-Sriharsha K.S
Chinmaya M.Rao coming from a remote village Honagodu, Sagar taluk, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, learned Carnatic Classical Music for about twenty years under the guidance of various Gurus. This perseverance built in him a strong willingness to pass on this great musical tradition to next generation.
But before start teaching to students, he himself wanted to achieve a level of perfection so that he will not disgrace the dignity, decency and quality of the great Carnatic Music. Hence he did not startup a music school. As time passed and he learned from different scholars and acquired different degrees in music, decided to give a shape to his music school with the blessings of the parents, teachers and well-wishers.
Basically born and brought up in village, Chinmaya M.Rao lived for few years in cities also for higher studies. As he loved living in the native village, after completing studies he stayed there only, opting agriculture as profession. Besides, as a music director he traveled through different cities of different states and brought vast experience of music field and dream of developing a wonderful future in the field of music.
Swaramedha – New Foreword To Music Life
It will be selfishness, if you think of growing alone in the field of music or so to say in any field. Instead along with growing oneself, others also have to grow and music should glow everywhere through everybody. Heritage of music should be protected and grown and should make our life worthy. Under these flow of thoughts he started the preamble of a musical life and that was “Swaramedha Sangeetha Vidyaalaya”.
Whom to teach music was the question as there were only two houses in his native village. At that time some of the well-wishers in Bengaluru insisted him to start his school in Bengaluru itself.
By that time Chinmaya used to travel up and down to Bangalore frequently for recordings and so without a second thought he decided and started the Music School in Bengaluru.
On April 9th 2014, Wednesday, at Vijayanagara and Banashankari, Bengaluru, the Swaramedha Sangeetha Vidyaalaya started with only 5 students. At both the places, the houses of the students were given to conduct classes. The light music teacher Mr. Narahari Dixit, parents of students from Vijayanagar, Mr. and Mrs. Anand and their house owner Mr. H N Raghavendra Rao and Mr. and Mrs. Murali from Banashankari witnessed this occasion. For only five students Chinmaya used to travel up and down during weekends to conduct classes. Some people even laughed looking at this.
Music teachers are there in every corner of Bengaluru in all the places. Some people ridiculed this school will not go long and he will go back to his home. But without worrying about all these comments, Chinmaya taught these five students only with immense dedication. The parents were amazed and very happy with the way of teaching and influencing students to learn and strive for achievement on their own.
Astrologer Mr. Anand of Vijayanagar, seeing Chinmaya’s hand had predicted that he will get an identity and success soon and can proceed with courage in his music line. Boosted with confidence by this, Chinmaya decided to settle in Bengaluru.
Establishment of Swaramedha International Music Academy:
The count of students increased from ten, twenty, and thirty and finally crossed eighty border. Chinmaya, who was coming to Bengaluru on weekends only, then shifted with family to Bengaluru itself. He legalized the school and on October 21st 2015, Wednesday, the holy day of Durgashtami. Swaramedha International Music Academy was established and he became the Principal.
First of all what is music? Why we should learn music? How learning music affects the whole personality? How it gives peace of mind to students? How peace of mind of individual person leads to universal peace? Chinmaya published a simple, beautiful video in Youtube, based on all these elite thoughts, under the guidance of Mr. H N Raghavendra. “Music for Peace” – in these three words portrayed the motto of the organization.
Prime Reasons For Students To Be Attracted?!
Today there are music teachers in every corner of streets. But the count of students for Chinmaya who came to Bengaluru recently is crossing hundred. The reason for getting attracting students and their parents is not only the music teaching, the exceptional thoughts and the overall complete development of student, the peace of mind through music and universal peace.
The teaching style of Chinmaya is not considering individual in a group. Instead he gives personal attention to every student and gives his own recordings and instructs students to study at home with that. He constantly follows up with progress of student which makes the student grow at any cost.
Chinmaya has published a video in Youtube on how to do lesson plan for Junior Section of Music which is very helpful to other teachers as well. This video clearly explains the plan for what lesson student has to learn, how much and when to take exams etc. Chinmaya is taking classes in batches at his home Rajarajeshwarinagara, Banashankari, ISRO Layout and Kengeri Upanagara. There are students learning Carnatic Classical Music Junior, Senior and Vidvat sections. Also, he is teaching for the B.Music, M.Music exams conducted by Universities.
Complete Picture:
Chinmaya documents the aim and complete picture of his music school in following ideas.
- The Whole World Will Become Full Of Music!
To start with if 100 students join for Junior Section, only 50 students learn Senior section and out of that only 25 do study Vidwat. After that only 3-5 students take Music as a penance, passion of their life and follow it. There are various problems and reasons to reduce from 100 to 3. It is a slow progress to increase from 3 to 100. It is not possible easily, but possible with difficulty. Both teacher and the student should have patience. It is possible through change of mindset of students only. If 100 out of 100 students proceed in this field, the whole world becomes full of music and will be the cause for universal peace according to me. Our music school is working towards this direction. We are happy that progress is optimistic only.
- Continuous Music Effort Is Only Our Importance:
Music is for our internal happiness at first. Then to share that happiness with others also. If without experiencing the internal happiness, desiring for temporary fame, external happiness only then the person is posing as a musician leaving the music. We want to imprint the basic objective of music and rich philosophy in the minds of students. Instead we don’t want to be a factory to produce students for reality shows of TV channels. But we don’t stop who want go for those programs as well. We send them with affection and encouragement only. But it is not of importance is our opinion. Our importance is continuous study on music should be there always.
Our students can perform on any stage as per their wish without even informing us as it is their individual rights. We don’t take away it. Instead we encourage still more, to deep dive study in music.
- All Students Are Equal For Us:
The money in terms of fees is important but the money itself is not the important for us. Monthly fees, the fees for internal assessment exams conducted twice a year and contribution for School Anniversary how much ever possible-except these no extra contributions will be asked giving any new reasons. Also we don’t woo students or parents of students who are rich or in high position. We oppose such things as well. For us all students are equal, nobody is high or low. We love everybody in the same way and will impart music education same way. All are important to us because our aim is hundred out of hundred.
- One And Only Motto… That is Universal Peace Through Music !
Ironically, for Classical Music, the music teachers think that student should learn from birth till death from him only and should not go to any other teacher. According to me this is wrong. The student, on learning from different teachers only mature and move towards completeness. It is not possible to achieve that maturity if he learns from only one teacher.
Music is a vast ocean and its depth can’t be measured and carried in any vessel. It is like one Guru (teacher) can give one palmful. One tree can appear big and soon one bigger than that as well. Student can go to any Maha Guru (great teacher) for further study. It is not wrong. Real teacher is a continuous learner also. But the student should have appropriate reason and take permission from the Guru before going for a new Guru, otherwise it may become meaningless. Student learn music from any good teacher, I am happy. But in the end students should become ambassadors of peace through the music, is my one and only motto.
Contact Chinmaya M Rao:
9449911590 (WhatsApp)
9535585270
CHINMAYA M.RAO-WEB LINKS
1) English Wikipedia Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinmaya_M._Rao
2) Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/chinmaya.m.rao
3) e-mail: [email protected]
4) YouTube Link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/chinmayarao
https : //www.youtube.com/user/shamalirao/videos