Music maestro A. R. Rahman has a surprise package for Kolkata. He announced the setting up of a second western classical music conservatory in the city. The first one is being set up in Chennai and will be inaugurated in June, he told the city media.
Rahman was all praise for Kolkata and its music and said that he had been inspired by folk music called Baul music in Bengal, when he was composing for the film Mangal Pandey. He has every intention of dabbling in Bengali music and will also keep an eye out for talent from the state. The musician was in the city of joy to shoot the finale of Airtel Bandwagon, a television reality show promoting music bands.
Courtesy: merinews.com
Showing posts with label K M Musiq. Show all posts
Showing posts with label K M Musiq. Show all posts
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Rahman: In sync
Rahman’s is perhaps the most popular Indian music-composer with a fan following across borders.
What is it about his music that has struck a chord globally? "I don’t know. I think the almighty has been kind to me," he says in a matter of fact tone. But there must be something that inspires him to come up with unforgettable tunes. "I think music is about personality as it reflects an artist’s inner-self. Inspiration could come from anything, the team you are working with, pressure, the script, an idea etc. But the essence is derived from nature and the desire to give something that will be cherished," he adds.
What’s presently got him most excited is a new role that he is stepping into that of a teacher. "I am coming up with a music school, K Music Conservatory. All these years, I have been investing in machinery. So, at 41, I have realised it makes sense to invest in art which is why I decided to go ahead with the music school," he shares. Learning music from AR Rahman should be an extra ordinary experience. People must be queuing up already.
Been everywhere, done everything, we wonder where he sees himself heading from here. "Art is always about the search for the next level, and that is what has kept me going all this while," he signs off.
Courtesy: TimesofIndia.com
What is it about his music that has struck a chord globally? "I don’t know. I think the almighty has been kind to me," he says in a matter of fact tone. But there must be something that inspires him to come up with unforgettable tunes. "I think music is about personality as it reflects an artist’s inner-self. Inspiration could come from anything, the team you are working with, pressure, the script, an idea etc. But the essence is derived from nature and the desire to give something that will be cherished," he adds.
What’s presently got him most excited is a new role that he is stepping into that of a teacher. "I am coming up with a music school, K Music Conservatory. All these years, I have been investing in machinery. So, at 41, I have realised it makes sense to invest in art which is why I decided to go ahead with the music school," he shares. Learning music from AR Rahman should be an extra ordinary experience. People must be queuing up already.
Been everywhere, done everything, we wonder where he sees himself heading from here. "Art is always about the search for the next level, and that is what has kept me going all this while," he signs off.
Courtesy: TimesofIndia.com
Monday, February 18, 2008
The journey so far
Music virtuoso A R Rahman in conversation with Rajiv Vijayakar about his newly-launched Music Conservatory and projects in the pipeline.
In every composer’s life comes a stage when he wants to pay back the art and medium that has given him so much. A R Rahman began in 1992 with Roja’s original Tamil version, little realising that he would win the National award for his debut — a first in film music history before Ismail Darbar repeated the feat in Hindi films with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The payback in Hindi films was even better — Roja changed trends in music the way only Barsaat (1949), Dosti (1964), Aradhana (1969) and Aashiqui (1990) had done before. Today, Rahman, who also went on a techno trip and dominated digital domain and earned the ire of purists, is shifting gears. The Fuhrer of modern fusion, who has composed music in seven languages, has launched a unique Music Conservatory as his return gift to the seven notes.
Excerpts from an interview:
The K M Music Conservatory was a long-standing dream, right?
Yes, but since I kept hearing of similar projects I was not going ahead. Finally, since nothing was happening, I began work on it. Initially, we are operating from near my studio in Chennai. But soon, we will shift to a proper campus just outside the city.
What exactly is a Music Conservatory?
It is a concept quite prevalent in the West and takes care of music as well as musicians. For example, there are certain instruments that do not yield lucrative returns or even decent livelihoods for their players.
Such people can therefore earn in other ways, such as web designing or learning music production even as they continue with their passion. This ensures that such players are available and the instrument does not get lost.
In music today, being abreast with technology and music production opens up many doors and today's musicians should know these. When I have worked abroad, I have found it easy to prepare and record music in a few days flat — and yet it sounds good. This is as much because of the orderliness and harmonic structure of their music as it is due to availability of all kinds of instruments.
But in India, one has to often find musicians from abroad for an orchestra. And unlike two or three decades ago it is very difficult to find players of oboes or French horns, to mention just two instruments.
