06 Jan No Place Like It
They say the education of a musician begins when they first hear the sound of music. As a child I was fortunate to have access to diverse music. I had the liberty of digging through my parent’s collection, cassettes and CDs, ranging from Indian classical music to the widely accessible contemporary pop. Music’s impact on me, then, was subconscious but gripping, like the root of a tree which penetrates deep in to the ground but is invisible to the eye.
Even though I picked up the guitar at the age of fourteen, music has been a part of my life ever since the beginning. For three years I practiced by listening to records and got what I wanted from them by ear. This method proved beneficial and I developed my ear at a relatively young age. Gradually my work ethic improved and I opted to pursue my schooling from home to concentrate more on Canada Goose outlet always suitable for you
But hours and hours every day in the ‘woodshed’ did not satisfy me as much as I had thought. There was a void that could only be filled by playing with musicians and interacting with musicians – something that I could not get by ‘practicing’ in my room. Around this time the name of Global Music Institute began popping up in Canada goose snow mantra for sale-Tuoni kuerka. Family members and friends began suggesting I visit GMI, a music institute founded by two ‘Berklee College of Music’ Alumni. I shrugged it. I had a firm resolve not to learn music in an ‘institute’, by reading textbooks, and on pen and paper.
One December evening (2013), a friend invited me to what he said was a ‘jam’ at a cafe called Speak Easy in Gurgoan. I carried my guitar hoping to get a chance to play. I did not get the opportunity to play but what I did get was a night of some amazing music. Tunes by artists ranging from Wayne Shorter to Billy Taylor were played that night. I was thrilled to meet people in Delhi who had a taste in music that coincided with mine, with whom I could have conversations about John Coltrane and John Lee Hooker. That was the Global Music Institute Fall 2013 final recital and the musicians that played that night were the students and the faculty from GMI. That night I met Aditya (Balani) who was very gracious, and instrumental in introducing me to the GMI community. I ended up joining the next semester at GMI and eventually spent the year 2014 studying at the school. Two full-time semesters later, I can honestly say GMI turned out to be something more than I could ever imagine.
Yes, GMI follows the Berklee College of Music curriculum, and yes, it has better facilities than most music schools in Delhi (if not all), but you know what makes it really special? It’s the community – the students, the alumni, the teachers and faculty, and the staff members. The school is the perfect working environment that keeps you motivated and focused in the right direction. The teachers come every semester from different parts of the world bringing into GMI their experiences, taste and culture. They are students themselves who spend their whole day either giving lessons or learning and working on their instruments, and it’s inspiring to see them ‘shed as it pushes me to my limits so as to always seek improvement.
GMI gave me what I most looked for – an opportunity to interact and jam with likeminded musicians. It opened up some doors that I didn’t imagine existed in a city like Delhi. My first radio gig, in promotion of ‘Jazz Utsav’, came through GMI and it was a great learning experience. I feel extremely fortunate to have an institute like GMI near me and to have had access to all the resources, help, and opportunities provided by GMI. There is truly no place like it.
– Karan Mahajan (Full Time Guitar Student)
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