*"It will be the first concert in Rahman's name, without Rahman's performance," said SR Kalesh, a student of the institute's foundation course. *
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articlelist/articleshow/4172121.cms Rahman thinks of Martin Luther king 23 Feb 2009, 0024 hrs IST, Chandra Ranganathan, Print<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4172121.cms?prtpage=1> EMail <javascript:openWindowmail1('/mail/4172121.cms',410,500);> Discuss Share <javascript:void(0)> Save<javascript:showdivlayer(4172121,'topdiv');> Comment<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articlelist/articleshow/4172121.cms#write> Text: At first glance, this three-storied grey and blue building tucked away in Kodambakkam the heart of the Tamil film industry- looks like an [image: ar_rahman.jpg] <javascript:openslideshow('/slideshow/4172146.cms')><javascript:openslideshow('/slideshow/4172146.cms')> impenetrable fortress, towering over its neighbours in the largely residential street. The only thing missing in the concrete and glass anterior is a board that says, "Trespassers will be prosecuted." But, if you decide to be a little adventurous and peek inside the building, you will find that the reception is anything but unpleasant. For, this is where Beethoven's Fur Elise mingles with Hindustani rag Bhupali, where cello meets the mridingam and where accents across borders fuse without much effort. Welcome to KM Music Conservatory, AR Rahman's cherished music college in the heart of Chennai, which he hopes will give India possibly its first full-fledged symphony orchestra. On Sunday, when the buzz was getting louder about Rahman's three Oscar nominations, the twenty-odd students and faculty at the institute sang in chorus, "Hum Honge Kamyab" (We shall overcome). The uplifting song is their precious chance to make Rahman proud. For, they will be performing this at a concert in honour of human rights advocate Martin Luther King III, who is visiting Chennai this Wednesday. "It will be the first concert in Rahman's name, without Rahman's performance," said SR Kalesh, a student of the institute's foundation course. Srinivas Krishnan, a percussionist and Rahman's friend for a decade, said, "Rahman's busy attending the Oscar awards but he calls me up almost on a daily basis to check how the preparation for the concert is proceeding. He has been very keen on creating his own orchestra instead of sourcing musicians from abroad." His music school is a culmination of that dream. "There has been a lot of hype around KM, since it was launched last year. So, this will also be a chance to live up to live up to Rahman and the academy's image," Kalesh said. But amid songs that extol virtues such as civil rights and equality, the students haven't forgotten the Oscar fever in a hurry. "We can't afford to look very excited during the practice sessions, but Rahman's Oscar nominations is at the back of our minds. We are going to watch the ceremony at his AM Studio, where he recorded the Jai Ho song," Kalesh added. Incidentally, Jai Ho is one of Rahman's tracks nominated for the Oscars. Confident of Rahman's win, they have also gone ahead and bought crackers in advance, for the celebrations. "We are confident that he will at least two of three," said another student Georgina. Meanwhile, faculty member Michael Lindsay finds himself becoming more popular by the day with his friends back home in the US, thanks to his Rahman connection. "It's really cool that my boss is Rahman," he chuckles. KM Music Conservatory, with people from different cities, states and countries, mirrors Rahman's vision. Close associates of Rahman say KM is actually named after the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, whose shrine in Ajmer attracts visitors from every community and society. In a similar vein, he hopes the start up academy would become a symbol of music amidst harmony. It currently has nearly 40 students in a full-time foundation course and fifty others in a preparatory part-time programme. The school is also planning to impart free violin lessons to children of a corporation school nearby. In an earlier interview to ET, Rahman had said, "My music school will be to start an orchestra and raise awareness about orchestral music. In India, every state is different so I thought we'd have one orchestra that says it all. It is also a bridge for our culture, to export our culture. Music transcends all, it's a common language."
