The Score Magazine November 2014 by The Score Magazine

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 07 Issue 10 - November 2014

 thescoremag

 @highonscore

 www.thescoremagazine.com

India's National Pan-Genre Music MagazinE

10 TOP

Music Production Schools In The World

Casio Powers

Yamaha Powers

Abhijit Pohankar

BAND OF THE MONTH

Keyboardist OF THE MONTH

an established vocalist, a distinguished keyboardist and great composer.

Peking Duk

We get a one on one with the biggest name in Australian electronic music.

Cover Story

Hariharan

&son the father son duo tell all!

Also inside: A one on one with Luke Sital Singh

TENON

Director, Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Director, Business Development Pragash VM Head - Marketing & Operations Sneha Ramesh Associate Editor Ananya Ashok Content Coordinator Nidhi Iyer Shreya Bose Editorial Advisor Nikila Srinivasan Creative Director George Vedamanickam Lead Designer Nipun Garodia Cover photography Rishikesh Pawar

the edit PAD It's in our gene to reminisce. Talk to your parents and depending on where in India you're from, you'll hear about the legendary songs of the old. You'll hear about MS Subalakshmi, Vishwanathan & Ramamoorthy, RD Burman, Manna Dey and Bhimsen Joshi, the list is endless. Our musical heritage in the last few decades has been enriched many times over. It only continues to get better. And although we enjoy the finer aspects of life and despair when we perceive even a small loss to our beautiful cultural traditions, we also vehemently oppose any imposition of outmoded social contructs. The case of Yesudas making statements against women wearing jeans is one such example. Many of us were outraged against his statements that go against the very fabric of progressive society. What ensued was an all out personal attack on the man who I revere and respect for his contributions to music. However, amidst all the chaos, I did see some voices that only attacked the view, but defended the man for his right to voice them. It's easy to extrapolate the argument and suggest that musicians and celebrities shouldn't talk about "subjects they don't fully understand". As someone who endures the editorial rants of TMK and the political twitterings of Vishal Dadlani, I cannot actively endorse such a view. No one should, because democracy is about peaceful disagreement and non imposition.

Ajay Prabhakar

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i nside

Hariharan and Son

Hariharan and Son talk about their musical origins and their latest collaboration for this month's cover.

Band of the Month POWERED BY YAMAHA 22

Star of the month

Peking Duk is at an all-time 'High'

The Curious Case of Music & Fame

A look at an era of instant fame and how it may be affecting quality of music.

Top 10

Your guide to picking the right Music Production school.

Casio powers Keyboardist of the month

He's multi talented being a composer, vocalist, and keyboardist. He's also got music in his blood. Abhijit Pohankar is our keyboardist of the month.

In Fashion

Luke Sital Singh talks Music

Special Feature 26

We're not all rockstars, but that doesn't have to stop us from looking like one.

Carnatic Segment

Prepping for concerts for the December Season? Here is an effective guide to help you get the most out of your season practice.

Meet Mumbai based Electronica Artist Jai Vaswani, or as he is more popularly known: Nanok!

Hariharan One of the finest, most melodious voices in India, playback singer, ghazal singer and one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music, Hariharan is an artist whose talent stands out. He has been honored with two National Awards and a Padma Shri. His latest album Hazir â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2, with Zakir Hussain, has also been receiving a lot of positive feedback. We caught up with the talented vocalist in an in-depth interview where he discusses his childhood, ghazals, the music scene, his children and more.

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You’ve had a rather eventful journey through the world of music. Tell us a bit about it… Well, music was a part of my life since day one as I come from a family of musicians. My mother is a classical Carnatic singer and my father was one as well. They also used to teach and perform. Virasat mei jo sur mile hai, that was the starting point. My father died when I was eight and since then it was my mother and I. She has been my philosopher, friend, guide and guru. I learned a lot from her and picked up on a lot of Carnatic music from her because it was floating freely. She was there to guide me. I did my schooling at Don Bosco and had a normal childhood, played cricket and of course a lot of music because it was an integral part of the household. Everybody sang—mom, her sister, my uncles; it was a staple diet in the house, both Carnatic and Hindustani music. I grew up in the colony in Dadar and was exposed to Marathi Natyasangeet. After schooling I did my graduation at SIES. I met Ghulam Mustafa Khan and became his shagird. That put me into the heartland of khayal singing because he’s from the Rampur Sahaswan gharana, which is one of the oldest vocal music gharanas. I was lucky to get in at the right juncture. In ’76 I met Jaidev jee, the music director. I was a participant in a competition—me, Suresh Wadkar and Rani Verma got awards and Jaidev jee was the judge and said, “beta, mujhe milo,” and then he gave me my first film song in Gaman the next year and I was actively working with him until the mid ‘80s—I learned a lot about composing and breaking down poetry and composing it. Unka ek rang, ek rooh hai. I learned a lot and it helped me with ghazal singing and composing. In ’75 I also met Mehdi Hasan sahib, my soul guru—I am really inspired by him even today. After Gaman, I then sang for LP and slowly, dheere dheere I got more songs. In ’80 I got my first album Ghazal Ka Mausam, which was composed by Ghulam Mustafa Khan sahib. And, every year I kept releasing an album. I did songs in the 80s for Shiv Hari jee, Pancham Da, Usha Khanna and of course ghazals and my album Reflections became popular. I did Hazir with Zakir Hussain and in ’92 I sang Roja, in ’94 “Tu Hi Re” in Bombay, and in ’96 there was Colonial Cousins. Basically, in the ‘90s I came into the media. It just happened.

Ghazals have been an integral part of your music career. Could you define ghazal as a genre for our readers? Ghazal actually used to be in Persian. It’s poetry that rhymes and has a basic structure. Ghazals are a conversation with the beloved, which could be anything from a child to a mother to one’s country to work to god to a beloved. It’s a huge spectrum. Obviously, musicians set it to tune and sang it because it's romantic and it's soft. Ek mehfil sangeet hai yeh, with a lot of interaction. When you sing a ghazal and converse, each person should make that connection and make your audience feel that you are singing for them. There is a technique, an adaayagi of singing ghazals. You can ornament it with sargams or alaaps, but it must not overbear the lyrics, the poetry has to be there. In the olden days it was simple. There are a lot of records where they have sung and told their name at the end as identification. Begum Akhar jee brought it to the mehfil status and she was amazing. Pure soul and pure sur, and she sang in raagas and her adaayagi. Her andaaz of saying lafz was amazing. After that you had Talat sahib who

sang ghazals in Hindi film music and Rafi sahib. Talat sahib had a beautiful andaaz in reciting poetry. Sakti hai nahin Urdu mei, there is no vowel which pricks your ears. There is a flow. So to say it in that way, it adds to the beauty and Talat sahib and Rafi sahib did this. I didn't realize for a while that Rafi sahib's songs were ghazals until later on, like Koi Sagar. He sang it as a film song, but it's a ghazal. In the ‘60s and ‘70s you see most songs Lata jee sang for Madan Mohan jee are ghazals and very melodic. That was the ghazal influence that grew in films. Begam Akhar jee and Mehdi Hasan sahib introduced thumri and khayal ang of singing in ghazals and pure raagas. Mehdi Hasan sahib added that and some of his ghazals were in thumris. Begam Akhar jee did in her own style, and Mehdi Hasan sahib did it in his style. Ghulam Ali bhaai got bidar ang, all twelve notes were used—yeh Punjab ki khaasiyat hai—and he brought it in that style which has a lot of flourish and chakmak and was rhythmic. And, Jagjit jee in India brought geet-numaah ghazals and sang the best of Ghalib, too, of course. His interpretation was different. And, then we all followed (laughs).

