire to go solo,to jam in a band and make it to a reality show that is making all age groups hunt for the right school. Seeing the potential,brothers Ondry and Paulus Paul,music teachers at Mount Carmel School in Sector 47,started their own music academy. The Paul School of Music is run by the two in Sector 10 and at Mount Carmel School.

“We are primarily into western instrumental music,” says Ondry. The school is open for all age groups,and holds classes twice a week. “We motivate students to make original compositions because that is what will help them in their band,” says Ondry,who has mentored rock bands of schools such as Vivek High,St John’s and Mount Carmel and also has a band of his own called Fire ‘n’ Ice. One album old,they are now working on a new version of their hit online single,Raahein.

Meanwhile,in Sector 44,Ritesh Khokhar of Bridge Music Academy is busy going over the course. The two-year-old academy is housed in the British School and was started to extend “serious music education” to children. It has been set up under four international boards — the Associated Board of Royal School of Music,Trinity Guild Hall,Rock School and London School of Music. Once again,it is ruled by western musical instruments such as guitar,violin,drums,keyboard and piano. “We also offer vocal training,” adds Khokhar. With eight teachers and 65 students,the academy focuses on performance,studio and vocal sessions and instrumental techniques. “Since we are well-connected in the music industry,we also help our students get work and help them launch their careers,” says Khokhar,adding how every child has a right to music literacy just as they have a right to education. At the academy,they have also designed Bridge to Music,first of their kind textbooks that assist with structured and progressive music education in public schools.

Elsewhere in the city,well-established DJs Sameer Sandhu and Vishal Mehta saw the vacuum in deejaying and music production in the city. “There is no proper school to teach deejaying or music production and mixing,” say the two. A couple of months ago,they pooled in their resources and opened Frequency,an audio academy in Sector 48. The academy has a studio and a month-long courses developed by the two. It also provides keyboards and sound cards along with 80 GB music library to the students.

The enthusiasm and eagerness to participate in reality shows and the presence of budding talent in the city has made SK Verma open the Tansen Sangeet Mahavidyalaya. Set up in Sector 14,Panchkula,the Mahavidyalaya is a unit of Tansen Institute of Performing Arts Pvt. Ltd (TIPA). It offers courses in vocal,instrumental,dance,drawing and theatre backed by degrees,diplomas and doctorate programs in all the disciplines. It also provides special training for reality shows. “We conduct stage shows,seminars,workshops with celebrities and use the platform to showcase the skills and talents of our students,” says Verma. Tansen Production House has already run a successful singing talent hunt show titled Awaaz.