A R Rahman had set up the KM Music Conservatory, an institution focussed on music, in 2008.
Highlights
- Underlining the need for music schools for youngsters, Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman feels children across India should have access to proper music education.
- Learning music is "not merely a side thing where you take tuitions in a house. If a kid wants to learn music, he deserves proper education in it," Rahman told PTI here.
- The Academy Award winning composer, singer and producer was in the city to visit a flagship store in Manhattan for the leading global audio and infotainment group Harman International Industries.
- A large number of Indians living in the area had lined up at the store to meet Rahman and take photographs with the music legend. Rahman was also gifted customized gold-plated JBL headphones by Harman International CEO Dinesh Paliwal during his visit to the store.
- Harman had named Rahman its India Brand Ambassador for JBL by Harman's multi-year campaign.
- Rahman, who founded KM Music Conservatory, a higher education institution focussed on music in 2008, said his efforts in setting up the music school has inspired people in India to "understand that education of music is very important".
- "If a kid in a family of doctors wants to study music, it is his right to demand that and come to a school like the K M Conservatory," he said.
- Rahman added that he had been offered to open similar music schools beyond India's borders in countries like Dubai and Malaysia but said he still needs to "perfect" the concept in India.
- On whether he has plans to set up a music school in the US, Rahman said he might look at the possibility in future when he has more free time in hand.
- "You cannot set up a school and let someone else manage it. You have to be passionate and be involved all the time, get constant feedback. That is my intention. For me a music school is like family, you cannot have kids and then say that they will grow up on their own. You need to take care of them. The same applies to a music school," he added.
- Among the various projects Rahman is currently working on are Million Dollar Arm and Monkeys of Mumbai, which is DreamWorks Animation's first-ever Bollywood-style animated musical adventure.
- The Grammy-award-winning musician said he is always on the lookout for projects that are not repetitive and drive him to deliver his best.
- "At this stage of my life, the projects have to compel, drive me. That is the kind of projects I am selecting. It is important that I do not feel that I have done this before," he added.
- Rahman, 47, who recently gave cricketer Sachin Tendulkar a guitar, said he will miss the batting legend on the field but said it was the right decision by Tendulkar to retire.
- "Of course, I will miss him on the field. It is very emotional but at the same time it is good to go at such heights," he said.
- "Life does not come to an end" with retirement and Tendulkar can continue to share his vast experience and knowledge about the game.
- Rahman said Tendulkar was moving to a new house where he was setting up a music room. Rahman bought a guitar for Tendulkar who said he would take it if it has been signed by Rahman.
- Tendulkar, who retired from cricket last month, counts the guitar gifted by Rahman among the memorable gifts he has received and has said that it is "dear to me."
Underlining the need for musicschools for youngsters, Oscar-winning composer A R Rahmanfeels children across India should have access to proper musiceducation.
Learning music is "not merely a side thing where you taketuitions in a house. If a kid wants to learn music, hedeserves proper education in it," Rahman told PTI here.
The Academy Award winning composer, singer and producerwas in the city to visit a flagship store in Manhattan for theleading global audio and infotainment group HarmanInternational Industries.
A large number of Indians living in the area had lined upat the store to meet Rahman and take photographs with themusic legend. Rahman was also gifted customized gold-platedJBL headphones by Harman International CEO Dinesh Paliwalduring his visit to the store.
Harman had named Rahman its India Brand Ambassador for JBLby Harman's multi-year campaign.
Rahman, who founded KM Music Conservatory, a highereducation institution focussed on music in 2008, said hisefforts in setting up the music school has inspired people inIndia to "understand that education of music is veryimportant".
"If a kid in a family of doctors wants to study music, itis his right to demand that and come to a school like the K MConservatory," he said.
Rahman added that he had been offered to open similarmusic schools beyond India's borders in countries like Dubaiand Malaysia but said he still needs to "perfect" the conceptin India.
On whether he has plans to set up a music school in theUS, Rahman said he might look at the possibility in futurewhen he has more free time in hand.
"You cannot set up a school and let someone else manageit. You have to be passionate and be involved all the time,get constant feedback. That is my intention. For me a musicschool is like family, you cannot have kids and then say thatthey will grow up on their own. You need to take care of them.The same applies to a music school," he added.
Among the various projects Rahman is currently working onare
Million Dollar Arm and
Monkeys of Mumbai, which isDreamWorks Animation's first-ever Bollywood-style animatedmusical adventure.
The Grammy-award-winning musician said he is always on thelookout for projects that are not repetitive and drive him todeliver his best.
"At this stage of my life, the projects have to compel,drive me. That is the kind of projects I am selecting. It isimportant that I do not feel that I have done this before," headded.
Rahman, 47, who recently gave cricketer Sachin Tendulkar aguitar, said he will miss the batting legend on the field butsaid it was the right decision by Tendulkar to retire.
"Of course, I will miss him on the field. It is veryemotional but at the same time it is good to go at suchheights," he said.
"Life does not come to an end" with retirement andTendulkar can continue to share his vast experience andknowledge about the game.
Rahman said Tendulkar was moving to a new house where hewas setting up a music room. Rahman bought a guitar forTendulkar who said he would take it if it has been signed byRahman.
Tendulkar, who retired from cricket last month, counts theguitar gifted by Rahman among the memorable gifts he hasreceived and has said that it is "dear to me."