What do you feel about the current state of ghazals in the music scene? A few people have been trying to revive ghazals as a genre. Yeah, see there is definitely an audience. Whenever I perform the capacity of hall is always full. So, there is no dearth of listeners. The Hazir – 2 album which I did with Zakir bhaai crossed fivesix thousand cd sales, which is a lot, and it will reach about ten thousand very soon, and it is doing well on iTunes, too. We do shows and it’s packed. Shanmukhananda Hall in February was packed, and in January we are doing two-three concerts in Delhi, Hyderabad, Ahemdabad. We’re not doing centers already done before such as Calcutta, Madras and Mumbai. Day after tomorrow I’m doing show in Delhi and a week later in Calcutta, and in December ghazals shows are happening again, so something is always going on.

But do you think enough new talent is entering into ghazals compared to other genres, and do you feel the audience base is continuing to grow? There are kids who can sing very well, but survival is an issue. Naam kamane ke liye time lagta hai. You need a lot of repertoire in ghazals, as well. We were lucky we had Doordarshan concerts that were amazing. In Punjab or anywhere they know me through these TV programs. Toh woh medium hai nahin abhi. There is no channel that gives ghazals visibility. Log kahaan sunengey baccho ko?

Shifting gears a bit, what are you working on at the moment? There is a national games anthem Akshay and I have worked on. I’m just getting out of the Hazir - 2 phase now, and I want to do a nice Sufi album.

Very cool. Have you started writing the material? Not really. But, I really want to do it my style, with nice contemporary arrangements as a next album. In January I have programs with Zakir bhaai. The world is yours here—you keep traveling and doing shows (laughs). In ‘89 to 2000 I had a studio in Tardeo. Every year projects were happening. We shifted to this new studio three years ago and Hazir – 2 was the first album, next is Akshay’s and then my Sufi album. We are hoping to release something every eight months to a year.

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Akshay

Hariharan Son of critically acclaimed vocalist Hariharan, Akshay Hariharan has slowly and steadily been making his presence felt as a producer and composer. With four tracks from Hazir â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2, a Marathi film soundtrack, National games anthem and several other projects under his belt, he is coming out with his debut album in early January. The album will merge classical sangeet with EDM. We caught up with him to find out more about his journey, his upcoming album and inspiration.

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Tell us about your music background. Ever since I was young, I was more attracted to sound than singing or any instrument as such. I played guitar and learned the piano when I was around thirteen or fourteen. I was a Metallica fan, then I grew out of the rock scene and listened to ghazals, and different avenues opened up. I learned vocals from dad’s guru. Hindustani music was there. Dad said do rock music, do anything, but Hindustani music is your ABCD. I have a degree in economics. My journey in music professionally began late. Just two-three years back I started working on music as a profession. I was passionate about music, but was studying for other things. At 23 I learned I wanted to explore this passion more and see where it takes me so I did that. I started programming and Dad was quite scared since usually people train their whole lives or know they are going to do this in their head for a long time, but for me it was very sudden so he was very tense if I’d cope up with giving my complete attention to this. I did a couple of songs and played It for him and he was happy—that’s how it all began.

and Carnatic—featuring different artists. Dad has recorded on two tracks, there is a track with U. Srinivas, one with Ashwin Srinivasan, and one with a tabla player Shadab and a female singer Pratibha. The album is a different blend of Indian roots, good sound and very modern production. There are three instrumental tracks and three tracks with vocals. There might be a seventh track that has the sarangi, guitar and harmonium with dark house.

What else are you working on? There’s a movie called Black Home. I’ve worked on five songs, one features Asha jee, one features Suraj Jagan and Dad has recorded two tracks. There is also a theme song. It releases by end of this year. I’ve done the National games song. It’s written by Javed Akhtar. We are deciding on who will sing. Yesudas and Dad are in the track as of now. It’s very pop, electronic pop. It’s a nice genre, too, as the reachability is very high today through EDM. It’s heard even in the villages in Kerala.

How did you learn music production?

Who are some Indian artists you really admire?

I did it on my own. I used to hear lots of music different genres of music. It was lots of trial and error in terms of how I need to produce every song. It came to me naturally, the aesthetics and mechanics. I did research, went online, spoke to other engineers about manipulating interfaces in software, which is why it took two-three years. Now I’m confident to produce any genre. It’s a process. Today’s process more simplified, but if given work you need to do the right research and understand the big picture. There’s lots to consider when composing and producing. I had an instinct for it, at least I hope I do (laughs). I am a self-taught guitarist as well. Only vocal training with dad’s guru at young age was proper taleem.

I was devastated with death of U. Srinivas because he was the biggest artist for me and I really looked up to him. Even calling him a prodigy is an understatement. He’s flawless man. He could ideate; he could do everything on the spot. I wanted to do more tracks with him, and I’m glad I was atleast able to do one with him and he loved it.

I could tell difference in sound by Western DJs and DJs here, and the reason why it sounds clearer or ambient. It’s know how and hard work. I’m not saying the time they take there to make a song is more or less than here in India, but the approach is different, so the output is obviously different, too. I feel our music heritage is so rich in this country that if we focus on the science and engineering aspect of it you can imagine where we can go. The blend is important. My first album is different genres of electronic music, dark psy, house, dubstep, drum n bass, Euro trance. My album is Indian classical—Hindustani

Asha jee and Lata jee are stalwarts. Dad for ghazals and Mehdi Hasan ofcourse. I love his composing and arranging. Jagjit Singh ji -some of his songs were very melodious and took you on a journey, just took you to places. That's what it is all about. There’s Shankar Mahadevan. He has his USP and he’s doing well. My biggest inspiration is AR Rahman, in films at least. The blend he creates is great. He’s the one who has given India the result of how to apply technology to sound. He is very good at production. He does it a certain way. And, he takes a lot of time, which I want to follow. His methodology and process are fresh. IHe does lots of research and that itself is worthy of inspiration.

Anything else you want our readers to know? Dad and I have started a music label, Magic Records. The first album on the label is Hazir – 2, featuring dad and Zakir ji; I produced 4 songs and Jolly Mukerjee has done the other four songs. We named the label Magic because we can cover any genre. We want to provide transparency to artists through our label and help others come up, as well. When it comes to branding, we lack in sophisticated marketing in the indie scene.

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The Curious Case of

Music & Fame It is certainly true that there is no business quite like show business. Only in this industry can it be said that one's job is constantly in peril not only if your talents fade, but also if your appearance, perceived sexuality and public image fluctuate in any manner. In this brutal industry, all participants are expected to be complicit in their own continuous exploitation. This sanctioned harassment bleeds directly into the entertainment we hold them responsible for making. With the stifling nature of such intense scrutiny, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ludicrous to expect that artists produce works truly prolific or organic. Let's take a look at these limitations in the context of the music industry.

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A quick glance at some of the most famous musicians of our time (fame in this instance being measured by wealth, tabloid appearances, household popularity, etc) reveals music rife with notoriously timeless hooks, uninspired lyrics and heavyhanded dosages of auto tune, rather than true artistry and ingenuity. Though it is popular to accuse the artists at hand for being talentless and undeserving of their fame, it is prudent to think about the motives that lead them to pursue these paths of least originality. It seems unlikely that these musicians with very apparent passions for their craft are simply uninterested in fully exploring the depths of what their passion could lead them to. Rather, it is much more plausible that the bland music they produce is an unfortunate repercussion of the choice they must constantly make between their art and money. Generally, most professions one could enter come with a certain expectation of image to uphold. For example, in the US, should an employee of a large company be found guilty of a felony, he almost certainly will lose his job as the company would not want to be associated with him or his crime. Such an application of punishment by a given industry for some action done outside the context of said industry is understandable, as choosing to make a statement about what they validate as right or wrong can make or break a company. *** You can shorten this sentence and make it more too the point. Such a punishment is necessary for a company to maintain a certain image, or something like that. Performing artists, such as actors and musicians are additionally charged, as mentioned above, with maintaining any image the public perceives them to have. Any negative deviations from this image can result in the public’s lack of interest, as well as significant drops in any chance the industry has of profiting from supporting the work of an artist. With a devil's choice such as this, maintaining a sculpted facade is a musician's first and foremost job in terms of maintaining job security, and pushes making significant efforts to improve their actual work down to a second priority. In 2003, a country band by the name of Dixie Chicks was taking much of America by storm. Blonde, sweet and country, they were idealized by many to be a picture perfect image of American girls. That all came to swift halt the day the front woman of the band made negative comments regarding her country’s involvement in the Iraq War, and President Bush for his decisions revolving around it. In the states, album sales plummeted, rallies were held for people to bring their Dixie Chicks CDs to destroy, and most support for the group (ranging from radio shows to endorsements) was abruptly abandoned. Within a country usually so proud of its promotion of free speech, the group suddenly found themselves vilified, and their popularity destroyed. There is the opposite end of the spectrum, with celebrities resorting to pushing boundary-tipping caricatures of themselves dripping with sugar, spice, sexuality and all the usual hot commodities known to sell. Such examples are all too commonplace; From yesterday’s Madonna and Britney to today’s Miley, many women in the music industry are privy to the fact

