Guitar riffs and drumbeats help us locate Shivaranjini Music at MPM Street, Vysarpadi. Four musicians are engaged in a practice session at the terrace, trying out songs from Anegan . All the four are visually impaired. Shivaranjini Music, a band composed of the visually-challenged, strikes a chord with the audience wherever they perform, as they present film songs, some of them coming from 1980s.
“Songs from the 80s are our favourite,” says Sakthi Kumaran, who started the orchestra in 2007 with eight others. Today, it has nearly 15 people, covering various age groups, from different parts of the city. During weekends, they practise at Vysarpadi.
Indumathi, 21, who has been a part of the group for the last six years is the youngest and is a vocalist. Selvaraj, 33, is the senior-most, and play the drums. Satyanarayana takes classes for music exams.
A majority of the members got their initial training from St. Louis School for the Blind, Adyar, where they completed their schooling.
“At school, they taught us instrumental, western and classical music from class VI onwards and that laid the foundation for careers in music,” says Sakthi, who took one year to form the team after completing class XII.
Initially, members bought instruments on rent to practise, now they practise with their own sets. On an average, the orchestra performs at seven programmes a month, including birthday parties, weddings and corporate events.
“In August and July, we get to perform at temple events. In January and February, we get to perform at weddings,” says Sakthi, who completed B.A. (history) from Loyola College.
Members say they charge a nominal fee for every performance and the best gift one can give the orchestra is inviting them to perform.
“We do not expect sympathy. We just need a platform to showcase our talent as musicians, ” says Sakthi.
The troupe plans to create a website to enter the Guinness Book of Records.
For details, call 9840659852.
