Play some music, marē!

Music Schools of Goa | Date: 8th February 2023 | Text by: Alia Busheri | Images by : Music Academies mentioned here

Music is at the core of every Goan and that is probably something you already know. There’s no need for occasion but there is always need for song. Goa has a rich history and heritage that contributes significantly to the eccentric genres that are familiar, popular and enjoyed by all, resident or not. From Indian classical to western classical to folk to traditional to modern to electronic, so on and so forth. There is room for everyone. Moreover, it has become evident that learning music is being greatly encouraged and excitedly celebrated throughout Goa. Here are some of the academia that are working on keeping the music alive.

Inspire Music Institute

Started around 5 years ago by Rajesh and his family, that have a deep passion for music, with a true focus on ‘inspiring the music within’. They cover different genres like western classical, pop, swing, contemporary and more; as well as provide training on 16 different instruments, including the trumpet and mandolin. They have different rooms for teaching, called ‘labs’ that are equipped for specific sounds/instruments. One of these labs is called the ‘Jam Room Lab’, which has mixed instruments so that the students can have a jam session together or band practice for the higher grade students who then get to perform in restaurants or events for fun and exposure. Inspire Institute also prepares their students for the West London College of Music and Trinity Board exams. They have a special US based program for children aged between 3.5-5 years old called ‘Music for little Mozart’s’ that spans over one year and helps children identify different sounds, rise and fall of music and learn stories of famous composers with the help of soft toys! After this course, most children have a good foundation and are ready to specialize in the instrument of their choice. You can see more through their YouTube channel, where they regularly upload videos of their students performing or their website https://www.inspiremusic.in/.

 Goa Jazz Academy

A performance based school started by Divya Gupta and her partner Karan Khosla, who is an Indian jazz guitarist, in 2019. As the name suggests, they believe that jazz has its own unique style but at the same time provides the foundation needed to learn other styles of music. They’re goal is to make learning music more accessible, flexible and fun, mainly for adults, with a strong ethic on mentoring students at their own pace. They’ve quickly grown into a big community, including online and have students and staff from all over India. They’re a not for profit organization and even offer scholarship programs to those that make the cut and those who wish pursue music professionally. “We believe that everyone should have access to quality music education, and we are committed to making that a reality,” said Divya Gupta, Founder of GJA. “Our goal is to provide our students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, and our team of experienced instructors is dedicated to making that happen.” They also have lots workshops and concerts (with their students and with guest artists) that are open to all, and which in turn give their students the experience of playing together and playing spontaneously. They have a lot of plans for the coming year and you can find out more on their website www.goajazzacademy.com .

Goa College of Music

Started in 1987, affiliated to Goa University and supported by Government of Goa through the Directorate of Higher education, Goa College of Music is the only college that stands alone in solely teaching Hindustani Classical Music. Officiating Principal Dr. Shahank Maktedar believes in the conventional ‘Guru Shishya Parampara’ model of teaching and that it is mandatory to pay individual attention to students in order to create an artiste of great caliber. They offer a Foundation course of 2 years for tabla, vocals and harmonium; a Bachelor’s of Performing Arts course of 4 years for tabla, vocals and harmonium; a Master’s of Performing Arts course of 2 years for tabla and vocals; and started a Ph.D. course a few years ago that 10 students have undergone so far. The college even offers a Bridge course of 1 year for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field, but wish to purse a master’s in music. Three times a year they have 3 day workshops where experts are called to teach the students, too. An important program is conducted every Saturday, called the ‘Surel Prabhat’, where students perform independently for the college; and another program called ‘Runanubandha’ that happens once a year, where ex-students come and perform for the college. Students are even given the opportunity to perform for a lot of fetes and events around Goa.