that imagination and talent are merely a runner up prize to their youth, beauty and bodies. There are many discussions to be had surrounding whether selling one’s self as an idealized and or stylized sexual entity is the morally correct or feminist choice to make. Rather than delve into any of those now, let’s question why this is even a possibility, as in, what has led society to more readily pour their financial support into sex with a side of music rather than the craft and finesse that the music industry could be? The sale of image coming first for music artists is just one of the problems that leads to the generic tunes we hear no matter how fast we trying switching radio stations. There is also the matter of employing too much artistry and too much creativity with music. It’s a well known secret that the blander the music, the wider the audience it can apply and perhaps appeal to and hence, the more money an artist, his manager and his record label can make off it.

Consider this; an engineer never faces monetary repercussions for displaying too much creativity with her work, nor is a doctor chastised for producing work too far outside any pre-constructed box containing notions of what he should be limiting his work too. Musicians on the other hand are reminded constantly that they must choose between the limiting scopes of that which is mainstream and popular and, bluntly put, earning rent. There is a line to which artists can attempt to maintain their musical integrity, a line up to which they can feel free to experiment with their music and still expect to entice a relatively profitable pool of listeners, perhaps those with more “alternative” tastes. Past that however, they enter into a musical black void, one where they might feel genuinely proud of the work they put out, but no backers who can profit from advertising their work, and thus, little to no monetary value attached to their music. A friend of mine recently illustrated just this, when talking about an alternative band named Alt-J that in his opinion, seemingly had it's peak with its first album: "They kind of fell off the grid with their second album. Their first was edgy, but catchy enough for a fairly large audience to get into. But with their second they went a little too artsy.” Indeed, I have noticed a significant drop in the buzz that that band was once generating within cliques with a self-identified taste for hipper, more independent/ alternative music. Musicians should strive to be innovative, skilled, and artistic without having to compromise monetarily or perceptually. Only the best Cricket players in the world are chosen to play professionally, not those who are willing to dress scantily, or who have popular political views. This provides the best quality Cricket matches for consumers. It should be the same for musicians, allowing for musical consumption of the highest degree of quality. I can only imagine the difficulties musicians face, having to either find time to make music on the side of whatever else they’re doing to earn a living -or- make a lucrative living off of music that potentially leaves them dissatisfied, or creatively unfulfilled. Either way, I have immense respect for artists of all walks for having the guts to navigate this tricky industry, a respect I hope to pass on to all.

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World-class workstation that grows with you

The PSR-S950 arranger keyboard effectively blurs the line between digital and acoustic sound, and the result will alter your musical perceptions forever. Pro musicians can achieve authentic renditions of their instruments and playing nuances; now you can play alongside them. The PSR-S950's other incredible features—including Vocal Harmony 2 and Super Articulation for thrilling instrumental and vocal support— will juice up your creativity and performances. The Yamaha PSR-S950 is packed with amazing Voices, Styles and comprehensive features to help you create, arrange, perform and record your music in any genre. Yamaha's cutting edge sound innovation takes a step further with "Audio Styles". Audio Styles give your performance greater expressive potential by adding real audio drum and percussion parts to Yamaha’s Guitar Enhanced Style engine. Additionally, the built-in Flash ROM lets you load new Voices and Style Expansions (VSE) from around the world. Thanks to Yamaha’s new Voice & Style Expansion packs, players can take advantage of a wide and ever-increasing selection of authentic sounding Voices and Styles from around the world. Load them to the PSR-S950's built-in FlashROM (64MB) and instantly play authentic sounds, rhythm and backing in the musical style of your choice!

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TOP 10 SCHOOLS

for MUSIC PRODUCTION 2

Steinhardt School in New York University

New York University is a member of the Association of American Universities and was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as 33rd among national universities in 2011. Within the Steinhardt School, students can pursue a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in music technology. At the bachelor's level, students are exposed to recording technology, ear training, music theory, and acoustics. The master's and doctoral degree programs provide specialized concentration areas that focus on technological or computational aspects of music production.

Berklee College of Music

Berklee College of Music was included in the arts category of the 2011 U.S. News & World Report list of Best Colleges and trains students to pursue careers in the contemporary music industry, including performance, composition, and business. Twelve different majors include composition, contemporary writing and production, electronic production and design, film scoring, jazz composition, music business and management, music education, music production and engineering, music therapy, performance, professional music and songwriting. All are offered as Bachelor's degrees or 4-year Professional Diplomas. Upon its founding, the college placed emphasis on teaching jazz; but it has since expanded to include rock and hip-hop. Degree Program Cost: $65,000

Cost: A student's educational expenses are assessed each semester and are based on the number of credits (also known as "points") for which he/she registers. In addition to tuition, students also pay registration / student service fees. Estimated cost - $25,000 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $30,000 per semester

Columbia University in New York

The Columbia University music education program offers graduate degrees, such as the Master of Arts in Music Education, Master of Education in Music Education, and Doctor of Education in Music Education. Columbia has a number of performing arts groups, including the Columbia Musical Theater Society. Cost: $35,000-$38,000 per semester

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University of Wisconsin Madison

UW-Madison offers several undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including the Bachelor of Music, Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Music, and Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum and Instruction, which offer concentrations in music education. Music education programs offered at UW-Madison can prepare students for music teacher certification and coursework is taken from the School of Music and School of Education.

Manhattan School of Music â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Manhattan, NY

Students of the Manhattan School of Music may choose from two dozen focal areas, ranging from keyboard skills to accompanying and piano. Degrees include Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, Doctor of Musical Arts and a Professional Studies Certificate. Faculty includes members of some of New York City's leading performing institutions, such as the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. Estimated Cost: $57,000

With a wide range of schools offering a whole range of courses in music right from learning instruments to music production or even music critiquing, music education is no longer a thing to pursue only for the elite, nor is it only considered worthwhile if there has been a family history in music. International programs in music education offer a great mix of learning, experimenting, performance exposure, technique, improvisation; all of this under a learned faculty and amidst fellow students from all sorts of countries and cultures. Students don’t necessarily have to go on to becoming performing specialists; one can pursue anything from production to going for research in fields such as musicology, psychology and sound design. Here, we take a look at some of the more popular music schools and the range of courses they offer.