The same fate has come on various Indian instruments as musicians are discouraged from learning them because they cannot earn enough. In the end it is music that is compromised.
But in the conservatory, a young musician can learn even a rare instrument and earn well too. Since I have extended this concept even to Indian classical and folk music, musicians can come here to learn different styles of music too, like kirtanas or thumri. A world-class orchestra is another goal.
What will the faculty and curricula be like?
The K M Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education will be India's first Apple-authorised training centre. We will have a faculty of professors and musicians from both India and abroad and plan to start the first batch in 2008, when we will audition vocalists as well as different instrumentalists.
We will have courses in Western and Indian Vocals, Instrumental Performance, Classical, Theory, Music Appreciation, Ear Training, Piano, Audio Engineering, an Apple- certified course in Logic Pro, and a Digidesign-certified course in Pro Tools. We will give away A R Rahman Foundation Scholarships for deserving students.
Will you be choosier now about film assignments now to give more time to this activity?
(Smiles) A bit, yes. But then I was never into doing ten films at a time.
In Guru, your Barso re and Tere bina proved more popular than the ‘item’ song Mayya mayya. Does that indicate a shift in trends?
By itself, it is a very good sign. It is a fact that electronic music does not satisfy in the long run and I have always loved acoustics.
You have always taken amateur singers even if they are not in immaculate sur. Others use pitch-correction software for such voices, but you do not. Why is that?
I do not think that it is necessary to have perfection every time. Too much polish can be boring! (Laughs) It’s like this new jacket I am wearing which has rough and faded edges. That can sometimes look more attractive!
But some songs demand trained voices. Why did you want Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to sing the raag-oriented Man Mohana in Jodhaa Akbar?
Well, Ashutosh Gowariker was very keen on it, but Aishwarya had no time to rehearse. And there are hidden talents in people!
In Mumbai, two filmmakers have always had foolproof collaborations with you — Subhash Ghai and Ashutosh Gowariker.
That is why I am choosy and do not want to repeat some films that were mistakes. These filmmakers push you and yet give you time because they want perfection. As a composer, I have really enjoyed working on all their films.
You are the first choice in Mumbai for period films since Lagaan. But you have been accused of being indifferent to the eras and regions in terms of orchestration and sound.
Period films, whether Jodhaa Akbar or Bose— The Forgotten Hero make you think differently. You cannot use a catchy groove and a certain authenticity is needed. But at the same time, there should be a contemporary appeal and quality, so I have to see how friendly my music can be while retaining the correct vibe. I try to avoid something that has too modern, but it’s not always possible or even necessary. The impact of the orchestration and background music is more important, like Naushad-saab’s background score in Mughal-E-Azam.
Which are your forthcoming films?
I am doing Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj, Aamir Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and his remake of Ghajini and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Dilli 6.
In Tamil films I am doing Shankar’s Robot and also Sultan— The Warrior. Then there is a Telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan.
Courtesy: Deccanherald.com
In every composer’s life comes a stage when he wants to pay back the art and medium that has given him so much. A R Rahman began in 1992 with Roja’s original Tamil version, little realising that he would win the National award for his debut — a first in film music history before Ismail Darbar repeated the feat in Hindi films with Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.
The payback in Hindi films was even better — Roja changed trends in music the way only Barsaat (1949), Dosti (1964), Aradhana (1969) and Aashiqui (1990) had done before. Today, Rahman, who also went on a techno trip and dominated digital domain and earned the ire of purists, is shifting gears. The Fuhrer of modern fusion, who has composed music in seven languages, has launched a unique Music Conservatory as his return gift to the seven notes.
Excerpts from an interview:
The K M Music Conservatory was a long-standing dream, right?
Yes, but since I kept hearing of similar projects I was not going ahead. Finally, since nothing was happening, I began work on it. Initially, we are operating from near my studio in Chennai. But soon, we will shift to a proper campus just outside the city.
What exactly is a Music Conservatory?
It is a concept quite prevalent in the West and takes care of music as well as musicians. For example, there are certain instruments that do not yield lucrative returns or even decent livelihoods for their players.
Such people can therefore earn in other ways, such as web designing or learning music production even as they continue with their passion. This ensures that such players are available and the instrument does not get lost.
In music today, being abreast with technology and music production opens up many doors and today's musicians should know these. When I have worked abroad, I have found it easy to prepare and record music in a few days flat — and yet it sounds good. This is as much because of the orderliness and harmonic structure of their music as it is due to availability of all kinds of instruments.
