Music has been a part of our culture right from the beginning as old as we are. The 30,000 years old cave paintings at the UNESCO world heritage site at Bhimbetka rock shelters in Madhya Pradesh and cave art of Bhimbhetka depicts dancers and music instruments such as harp and drums. In 2500 BC, Dancing Girl sculpture was evacuated from the Indus Valley Civilization.
Music has its own identity and is one of the most powerful method of expression for human beings. It is enjoyed by all and it affects everyone. There is music for all moods and it is used for healing too. Traditional Indian Music is enchanting and learned by all over the world. Not only traditional, but modern Indian music has an identity of its own. Called Popular Music, it draws inspiration from all the musical traditions of the country.
There are plenty of students in India who want to pursue music as their major after class 12. There are plenty of courses available for these students. Students can join undergraduate or post graduate courses in music. There are of course local music schools, gurus and pandits who teach music across the country. These teachers of music adopt pupils and impart private education. In this article we will describe various career options in music industry in India after completing your music education, whether formal or private.
Music in India is a huge part of the entertainment industry. There are plenty of employment opportunities as this industry employs different types of performers, songwriters, band members, technicians and support staff. These jobs are necessary for music to be made and reach its target audience. Few of these roles are described below
Singer or a Musician
Singers are those artists who can perform vocal music for innumerable platforms and stages. They could be solo artists or perform as part of bands. They may perform alone or as a member of a band in concerts and social events. They could also sing a particular genre like traditional, regional or mainstream songs. Singers learn playing musical instruments as well as perform in front of large audiences. They could be playback singers or sing for concerts, radio, advertisement, You Tube or local communities. They could become religious singers. India is home to excellent singers like AR Rahman, Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, KD Sehgal, Jasraj, Lata Mangeshkar, Kumar Gandharva, Bhimsen Joshi, MS Subbulakshmi, Girija Devi and many more.
Instrumentalist
Instrumentalists are the ones who have the ability to play one or multiple musical instruments. You have to be experienced in playing in more than one musical genre. Instrumentalists perform in a variety of settings. They perform live in front of audiences, recording music in studio, perform as part of an orchestra, in social events and gatherings. Bismillah Khan, Alla Rakha, Zakit Hussain, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ravi Shankar, Tansen are some famous names amongst others.
Songwriter
They write songs and one could say are basically poets in their own right. They are very talented and creative people and have strong hold on the language. Many not only write songs, but sing them too and perform in front of many singers only write music, others write and perform too. They frequently produce music too which is used in musical films and live theatre. Some of the popular names in India include, AR Rahman, Irshad Kamil, Javed Akhtar, Anand Bakshi, Anjaan, RD Burman, Kaifi Azmi and Ananta Sriram.
Composer
They are musicians who compose and write music that contains no lyrics. They collaborate with a lyricist to produce a song. They have mastered the science of instruments, chords and all nuances of music. They conduct orchestras, compose soundtracks for films, write songs for commercials, produce records, and teach others. Some of the famous composers in India include SD Burman, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Zubin Mehta, Ilaiyraaja, Naushad, Amit Trivedi, Madan Mohan, Vishal Bhardwaj, OP Nayyar, Shankar Mahadevan and Bhupen Hazarika.
Conductor
Conductors are musicians who control and manage live performers in a concert or theatrical setting. They write music for each member of the team and help composers working under her to co-ordinate the score. They lead the music on the stage making sure that each member performs well. Composers can be conductors during live performance for TV, Stage shows and Operas. Famous Indian Conductors include Zubin Mehta, Mehli Mehta, Laxmikant Shantaram, Abraham Mazumdar, Shankar Mahadevan and AR Rehman.
Recording Technician
His is a very technical job and needs lot of knowledge. All music is recorded at some stage. Recording could be from live performance or in the studios. All this is possible with the services of a recording technician. Recording technicians use very sophisticated equipment including high-tech recording devices and computer programs to replicate the sound produced in the studio and transfer it to a recording mediums. Major Recording studios hire them for their services.
Music Producer
A very versatile person, a music producer writes, arranges, produces songs, work with performers and technicians for production of an album, song or a score.
Music Critic
These are journalists with special affinity with music and entertainment industry. The music critic may not perform, but should have enough knowledge about music to be one. They serve as an intermediary between the musician and the audience. Their work is proceed in various mediums such as interviews on TV, print, broadcast and online. They may work as freelancers.
Music Therapist
Music heals! These therapists use music to aid individuals to improve their emotional, physical, cognitive, and social well-being. It is used in various setting in a rehabilitative work, They work as counselors or music therapist and are employed by hospitals and other organizations. It’s also used in sports injury clinics.
Sound Engineering Technician
These are the back bones of any musical team with music directors using them for theater, films, concerts, music recordings, operating recording equipment and producing sound effects. Technicians are responsible for managing sound quality and audio volume during live performances. All medium including radio use these technicians.
There are lot of colleges and universities in India teaching Music. Music is taught in almost all popular colleges and universities of India. Some dedicated institutions have come up which concentrate on entertainment industry studies including studies in music. Some of these are St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Christ University, University of Delhi, Hindu College, Ramjas College, I.P College for Women, Panjab University and AR Rahman’s KM Music Conservatory. All these offer graduate, post-graduate and doctorate programs.
Eligibility and Admission Procedure of Music Programs in India requires a minimum 50% marks in 10+2 and must have learnt music for not less than three years in a recognized institution for undergraduate admissions. Admission through these Universities happens through entrance examination as well as interviews conducted by the respective university. For post-graduation studies, there may be direct admission or an entrance exam along with interview which is conducted by the university.
Thus a vast education platform is available in India for any student who are interested in studies related to music. There may be an initial struggle in earning good money but with time all musicians do very well in India.
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Shreyas Gupta