Located in the heart of Baltimore's Mount Vernon Cultural District, the Peabody Conservatory "strives to provide aspiring artists with the skills to pursue professional careers in music and the education to become leaders in the cultural life of their communities." The Institute was founded in 1857 by philanthropist George Peabody as America's first academy of music and became affiliated with Johns Hopkins in 1977. Peabody Conservatory students may choose from a wide variety of areas of study within the larger field of music, ranging from composition and musicology to focal areas studying the use of specific instrumental categories, such as brass, strings or woodwinds. Estimated Cost: $60,000

Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD

Juilliard School New York, NY

Juilliard School is likely the most widely recognized higher education institution focusing on the performing arts, such as music, dance and theater. A new historical performance program was established in 2009, but the school originally was founded in 1905 as the Institute of Musical Art. In 1926, it merged with the Institute for Musical Art to become the Juilliard School of Music. Students may pursue a wide variety of educational options, with the ability to focus in on any number of individual areas, such as composition, jazz studies, organ, piano, voice, opera and many more. Estimated Cost: $55,000

Duke University Durham, NC

Duke University's Department of Music offers both a music major and a music minor for undergraduates. The music major is flexible and may be shaped to emphasize any of the various subspecialties of the field, including preparation for graduate work. The program emphasizes a comprehensive overview of the music field, encompassing composition, theory, performance, ethnomusicology and music history (musicology). Duke University offers the A.M. and Ph.D. degrees in composition and in musicology; it also offers an A.M. in performance practice studies. Estimated Cost: $36,000

The Boston Conservatory

"With personalized one-on-one training, small class sizes, master classes, guest artists, special events and countless cultural events throughout Boston, The Boston Conservatory fully immerses you in your craft while exposing you to some of the world's top musicians." The Boston Conservatory is a preeminent program with ample opportunities to study specific areas of music as well as perform under some of the world's most distinguished faculty. Estimated Cost: $40,000

Illinois State University Normal, IL

Illinois State University's School of Music offers a wide variety of programs for students at the undergraduate level. Music Majors can concentrate in Band and Orchestra Instruments, Performance, Classical Guitar Performance, Composition, Keyboard Performance, Liberal Arts, Voice Performance and Music Business. Students pursuing educational degrees within the School of Music may choose from Choral General – Keyboard, Choral - General – Vocal, Instrumental – Band, and Instrumental – Orchestral. Music Therapy and Musical Theatre are also options for students. Estimated Cost: $25,000

Some of the benefits from getting enrolled into a formal music education program: under a world class faculty 1 Learning that does not restrict the curriculum to classroom learning

to music of different 2 Exposure cultures through students of various countries

3 Exposure to performance to get into research / 4 Opportunities performance / business, whatever suits you after your graduate program

rounded education in music 5 Well from theory to practicals

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Star of the Month

Luke

Sital Singh

With the NH7 Weekender happening this month, artists from across the globe flock to Bangalore to perform for this mega festival. Score got to sit down with Luke Sital Singh, a British Singer-Songwriter and NH7 performer to discuss his work, latest EP, and his journey to the top of the music charts.

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Tell us about your background. Where you are from, your early life and musical beginnings. I was born and bred in New Malden, which is a suburb in south west London, there was really not a lot going on there. I had a pretty quiet, typical life. I got into music after an early interest in acting fizzled out, firstly as a social thing as all my friends were getting into music, but something about music got underneath my skin and as my friends were all growing up and thinking about real careers, I was still hooked on playing and writing music, though I don’t think I really believed it would get me this far.

What does the song writing process entail for you typically? Does it feel like work to you or is it something that generally comes naturally to you? As I mentioned above song writing is a slow process for me. When I allow myself time and space to think and just live then songs will come naturally and quite fast once inspiration hits but that inspiration doesn’t hit very often. So I often have to work in a less natural way and try to force things out a bit more so I can meet deadlines. It also helps when I work with other people too. They can help tease stuff out of me.

What made you want to become a singer? Who all were your musical influences growing up?

Do melodies come to you first or do you start with lyrics and build from there?

I’m not completely sure when or why I started singing seriously. I was a Guitarist first and would play in rubbish nu-metal type bands with friends early on. I never really sang. Music didn’t become an important personal thing to me until I heard O by Damien Rice in 2002, which I think I discovered by way of a TV advert. I remember it blowing me away instantly as a kind of music I’d never heard before. I was 14 and ready for some angsty emotional music to match my angsty hormones. It was a match made in heaven and it set in motion my entire musical journey.

When I write alone it all comes at once. But the lyric is the most important thing. I can sit down anytime of day and play some chords and sing a melody over the top and it will probably sound quite nice, but until I have something to sing about I won’t bother and I won’t call it song writing.

From ‘Fail for You’ to ‘Fire Inside’, what has the journey been like How have you grown as an artist and what important lessons have you learned along the way that has helped you become a betterartist?

Yes I managed to get my music into the hands of the right people which ended up with me singing to Parlophone in 2013. I’m not really sure how I did it really. I don’t think there are any tricks, I think the music industry is quite small and talent rises. If you are deemed well enough by whatever standards people are using then people will hear about you and search you out. I guess the trick comes with making sure you pick the right people once they do find you. I’ve had three managers in my very short career and only one (the current one) could make it work and that’ll be partly down to him and partly down to me being more ready than i was a few years ago. So I would say keep writing, never stop writing, and make sure you can be seen, whether that’s online or even better playing lots and lots of gigs.

Gosh! it’s been a very fast journey from those two points. Fail For You came out only 2 years ago! Feels like so much has happened in such a short time. I’ve learnt first hand that once things start to happen they happen fast. From age 15 until now I’ve spent most of those years muddling away in obscurity trying to get noticed and everything felt very slow, but you get lucky the whole world descends on you and you have to learn to move very fast in order to make the most of the attention. This is something I struggle with everyday, because I’m a very slow artist, I naturally write music in a slow way. Songs come when they are ready but that’s no good when I have people expecting the song by the end of the week! So that’s a lesson and a skill I’m still learning.

What is the album that is closest to your heart (if you had to name one)?

favourite artists

Now my answer to this will change depending on what day it is. Today I’ll say Valtari by Sigur Ros is a very important album to me. It’s such a beautiful masterpiece, so mellow and calming. It came out just before things started to kick off for me and I found myself returning to it again and again help me escape from the madness and get a bit of perspective on it. It’s such a meditative sounding album. Love it

How have you gotten your songs out to the industry who should hear them? Do you have any tips to offer other songwriters in this regard?

Where do you get your inspiration? What moves you musically? I get a lot of inspiration from my questioning nature. I am quite an annoying person who questions everything. ‘Why do we do this?’ ‘Why do people do that?’ I’m always searching for meaning and often times complaining about how little meaning there seems to be. So those ideas often find their way into songs. I love to examine myself mostly and my strengths and weaknesses as a person and how life can just be hard and wonderful at the same time.

Leonard Cohen Spoon War on Drugs Sun Kil Moon David Bazan Ryan Adams Sharon Van Etten Tom Petty Dan Michaelson

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Peking Duk

Band of the Month

Peking Du Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an Aria award nominated, Australian electronic music duo. Disc jockeys and music producers, Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles first garnered attention in 2012 with the release of their Passion Pit bootleg remix. Since then theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on a whirlwind of a journey having opened for artists such as Example and The Bloody Beetroots and played numerous festivals around Australia. Their latest single "High" reached 5 on the ARIA Singles Chart & platinum certification. Coming from live music backgrounds, Adam and Reuben both hail from North Canberra. They both have had a passion for music and honed their skills here. Reuben had been playing for a local band Rubycon, otherwise known now as Slow Turismo. Rubycon went to great heights over time. Adam Hyde in the meantime, was a naturally gifted guitarist and composer who was composing from an early age. After consistent experimentation and creation, the duo finally decided to come together to form Pekin Duk. Today, they are one of the most sought-after electronic music bands in Austrailia. They have been a part of several notable festivals since then. These include Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Parklife Music Festival, Shore Thing and Big Day Out. Score got 2010 an opportunity to sit down with the two NH& Peking Duk is born in performers for an exclusive interview: Canberra, Austrailia and they Join Vicious Bitch, Music Label.

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2012 Passion Pit Bootleg Remix is released. It hits number one that same year on the ARIA Club Chart & featured in the Australian Single Charts.

Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles, you both come from a music background. Tell us about that and your journey till now. R: We both met at High school at the local skate park, Adam was rapping in a hip hop group and I was in a band called Rubycon. One day a friend gave us a CD full of dance music which really inspired us to get us into producing electronic tunes. We still incorporate lots of the rock and hip hop elements into our music and song writing.

You’ve been titled as one of the biggest electronic music bands in Australia. Did you see that coming? A: Not at all it's been a huge fun ride to where we are now. We still have a long way to go though!

Since Passion Pit Bootleg Remix, how has your music grown? Where do you see it going in the years to come? R: We started out making fidget house club music, now we write everything from rap beats to pop beats to rock tunes to electronic jams. It's all love. We're going to continue doing what we love for sure. Currently we are writing an album so we will be a bit more experimental with some of the tracks there.

When not at work, what are your hobbies/interests? R: I extremely love swimming with flippers. It makes it way easier than without. Also I love listening to music, in fact, probably as much as I love making music. Lately Alt-J's and Little Dragon's albums are on repeat. A: Skateboarding, spending time with the people that mean the most to me and playing NBA JAM.

Who are some artists that you look upto in the field today? A: Kanye West is a king. Damon Albarn is another dude that has always been constantly putting out amazing material. Hudson Mohawke is a freak too. There's too many to name really but anyone that pushes the boundaries a touch yet at the same time being able to appeal to a large audience is always really interesting to me.

2013 Peking Duk receive strong support from national youth broadcaster Triple J. This gives them the opportunity to be a Triple J Mix Up resident which saw them present & host a weekly DJ Mix on Saturday nights for a month.

2013 Peking Duk places 5th in the Australia wide InTheMix Top 50 competition. (They placed 6th in 2012)

What’s the most memorable piece you’ve worked on till date? R: At the moment it would be High. Seeing the reactions across the internet and people's own personal interpretations to the lyrics and also the video has been mind blowing. We have been sent acoustic covers, drum covers and possibly over 100 remixes!! It's exciting times for that song and it is only just about to get its worldwide release!

February 2014 2014 They win the AIR Award for Best Independent Dance/ Electronica or Club Single.

The get their first Top 40 hit on the ARIA Singles Chart with their track "High" featuring Australian vocalist Nicole Millar.

August 2014 Signed with RCA & Sony Music Entertainment Label. The

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Vintage V100AFD Paradise

This cost efficient Vintage guitar is the answer to all beginners who can have the best in the lower price range. Like most Vintage designs the Paradise seems to have been inspired by Epiphone, Slash’s limited edition signature model. Even with the controversies that is bound to strike, this might stand out for great texture of sound and look.

BODY AND NECK To add to authenticity of Paradise there a rather generous piece of Mahogany topped with maple veneer, which is pretty amazing for the prize range of the guitar. The yellow-brown shade of the maple veneer may be disliked by some, but it’s the right thing for classic singlecut tones to be played upon. The weight of the Paradise is much more than expected, which keeps up the authenticity of the guitar. The neck isn’t too thick and is just right making it extremely well and welcoming to be played. The higher end of the neck allows faster fretwork and does not feel hard or restricted. But the one great thing about Paradise is the quality, for the price range it can easily be the best of the lot even with some build issues which we’re going to get to. As of the drawbacks, there are some finishing irregularities and a few constructions issues, but these are no reasons for faulty tones and are very minor issues indeed which can easily be overlooked and considered mock complaints.

HARDWARE AND PARTS Paradise, offering a high level build quality at a low cost is Wilkinson designed and proves to be dependable. For all you rockers out there who love strumming with style, Paradise has strap locks, which is a much needed addition and is quite sturdy too! The bridge being a standard Tune-O-Matic design and tuners being a Kluson style, the players wouldn’t have a problem with that. The pickups are again Wilkinson, which has a good reputation, so no worries there. The highlight however is the colour coordination of pickup rings and the pickups, which might look cheap up-close but who’s going to look that closely, but you? The three-way selector toggle and twin volume and tone control, controls these pickups.

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SOUNDS For the prize range of the guitar, it sounds bright but not as much as an expensive guitar would. Giving all credits to the Mahogany, the sound is the best at what prize it is for. With cost cutting comes the dreaded cut of efficiency, but that doesn’t apply to Paradise. Neck, bridge and middle pickup tests pass flawlessly as they’re well rounded and fill in just fine when plugged into a low-wattage valve amp. What more could a guitarist want, when blues, jazz and rock all sound fine? The real deal of distortion came out to sound good too. The progression from on pickup to another is clean and comes out nicely. Easily, the Paradise can play anything, from jazz to blues to rock, even heavy tones can be played with an expected less clarity when compared to an expensive guitar, but it’s clean when played. The valve amp can be changed to an amp modeler to not the difference between the heavy sounds of an expensive guitar to the Paradise, but nevertheless it doesn’t disappoint you like other low-budget guitars. Also, the long notes do sustain which is commendable. Again in the drawback section of Sounds, the tone controls aren’t as versatile as they are usually expected to be, but there’s always an option of an upgrade which doesn’t cost all that much.

Technical Specification Price: £369 Built in: Far East Scale lenth: 24.75” Body: Mahogany wood with maple veneer Neck: Mahogany Fingerboard: Rosewood Frets: 22 Pickups: 2 x Wilkinson WVHZ humbuckers Hardware: Wilkinson tuners and Tune-O-Matic bridge Finished: Amber

CONCLUSION With all good facilities, the Vintage V100AFD Paradise is great for new beginnings. It’s rather excellent for beginners who are low on budget. The price range is apt for the great resonant sounds. The build may not be perfect with all the pickups lacking, but then again, the quality of sound and setup win over that. Vintage just went one step further by making it easy for guitarists.

Shruthi Musicals

Where to buy

New No 7, Old No 4, Harleys Road, Kilpauk, Chennai-600010. +91-44-26603630 | +91-99404 95455 octave@shruthimusicals.com

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A space where non-mainstream film, music and art can flourish and thrive, where senior members of the music, film and media industries come face to face with artists, emerging and established; where members of the industry have the opportunity to share their opinions and engage in dialogue – this is the vision of IndiEarth XChange. The third edition of XChange – India’s trade event for international music, film, and media – gears up to take place this December 5th - 7th at The Park Chennai. As India’s definitive trade event, XChange – through a series of conferences, panel discussions, networking sessions, and programming opportunities, as well as unique musical showcases and film screenings – is a platform for the industry to meet in one place, know each other and have their say in the growth and future of the industry – in effect, have a say in how their own businesses grow. “Trade events abroad are hard to access for most people in India, and XChange brings different markets and festivals across the world together to do business with Indian professionals and artists,” says Sonya Mazumdar, CEO EarthSync and visionary behind the IndiEarth XChange, “This provides a cost effective single point access to India’s professionals”. The trade event places an emphasis on industry development and growth with respect to the independent arts, aiming to provide sustainable frameworks that help this growing industry develop in India, while simultaneously providing business opportunities for industry delegates and artists. “It’s all about building the infrastructure to enable sustainable business and growth,” continues Mazumdar. “The industry is acutely aware of the challenges, and the vital need to address this professionally.” XChange ensures audience participation in the independent arts, and brings audiences a selection of music showcases and film screenings from around the globe. Entry to the music and film festivals is free. “What perhaps is not obvious is that among the audience are some of the world’s best professionals – venues, festivals, media – from over 20 countries that are going to provide a direct impact and result in business for artists.” There is a nominal registration fee for the industry oriented events, as is normal for a trade event. “Industry professionals understand a registration fee for what it is and the huge value in returns for business with what happens at XChange,” says Mazumdar. For international