But in India, one has to often find musicians from abroad for an orchestra. And unlike two or three decades ago it is very difficult to find players of oboes or French horns, to mention just two instruments.
The same fate has come on various Indian instruments as musicians are discouraged from learning them because they cannot earn enough. In the end it is music that is compromised.
But in the conservatory, a young musician can learn even a rare instrument and earn well too. Since I have extended this concept even to Indian classical and folk music, musicians can come here to learn different styles of music too, like kirtanas or thumri. A world-class orchestra is another goal.
What will the faculty and curricula be like?
The K M Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education will be India's first Apple-authorised training centre. We will have a faculty of professors and musicians from both India and abroad and plan to start the first batch in 2008, when we will audition vocalists as well as different instrumentalists.
We will have courses in Western and Indian Vocals, Instrumental Performance, Classical, Theory, Music Appreciation, Ear Training, Piano, Audio Engineering, an Apple- certified course in Logic Pro, and a Digidesign-certified course in Pro Tools. We will give away A R Rahman Foundation Scholarships for deserving students.
Will you be choosier now about film assignments now to give more time to this activity?
(Smiles) A bit, yes. But then I was never into doing ten films at a time.
In Guru, your Barso re and Tere bina proved more popular than the ‘item’ song Mayya mayya. Does that indicate a shift in trends?
By itself, it is a very good sign. It is a fact that electronic music does not satisfy in the long run and I have always loved acoustics.
You have always taken amateur singers even if they are not in immaculate sur. Others use pitch-correction software for such voices, but you do not. Why is that?
I do not think that it is necessary to have perfection every time. Too much polish can be boring! (Laughs) It’s like this new jacket I am wearing which has rough and faded edges. That can sometimes look more attractive!
But some songs demand trained voices. Why did you want Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to sing the raag-oriented Man Mohana in Jodhaa Akbar?
Well, Ashutosh Gowariker was very keen on it, but Aishwarya had no time to rehearse. And there are hidden talents in people!
In Mumbai, two filmmakers have always had foolproof collaborations with you — Subhash Ghai and Ashutosh Gowariker.
That is why I am choosy and do not want to repeat some films that were mistakes. These filmmakers push you and yet give you time because they want perfection. As a composer, I have really enjoyed working on all their films.
You are the first choice in Mumbai for period films since Lagaan. But you have been accused of being indifferent to the eras and regions in terms of orchestration and sound.
Period films, whether Jodhaa Akbar or Bose— The Forgotten Hero make you think differently. You cannot use a catchy groove and a certain authenticity is needed. But at the same time, there should be a contemporary appeal and quality, so I have to see how friendly my music can be while retaining the correct vibe. I try to avoid something that has too modern, but it’s not always possible or even necessary. The impact of the orchestration and background music is more important, like Naushad-saab’s background score in Mughal-E-Azam.
Which are your forthcoming films?
I am doing Subhash Ghai’s Yuvraaj, Aamir Khan’s Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na and his remake of Ghajini and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Dilli 6.
In Tamil films I am doing Shankar’s Robot and also Sultan— The Warrior. Then there is a Telugu film starring Pawan Kalyan.
Courtesy: Deccanherald.com
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Rahman: the golden age
Last Saturday, he rocked New Delhi, absolutely ‘live' at an HT concert.. even as he maintains his position of the No 1 music whiz of the nation. What keeps him bettering himself? What are the pleasures and the pains encountered on his beat route? So, here's AR Rahman in a freespinning interview with V Ananth
Whatever happened to your unruly locks?
When I went for Haj, I shaved off my long hair. Fortunately or unfortunately, my wife liked my new look.. she insisted that I should keep it. (Laughs) I had no other alternative but to listen to my wife.
Does your style of composing music change when you do an international project like Elizabeth: The Golden Age?
The music for Elizabeth.. has been co-composed by me. When Shekhar started the project, he wanted to make it very artistic and dark. But then, he decided to make the film more entertaining.. and the music more pulsating.
As a composer, I'd say music stems from one's emotions. So, there's absolutely no difference in my approach, whether I'm composing for Jodhaa Akbar or Elizabeth.
When you look back, how do you assess your music?
"As a composer, I'd say music stems from one's emotions. So, there's absolutely no difference in my approach, whether I'm composing for Jodhaa Akbar or Elizabeth"Roja set the standard for me as a composer. And frankly, I can't guage where to go after Elizabeth. Let's see.. at this very point of time, I'm very excited about my next international album - The Lord of The Rings which will be released on December 10. It has many as 15 tracks. As much as 20,000 pounds would be spent a day on the orchestration.
