Folk music is often referred as the source from which all other genres were created. Every region in the world has its unique form of folk music which consists of a song for every occasion and mood.
Many musicians still practice their historic and rich musical traditions. Though their styles and repertoires differ, the songs are generally about great battles, love, separation, and devotion to the almighty.
As globalisation shrinks the musical boundaries, the listeners are spoiled with plenty of options of genres to choose from.
The need to promote and educate the audience about our rich musical heritage is a foregone conclusion.
Taking a step towards this, The Indian Performing Right Society launched a unique campaign ‘#KnowYourMusic: A Journey down the Music Lanes’ on this World Music Day.
The special initiative will encompass series of ongoing activities and sessions to identify, nurture and promote different genres and facets of Indian Music
The #KnowYourMusic campaign also aims to introduce the audience and the music enthusiast to the different genres of Indian Music and create a more engaged audience. Through the #KnowYourMusic series, IPRS aims to initiate a transformation in the way people are consuming music, thus making music just not a passive consumption habit but a work of art and creation that audience would take notice of and love to engage with. Through the wide-ranging performances and sessions every month, IPRS looks forward to educating the audience on different styles of songs and music and the stories behind their creation. The more the audiences know about the music they are listening to the more informed decision they will make.
The launch session on 21st June, World Music Day, featured the Indian Folk Music, its creative abundance, and diverse forms in association with Dolby Laboratories and the Anahad Foundation.
The panel consisted of eminent personalities like Atul Churamani, MD, Turnkey Music & Publishing Pvt Ltd, Hemjit Maloo, Director, Veena Cassettes Pvt Ltd, Aabha Hanjura singer-songwriter, Abhinav Agarwal Founder Director Anahad Foundation, Shantanu Moitra, Music Director and was moderated by Mayur Puri, Lyricist, Screenwriter & IPRS Board Member.
You can watch the session here : https://youtu.be/oZegBe23LDk
Taking the initiative forward, on the 24th of July’21, Mayur Puri discussed the legacy and future of Indian Classical Music with sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee.
The duo dwelled upon topics pertaining to Indian classical music like the significance of a ‘Gharana’ and its role in shaping the classical music in India, the famous ‘Guru Shishya Parampara,’ breaking into mainstream among others.
You can watch the session here : https://youtu.be/zPsnbm5XsHQ
On the occasion of Guru Purnima, IPRS in collaboration with Dolby released its short format music series ‘MUSISODES’. The Musisodes will be short videos of 5-6mins each covering different aspects and topics covering the vast landscape of Indian Music. The Musisodes will be an innovative format to engage with the audience across digital platforms, with content covering familiar and niche music genres.
With the Indian music industry growing in leaps and bounds, music education has gained paramount importance. The global nature of the industry has exposed us to various facets, of which Indians were unaware.
India has a rich history of education, with many globally famous universities calling it home at a point in history. Even today, education remains on the priority list. But this has largely remained confined to the fields of art, commerce, and science, which needs to change. The horizons have to be broadened and change welcomed.
Music education has to be a pivotal piece in the broadened horizon. There are many other facets to it other than performing arts. There are legal and commercial angles too.
Recently, the Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS), in association with Dolby India and Artist Aloud, launched the campaign #EmpowerHERMUSIC. The second leg of the HERMUSIC initiative. HERMUSIC aims to inspire, empower and celebrate women in music.
The initiative #EmpowerHERMUSIC will entail community outreach and nurture music programs to foster a community of women creators and budding talents united through music. Provide a playground for all those who aspire to build a career in music and support the cause. Thus, helping to change the face of the music industry through a growing representation of women in music?
Dwelling more about the initiative are Pankaj Kedia, Managing Director, Emerging Markets, Dolby Laboratories, and the IPRS spokesperson.
Tell us about #EmpowerHERMUSIC and what does it look to achieve?
IPRS: The Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS), India’s only copyright society representing the authors, composers, and publishers of music, in association with Dolby India and Artist Aloud, announced the second phase of the #HERMUSIC campaign – #EmpowerHERMUSIC. The initiative entails community outreach and nurturing of music programs to foster a community of women creators and budding talents united through music. It will provide a platform to all those who aspire to build a career in music and support the cause. Thus, helping to change the face of the music industry through a growing representation of women in music. #EmpowerHERMUSIC commenced with an hour-long session, Education in Music, on 8th July at 5 PM (IST). The session was LIVE on the IPRS Facebook page, hosted in association with Music Meleti and Dolby Laboratories. The session focused on opportunities in Music Study, introducing the audience to over 25K courses and 400 universities worldwide to choose their stream of passion.
What made Dolby come on board with #EmpowerHERMUSIC?
Kedia : At Dolby, we are committed to supporting the industry and music ecosystem. Our endeavor is to provide creators with a new palette of possibilities beyond the ordinary. Through this innovative program, Dolby is supporting students, artists, creators, musicians in India to discover and learn more about music and the possibilities in this new era of music.
What kind of knowledge sessions should we expect from the series?
IPRS : The #HERMUSIC initiative launched on 8th March – International Women’s day will be expanding into music nurturing sessions on the 8th of every month. The #EmpowerHERMUSIC will serve as a forum to educate the music aspirants and female talents. Through sessions on Song-writing, Music Composing, Music beyond Songs, Sound Design & Mixing, Music Rights & Intellectual Property, Know-how about building the brand through Social Media & PR, and Insights on Distribution & Marketing of Music.
What kind of work is Dolby partnering with IPRS on this or contributing towards the project?
Kedia : IPRS is a prestigious organization, all its initiatives are aimed toward uplifting the Indian Music Industry. Our partnership with IPRS goes a long way and we are in sync when it comes to extending our support to such an important initiative. With this initiative, we are providing attendees the opportunity to learn about music creation in India & the exploration of new technologies like Dolby Atmos. Through various sessions like education in music, songwriting sessions, Dolby Atmos Tutorial Series, Dolby Institute Masterclass, and a free trial to Dolby Atmos Production Suite, attendees would not only be able to understand the nuances of music creation but also learn the technical know-how to create spectacular music experiences.
Tell us about the first session conducted with Music Meleti.
IPRS : The first session, Education in Music, was put together for all music enthusiasts, introducing them to the relevance and opportunities in Higher Studies in Music. The Education in Music masterclass was in organization with Music Meleti – an online destination for information on music education. During the session, the attendees learned about Music Study, with over 25K courses and 400 universities worldwide to choose their stream of passion!
What do you think should be one big area of focus for musicians in-making or the musicians who are looking to make it big?
Kedia : The music industry is fast evolving, and there are plenty of new opportunities for creators to showcase their talent. The need is to understand and use the technologies that are available for creators as that can elevate the quality of their content and bring out the emotions that they intended for the listener to experience. As more creators embrace these technologies, the more empowered they will feel to create something that has never been heard before and something that creates a deep connection between their art and their audiences. This is what we aspire to achieve at Dolby – to empower artists and creators, make them recognize their potential, and support them in improving and enhancing their skills and tools.
Click here to watch the session: https://youtu.be/qOest3qCZGI
EmpoweHERMUSIC sessions will be beamed live on the IPRS Facebook page on the 8th of every month. To know more, write to us at events@iprsltd.com. Follow the IPRS on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube for regular updates. Visit us at www.iprs.org.