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professionals interested in doing business in India, XChange provides a single and cost effective meeting point to connect with the best of India’s professionals in one place. In the past year alone, IndiEarth has programmed over 160 Indian and international artists, screened over 175 independent films, and has brought together audiences across the country under the umbrella of independent cinema and music in venues around India. Indian performers at XChange 2013 – including Ravi Iyer, Business Class Refugees, Shaa’ir & Func, and Nucleya – were handpicked after their performances by programmers present at XChange 2013, and given the opportunity to perform at international festivals. XChange is a culmination of IndiEarth’s activities to build and provide business for the independent arts community – not just in Chennai and other cities in India, but also looks outward to the Indian Ocean and Asia regions, involving musicians, filmmakers, programmers, venue owners, industry experts and media professionals across borders to be part of the movement. This third edition of XChange will see conferences and presentations for and by the music, film and media professionals, music showcases from different corners of the globe, screenings of some of the best of independent films with top directors at XChange for discussions and Q&As, and respected members of the media organizations including NDTV and Songlines UK, whose editor-in-chief Simon Broughton will be holding an intensive workshop on journalism at this year’s XChange. “Media is a very critical player in the development and growth of the independent arts, by connecting the art to the audience with cultural perspectives – from rural contexts to urban culture,” says Mazumdar. For more details and to register for IndiEarth XChange 2014, visit http://xchange14.indiearth.com/.

I always like to do things nobody has done or is unique. I used to love playing the harmonium way back in the 90's and I still do

`` 30

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ABHIJIT POHANKAR One of the pioneering classical keyboardists in our country, Abhijit Pohankar is indeed a protégée of his father the great Ajay Pohankar. As an artist who explores all dimensions of music. With his album Piya Bawari he experiments with classical music fused with lounge music, a truly unique blend. Here’s his little chat with The Score Magazine: You’re father is renowned vocalist and you have learned vocal music yourself. How did keyboard come into the picture? I always like to do things nobody has done or is unique. I used to love playing the harmonium way back in the 90s and I still do, so I thought I should try to play classical music on keyboard which is seen very rarely. Also I didn’t want to be just another Sitar or Sarod player as we have thousands of them already. As far as being a vocalist is concerned I am a singer though I have not highlighted it much in public.

You learned from Santoor Maestro Pandit Sivakumar Sharma as well. Tell us about your experiences learning from him and how he helped you grow as a musician. I had gone to him in 1998, because I wanted to play his style on the keyboard. I had occasional sittings with him for 3-4 years and had always observed his style of playing for many years. It’s always wonderful to learn from and observe such great musicians. He was also open to these newer ideas and also gave me his blessings after he heard my album Piya bawari in 2002.

You’ve done countless albums since the success of “Piya Bawari”, which was a sensational hit. How do you keep you music fresh?

Piya bawari was an album where we used modern instrumentation along with classical brandishes. But now I have moved on since everyone started doing it after I did and that style is now stale. So I am experimenting with ghazals and folk. I always try to keep the original flavor of the composition intact and try to be as sensible as I can in the fusion part.

Growing up whom all were you inspired by? Which musicians in the field today, do you look upto? Many. My father Pt Ajay Pohankar, Ustad Amir khan sahib, Kishori Amonkar ji, Mehdi Hassan, Lataji,Ashaji, Micheal Jackson, Lionel Richie, Pink Floyd, Enigma, Yanni…lots. I’ve always listened to all types of music and have never stayed away from a particular type just because it isn’t Indian classical.

What is the latest project that you have been working on and what can fans expect? SOUNDZ OF INDIA is my latest project where I am infusing folk and other music of India. It’s going to be on a YouTube channel with lots of videos with different artists followed by a two day live festival.

Where do you see your music going? Any new genre you are interested in exploring in the future? Well I am already experimenting with lots of genres, I don’t think any other musician is experimenting so much with different genres.

I always try to make different combinations of instruments in different genres. For example The

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With his brand new EP, ‘Fever’, just hitting the markets, Nanok is a Mumbai based DJ who believes that hard work harbours good things in life. Jai Vaswani aka Nanok, gets chatty with The Score Magazine!

Why ‘Nanok’? What does it mean? In short, I once visited a past life regressionist. During our session, I kept going in and out of consciousness. I can't really place it but I kept flashing through different past lives of mine. Some experiences were swift and some more vivid. During one of them, I saw the word "Nanok" carved in stone and when I regained consciousness, the name just stuck :)

Fever is fun, melodic and quirky. The idea was to keep all 5 tracks simple and catchy. I also shot my very first music video featuring Varun Thakur and the response has been great!

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How did you get into DJing in the first place? What interested you about the whole electronic dance music? I started DJing at the age of 15. A friend of mine taught me how and then I never stopped! It looked so cool and like so much fun. And I thought I'd be good at it cause I maintained a large collection of music and was very familiar with it. I always knew I wanted to start composing my own music. I just didn't know how I'd go about it. Electronic music is what it is today because artists can write, record and produce a record using just a computer and good software. Technology has made things so much easier for us (and affordable) that I guess it was the only thing for me to get into.

How did you initially gain recognition and how did your first projects take off? I built myself as a dj over the years in bombay. I also played a few gigs in England while I was studying there. My first project was Bitter. This was a collab - heavy album that was made to showcase me as well as the various featured vocalists.

all time favourite. I look up to producers like Timbaland, the Neptune's, Dr Luke. But I don't think it stops there. There's always a new artist that takes the world by storm. So, I'm constantly inspired and influenced. I think there's a lot of pop influences in the music that I make.

What role do you think formal music training has to play in building an artist, as opposed to having raw untamed talent? Even someone with raw talent needs to play an instrument to realise his talent. After that, some form of training is inevitable even if it is self taught. I don't think that one is better than the other because when an artist is composing music, it comes from within. But the ability to play an instrument or know music theory is extremely important!

Tell us about your EP 'Fever'. What was your key inspiration behind the conception of the EP?

Your music idol/guru Michael Jackson

The real turning point for me was mid 2013 when I decided to drop everything and focus all my energy on production. This led to me signing with Krunk and gigging around the country. Being featured on dualist inquirys Subterra gave me a huge push into the indie scene too.

Fever is fun, melodic and quirky. The idea was to keep all 5 tracks simple and catchy. I also shot my very first music video featuring Varun Thakur and the response has been great!

Mat Zo once told me that if you keep producing, it's impossible for the nothing to happen! So I'm gonna follow that.

Even with Death by Shoelaces, I wanted to maintain a disco vibe as much as possible. I have a tendency to "over-produce" but with help from some very close friends, I have managed not too.

Growing up, who were your musical influences who have inspired you to become the artist you are today? Michael Jackson! He's my

What are some upcoming projects our readers can look forward to? There's a lot in the pipeline. I recently completely a collaboration with Anish Sood & Anushka Manchanda. Come January, I have been planning a year-long challenge to release 1 track per week or 1 track every 2 weeks (Haven't decided yet!)

Your idea of a perfect unwind The gym

Are there any words of advice you would like to give upcoming DJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and artists interested in the EDM scene? Yes! Because giving advice is the easiest thing to do :)

Everyone has a unique style. If you're a DJ/producer, don't copy what someone else is doing. If it works for that person, It will most likely NOT work for you. Do what you do for the love of it and if you keep working hard, good things will happen.

Food that you binge on Peanut Butter

And finally, if you believe in what you're doing, it will be easy to convince other people to believe in what you're doing!

If you werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t an artist, what do you envision yourself as? I run a Fries&Shakes joint called "The J" which I am planning to expand very soon. I'm already living my alternate life :)

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the look of a

Rockstar Lenny Kravitz, Adam Levine, Rihanna, Rita Ora… Some Rock stars have it all. Great vocals and impeccable style and of course, it is only natural to want to emulate some of that swag from time to time. I’d be kidding myself if I said I’m not in the least bit inspired by the style of some of my favorite rock stars. Well, obviously becoming a rock star is not a simple thing. It requires talent, hard work, luck, good timing and many other skills and attributes, but what about feeling like one? Feeling like a rock star requires that you identify the characteristics of one, combine them with your unique strengths and build a powerful identity around them. Here are some common essentials you’ll typically find a rock star sporting and brand recommendations to go along with them.

