Formal training must to make hearts sing

One of the 19th Century Italian educationists, Saint Don Bosco said, “A school without music is a school without a soul, for music aids education. Music is considered to be a most efficient way to obtain discipline, morality and help good feeling.” Your natural talent for music is a great gift, and you are entering into a soulful career! Music touches the heart of everyone. 

Though music is a natural talent, it does require a formal education. Talent alone is not sufficient. Music and musical production have many facets and nuances. If you would like to make a career out of your natural talent, you need a ‘formal’ training as applied to sports, arts or cooking. Formal training has many advantages, including compositional pursuits, music technology, business and production. It is critical to building your unique style in the backdrop of history and culture. 

We are wrong to think that we always have to pay higher fees for all that we desire to study. In Tamil Nadu, there are music schools and music colleges established under Arts and Culture department to provide formal education. A student is even offered stipend to study. The Government Music Colleges are in Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Thiruvaiyaru.

These colleges offer graduate degree in Music. There are various specialisations like Vocal, Veena, Violin, Mridhangam, Nagaswaram and Thavil, Classical, Hindustani, Western Classical and Music Technology. There are also evening music colleges that offer diploma or certificate courses. One can pursue title courses, Teachers Training Certificate, BA, MA, M.Phil and PhD in music.

There are a number of institutes in Chennai like Annamalai University, Queen Mary’s, and Kalai Kaveri in Tiruchy. There are part-time and fulltime courses. Online courses and tieup for formal training are organised by overseas institutes like Trinity College and Middlesex University in London.

Demand for music education in Chennai and elsewhere in the state is on the increase, thanks to the entertainment industry. Films, advertising and reality shows provide opportunities for good training.

You can follow different career strains like orchestra, teaching, directing music, music engineering, etc., There are scores of attractive career opportunities with a formal music education, like Accompanist, Musical app Developer (Music apps are overwhelmingly popular, and it needs consulting and testing), Arranging (reconceptualisation), Audio Engineer, performers in the audio industry and clubs, Film Music, Music Journalism, Symphony and Orchestra. 

A music video could bring big revenue through YouTube. The church musicians are required to have some formal training. Music Therapist, Private Music Teacher, Broadcasting, Radio Producer, Radio Broadcast, Disc Jockey, Music Journalist/Critic, Studio Musician, Theatre, Armed Forces, freelance and contract are other options one can explore. 

Formal education shows you the way to go. Computer and knowledge of music recording software like Pro Tools, Cubase, FL Studi and Logic Pro are handy.

Keep ready a demo of your works like ad jingles, songs and tracks. Hard work coupled with luck could bring satisfaction and success in this field.