I believe you have started your own music company.
Yes. It's called K M Musiq. I'm really kicked about it. All these years, I was being commissioned by others.. now I can commission others.
But it seems you now insist on royalty for every music score..which is why you couldn't compose for Om Shanti Om.
In life, you can't have your cake and eat it too. You have to take certain risks to reach your goal.
Which have been your most vital steps ahead?
Undoubtedly Vande Mataram and the score for the stage musical Bombay Dreams.
What do you find wrong with the Indian film music industry?
There are several problems. The saddest thing is that no one takes acoustic instruments seriously. Most musicians just prefer to work on keyboards. But I've stopped getting angry. One should be true to one's own self.. because one candle can light a million.
"I work at night, occasionally , whenever I'm dealing with a jet lag situation, not otherwise."Do you still work like an owl all night and sleep by day?
That's rubbish! If that was true, I wouldn't be sitting here with you doing an inteview in the afternoon. I work at night, occasionally , whenever I'm dealing with a jet lag situation, not otherwise.
How busy are you as a music director right now?
I'm into a somewhat more relaxed pace now. There was a time when I'd be doing six Tamil and two to three Hindi films a year.
How many Tamil films are you working on at this point of time?
(Laughs) Ha! That's a good question. I wish I knew the answer. I'm doing two Tamil films – Sultan, the animation film being made by Rajnikant's daughter Soundarya and Prabhu's Sakkarakkatti.
And Hindi films?
Well, let me see. Gajini, Ada, Jaane Tu Naa Jaane Naa, Delhi 6, the Hindi dubbed version of the Rajnikant movie Sivaji, Subhash Ghai's Main Hoon Yuvraj and Ashutosh Gowariker's Jodhaa Akbar.
You were against the idea of composing for dubbed films. So, how did you make an exception for Sivaji?
You're right there.I don't encourage the dubbing of my songs in other languages.
Yes, so Sivaji is an exception.
It has beaty foot-tapping music which should connect on an all-India level.
You are often accused of working for big production banners at the cost of small films.
Sorry, that isn't true at all. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing Sakkarakkatti which is a small film.
Are you composing the music for an animation film called Cockroach being planned by Shekhar Kapur?
Yes. I'm excited about that. Animation films allow your imagination to take flight.
What do you like about your music?
That's a tricky question. If I say I like my music, I'll be blowing my own trumpet. And if I say I don't like my music, I'll sound disgruntled.
"Some people have unfairly jumped to the conclusion that Aamir and I've had a fight because I haven't done Taare Zameen Par. The fact is that I was committed to several films when Aamir asked me."
Some film producers in the South have accused you of recruiting Hindi singers to do the playback for your Tamil films at their cost.
I will gladly plead guilty of that because I don't believe in parochialism. On the other hand, if I feel that a Tamil singer suits the need of a Hindi film song, I'll take that route without thinking twice.
Why have you cut down on giving breaks to new singers of late?
Let me make this very clear -today, new singers aren't of much use. We need great new singers. I haven't come across any new singer who's above average.
How do you prevent yourself from becoming complacent about your music?
(Pause.. looks away) I was clear right from the moment when I started out, some 16-17 years ago, as a beginner called Dilip Shankar. I was clear that I'm just an instrument in the hands of God. I believe that God up there controls me in whatever I am doing. If don't work in accordance to what God ordains, then I'll be washed out.
"I wouldn't hesitate to pick my top 10: Roja, Rangeela, Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Kandukonden Kandukonden, Zubeidaa, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Guru." After composing major hit songs for Aamir Khan in Rangeela, Lagaan and Rang De Basanti, how come you haven't done his Taare Zameen Par? Have you fallen out with him?
Who says so? I am composing for his film Gajini. Some people have unfairly jumped to the conclusion that Aamir and I've had a fight because I haven't done Taare Zameen Par. The fact is that I was committed to several other films when Aamir asked me to be a part of the project.
Finally, top of the head, can you pick your 10 best movie music scores?
It's very difficult to play favourites. Still.. I wouldn't hesitate to pick my top 10: Roja, Rangeela, Bombay, Dil Se, Taal, Kandukonden Kandukonden, Zubeidaa, Lagaan, Rang De Basanti and Guru.
Courtesy: Hindustantimes.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)