To The Tee Rock stars love making statements, almost to the point where one would think that it’s a part of their job description. Here are some brands that really nail the art of pun-tastic tees. Without Walls Trail Eyes Tee, Urbanoutfitters.com

The Jacket

‘I Want My Blue Sky’ Threadless.com,

True Religion

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It goes without saying that you need a good leather jacket to seal the deal with a rock star look. They’re expensive, but investing in one is never a bad decision. Bomber Jacket, Balmain

All in the Jeans Lucky Brand, Lolita Skinny Jeans

Blazer, Topman

Another staple piece of clothing, for a rock star it’s all about a few good ole pair of jeans. You don’t have to have many. But the few that you do own must be like priceless gems: Perfect in every way.

Chain Lapel Wood Blazer, Yves Saint Laurant

Kimchi Blue’s Skinny Floral Buckle Belt

BDG Boyfriend Leather Belt, Urbanoutfitters.com

Belt it Out In olden days, belts were sort of essential to an outfit. In moderntimes it has become somewhat of a novelty and taking advantage of the possibilities is exactly what good rock stars are doing with the belt. Here are some of my top favourite picks.

Men’s Skull Buckle Belt, Alexander McQueen

Dogeared Jewelery, karma bracelet, gold dipped

Boho Charm Bracelet, urbanoutfitters.com

Bracelets Geography 541 X Urban Renewal Large Woven Fray Cuff Bracelet, urbanoutfitters.com

Bangles and bracelets accentuate those otherwise bland wrists and there are a plethora of designs out there for every kind of individual. Try these on for size:

Rings

Jeffrey Campbell Priya Scaled Platform Ankle Boot Liv Platform Heel by Silence and Noise

Kickin’ Shoes

Laser-cut cotton Blazer, Balmain

Blazer A lighter version of the jacket, blazers add that class to your look when you’re headed to a jazzy event. These are few of my personal favorites.

Sam Edelman, Kayla Suede Tall Boot

If there is one accessory that has the capacity to make a statement completely on it’s own, it would be a kickass pair of shoes. They have the power to vamp up the dullest of outfits and raise you to new heights (literally). Here are some very interesting and unique brands that really push the limits of shoe fashion

The next most eye-catching Farmhaus, accessory for a rock star Urbanoutfitters.com aside from awesome shoes is a unique and fantastic ring on your finger. So many companies today have interesting concepts when designing rings and I can’t stress enough that you should take advantage of that! These are some very cool ones I’ve come across. Alchemist Midi Ring Sets, Urbanoutfitters.com

Poison Ring, Urbanoutfitters.com

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The history of Musee Musical runs in synchronization with India’s rich colonial heritage. Situated on the landmark Mount Road in Chennai, this 150+ year old store stands proud with the name it’s created itself in the world of music. This once housed the elephants that belonged to the Parthasarthy temple. In association with Trinity College, London, Musee Musicals. Setting it’s mark in South India as the largest music store, Musee Musicals sells western and indian musical instruments and makes arrangement for a visiting faculty examiner from the Trinity College to test and certify it’s students. They are also one of the largest examination centres for the Trinity School of Music outside London. Many notable names in Indian music have learnt their craft and appeared for examinations at Musee Musical, among them Ilayaraja, L.Shankar, L.Subramanyan and A.R.Rahman. With history playing such an integral role in a city like Madras which was one of the epicenters of trade, it was only natural for a company to open a store which sold musical instruments to the Europeans settled in the south of the sub-continent. Thus began the legacy of Musee Musicals which resulted in the combination of different threads over time that led for it to become an establishment under the British Raj. The story of the inception of Musee Musicals is a key portrayal of the kind of land India is, which welcomes with open arms different cultural ideas and infusions. The Indian society is like a constantly evolving and adapting ferris wheel which accommodates the ever changing milestones in the sphere of music. Musee Musicals is one of the numerous little known institutions dotted all over India, that grew for a specific purpose and doggedly pursue their mission. This legendary music equipment store simply does not stop amazing us with the incredible experience it provides us each time we enter its doors. With a brand new addition to this authentic place on October 3rd, 2014, Musee Musical celebrates it’s 172 years of making a mark. This new addition aims to recreate an experiential music zone for it’s customers. The interiors of the store is adorned with black and white portraits of legendary artists from all across the globe, from E A Prudhome to Bach, Beethoven and Bob Marley. If there was a Stairway to Heaven, it would definitely be the spiral staircase that leads customers to the floor that rests more than over 2,000 musical instruments of both Western and Indian variety. If maple top guitars and Steinway and Sons designed pianos don’t impress someone, I don’t know what will! The newly renovated store was launched by violinist L Subramaniam and A Sivamani. Being the first to experience the experiential music zone, they played tracks from their famous numbers. Drummer Sivamani, reminisces his childhood and recalls how this place will always be close to his heart, since he was 15 years old. It makes him immensely proud to watch this place evolve. Subramiam also applauds at how the store has managed to thrive through the thick and thin and maintained it’s reputation for almost 2 centuries now! Institutions like these stand the test of time, and indeed are testimony to the fact that “Old is gold”. Kishore G Das the CEO of Musee Musicals Pvt Ltd explains that it’s absolutely essential for those entering the world of music to have the feel of what they’re getting into first. So Musee aspires to give these budding artists a ground that they can get comfortable with.

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Rendezvous with

Shankar

Mahadevan at Waves2014

Not too long ago, we had genius music composer Shankar Mahadevan on our cover. This man has only been expanding the realms of music composition over the past decade, and he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fail to impress us yet again! The Score Magazine had a quick rendezvous with the man himself at the BITS Pilani fest - Waves 2014!

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What surprised us the most while going through your profile was that you were an engineer! Even more so, you’ve even worked with the software giant Oracle. How was the transition from a Software Engineer to Musician? I lived (and am still living!) in a typical South Indian family setting. Like most children then who were doing well academically, I had two options, either become a doctor or an engineer. But after a few years into that life, you begin to introspect and realize that you can’t do that for 18 hours a day! But with music, you are passionate about it and can do that. Since childhood, I had a lot of music in me, so the transition was quite natural. I made a few decisions, and it took me in that direction. I think it was a good decision! *laughs*

I won’t say ‘changed’ as such. Like fashion, or even food habits, music has it’s own habits, cycles and fashions. Different genres, new people, all this is happening, and this is change, but one thing is constant- good music and bad music! It’s all the same, just different cycles.

How do you manage to inject innovation in every composition? In other words, how do you stop repetition?

What was it like working on Tandanu with Indian Ocean? Was it a change of pace?

It’s actually quite difficult! The first thing we look at composing a song is what NOT to do. Anyone of us could compose a song in five minutes, but realizing what works is the tough bit. A song which is in, say, Taare Zameen Par, definitely won’t work for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag! So a lot of thought is put into the ‘path’ for the music. That takes a while, even more so than actually composing. When I work with Ehsaan and Loy, we all have our own spheres, with rock, jazz, and my Carnatic touch. With all that variety, it’s easy to innovate.

I really love their music. I think they are very original, and are possibly the first Indian Folk band who are very rooted and original. We somehow connected in the festival Stormfest, and performed after only a day’s composing! It was a hit, and after many years of going back and forth on deciding to actually record, we finally did so recently. I think the song is great!

Of all the musicians you have worked with, who would you say is most complementary to your own inclinations? Except Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa, I mean.

While straddling both Bollywood and indie spheres is more common now, you have been doing so since a time when it was easy to be typecast in an industry. How did you manage to find the balance?

