Seminar on music takes off

A three-day international music seminar organised by the IGNCA and ISME, Australia shows (from left) Vikram Sampath (of IGNCA); Margaret S. Barrett (of ISME); Graham Welch (of the Institute of Education in London) and Kiran Seth (of Spicmacay).

Scientific studies in the West have shown that music and arts aid cognitive development and similar studies need to be done in India, said musician and author Vikram Sampath, who heads the south zone of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), during an international seminar that discussed how music can help transform personality.

The three-day seminar on ‘Transformative music and music education’ organised by the IGNCA, in association with the International Society for Music Education, Australia, brought educators, musicologists and musicians under one roof at the NGMA to be concluded on September 24.

Participants from several universities including the University of Queensland, Australia, and Cambridge, London, and major universities across India will assess the importance of music that influences human personality.

“The deliberations at the seminar will help to approach institutes and government bodies for introducing music as a subject, beginning from elementary education,” said Mr. Sampath.

Kiran Seth, founder of SPIC MACAY, while delivering the keynote address said, “We are always taking the IQ of children into consideration in their development with respect to their mind, focus, concentration, talent and education. The need to look into EQ (emotional quotient) and SQ (spiritual quotient) is equally important.” This is where music plays a critical role in developing a “complete personality”, he added.

In spite of the rich assortment in culture and fine arts, India is yet to come up with comprehensive studies on its impact on personality development.

Perspectives from research, policies and practice from around the world will be discussed by delegates assembled here, said Mr. Sampath. “With Rita Bokil participating as the NCERT representative, this seminar is a stepping stone to having music as part of school and college curriculum,” he said.

Margaret S. Barret of ISME said she was looking at long term collaborations with educational and music institutes of India. “We hope to raise the profile, worth and value of music education,” she said.