We work Monday to Friday together, sometimes it is like we are married! But yeah, there are lot of other artists apart from them, who I love working with. Zakir Hussain is one I work with a lot, then there is Shakti, and even Heartbeats. If a musician is a master in his core competence, he is of a certain level, then I love interacting with all those musicians, because they always go out off the box and surprise you!

You’ve got people who are really into either one; some people almost only listen to Bollywood music and Bollywood lyrics, so it becomes difficult for them. But I have always been very interested in a lot of different things which excite me, like Classical Carnatic music, or Jazz, or even rock. So Bollywood music was just another such avenue for me. When you’re interested in everything you do, it’s much easier to balance all of it!

What is keeping you busy these days?  Lots of things, actually. Lots of films I’m working on are releasing on the horizon, like Kill Dill, Dil Dhadhak Ne Do, and even Rock On 2. Besides that, Shakti kept me busy, with about 40 concerts. But what’s the most interesting thing I’m doing now is my academy, The Shankar Mahadevan Music Academy, and managed to reach 47 countries, with scientists, doctors, directors all as my students. It’s amazing what technology can do. I’m also singing and recording things with my son, who is a composer as well, and that’s been a lot of fun.

In your opinion, has the music scene in India changed for the better or worse over the last ten years.

There has always existed a sharp divide between commercial Bollywood music and indie production (at least in the way that it is perceived). But with the growing popularity of indie artists, do you ever think this division will be lessened or will disappear?  I certainly think so! I look forward to a day when a composer or singer is noticed for the song which he has song and not for the actor who has lip-sync it. If these indie songs and composers start getting the kind of money which most Bollywood movie songs get, they’ll reach the same level of popularity which the other song has got. It is all a matter of support and I believe that is improving.

How does one "make it" while making music, in your opinion? What would you tell someone looking for their big break?   It’s a great time to pursue music. Because of YouTube and such, you’re always in touch with your audience, and customers. But you also have to be brilliant, because the immense competition around you in the musical world. Focus towards a brilliant product, perseverance, solid patience, but with tremendous hard work, you can actually sustain in the industry.

How would you encapsulate your experience at BITS festival? It’s always such a pleasure to perform at college fests. I’ve also performed at the Pilani fest, Oasis a while back. The kind of energy we get from college students in unparalleled, and as an artists we always want that kind of positive feedback. I’m really excited to perform here.

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The Only Practice Routine You Need To Be Ready For Season 1

Get up Early

Akara Sadana

I like to put the hardest part of a routine on the top of any list I make just so I can get it over with. Similarly with this list, I can’t stress enough the importance of waking up early in the morning to practice. It is pretty much the one thing that will determine your absolute success in staying on top of this or any routine. First off, when you get up early you automatically have much more time during the day. If you have a fulltime job, it is especially helpful because it makes you feel great while at work because you can put a legitimate ‘check’ on this number and few others on the list. Don’t be lazy, because lazy people don’t give fantastic concerts during the music season. Be proactive and get going!

This may seem redundant and downright boring, but practicing akarams in various speeds is extremely helpful and will contribute immensely to fluidity in your voice. Slow and fast are to be given equal importance as both are used in compositions and extempore. Practicing slow, gamaka emphasized singing improves clarity in your sangathis while fast flat akarams improve your speed and energy. Take any and every pattern known to you, like sarali varisai, dhattu varisai, jhanta varisai, and alankarams and dedicate approximately 20-30 minutes to this section of your practice.

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Varnams

Plan

Again, you’re probably thinking ‘that’s a no-brainer’, but it is surprising how many students of music overlook this part of their practice. Varnams are powerful and offer a lot of value in terms of rhythm strengthening, stronger understanding of a raga, and voice conditioning. Practicing 5-6 varnams in all three speeds isn’t the only possibility in this part of your practice. You can practice various nadais (thisra, khandam, misram, and sankeernam), which will immensely strengthen your sense of rhythm. It allows you to develop a deeper understanding of a raga as it is a set composition with swaras included, which gives the student an idea of how to build on ideas in that raga. Lastly, it is a great way to warm up that groggy voice that you inevitably have in the morning as it forces you to sing in different speeds. A complete vocal/instrumental workout!

Get a basic idea of what you want to sing as your main pieces for season and start working on them. Even if you’re not sure of pieces to sing, get started on ragas that you wish to explore during season. The reason I say that is, there are many musicians who sing well today in the field. During season, they all come together to Chennai and just fill the whole city with music. You need to think in terms of how you will stand out and what you can try to do differently in your concerts. For that,

With the 2014 December Season just around the corner, the pressure is on to get in top form to shine this December Season. But the question you find yourself asking is, ‘Where to begin?’ Here is a – step guide to help you out: you need time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a planner. If anything, it will only work to your advantage because you’d be utterly prepared.

Extempore Marathon

Building on the previous point, when you give yourself sufficient time, you’ll be able to fully explore possibilities within the realms of extempore performance (manodharma). Again, if you really want to stand out during season with your performances, you need to brainstorm new ideas. Marathon practice and listening sessions to the ragas you want to sing and concerts as a whole will get you into the groove of performing well before the season begins, making you ahead of the game. Even if you don’t have time to have marathon sessions, listening to a concert or ragas that you want to focus on for season, will do a world of good for you and hone your performance skills.

Be Fluent with Your Pieces

forget that this music wouldn’t even exist were it not for the incredible creations of all the great composers of the past and present. Just as there are a good number of legit music critics that are likely to attend your concert, you can bet that there will always be a number of people who know squat about extempore and come for music that they understand and relate to. Therefore, singing pieces that are correct in diction and appropriate (language wise and situation wise) is not just an added bonus, but also a medium to truly connect with your audiences.

As one advances in their skill level, you can tweak the list to challenge yourself to be better. Although it is really tempting to just perform what naturally comes to you, just remember that people take their time to come out and hear you. If your aspirations are to become a stellar performer, you must work towards that. Always remember the saying, “If you’re a 100% at home, you’ll only be 50% on stage”. It takes time, dedication, and effort from your end to truly perform the way you envision. Focus, work hard, and make you dreams into a reality today!

When presenting a concert, the general tendency is to focus on extempore singing, and with good reason. It’s a huge chunk of what critics use to base your singing on. However, don’t

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Samson's Expedition XP1000 Portable PA system is an allin-one sound system with incredible features and tons of power that packs into a single compact design. It's perfect for live music performances, DJ sets, parties, group exercise classes, office presentations, academic lectures and anywhere else you want great sound.

The XP1000 is Bluetooth-enabled, allowing you to wirelessly stream music from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. A removable 10-channel mixer with an impressive 1,000-watt (2 x 500), lightweight Class D amplifier powers the XP1000. The mixer features four Mic/Line input channels, each with XLR and 1/4" inputs for connecting microphones or active line level instruments. It also includes three stereo input channels for connecting external devices like MP3 players, keyboards and more. Each channel features Bass and Treble controls, and the first two Mic/Line channels have a selectable compressor to even out levels while preventing overload and distortion. The XP1000 even has a USB Wireless port for use with Samson's Stage XPD1 USB Digital Wireless System (sold separately). For precise control over your sound, the XP1000 provides 16 presets of high quality DSP effects, perfectly suited for vocals. For larger

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applications, the XP1000 provides stereo monitor outputs with level control to use the system with additional powered speakers. In addition, the mixer has a Phantom Power switch to enable the integration of condenser microphones into your PA setup. The XP1000's 2-way vented speakers give you a clean, powerful stereo sound. Their 10" low frequency drivers produce excellent low end punch, while the 1" high frequency drivers receive wide dispersion from 60째 x 90째 horns. For performance versatility, these ABS, high impact enclosures feature integrated 1 3/8" speaker stand mounts, as well as a 30째 kickback design for use as floor monitors. The Expedition XP1000 stands out as a complete portable PA system that is perfect for medium to large-sized musical, educational, business and recreational applications.