By Eleanor A Sangma
Meghalaya is known for its rich connection to music, with Shillong being dubbed the ‘Rock Capital of India.’ However, for all the hype it receives outside the region, the reality is considerably different on the ground.
Classical guitarist and teacher Titto Sangma from Tura says music is considered as a mere hobby by many here, and not something which can be pursued professionally. The founder of Rhythm School of Music, Tura, is on a journey to change that perception, along with rising artists from the region.
Sangma’s interest in music was sparked when he started studying in Christian Boys’ School. He would watch his friends play the guitar, which inspired him to start taking lessons at a local music academy. Unsatisfied with the training he had received, his younger self eventually convinced his father to let him study in the Delhi School of Music.
“When it comes to music, our people think there’s no future in it. When I was about to go to Delhi, many questioned my decision. It broke my heart, but I was determined to make something of myself one day,” he says.
Sangma admits he stepped foot in Delhi with the firm belief that no one could teach him anything he did not already know. On the first day of classes, a teacher asked him to play all that he knew on his guitar.
“When all was said and done, the teacher asked me where I learned to play the guitar in such a pathetic manner. They didn’t even look at my music certificates from Tura, because all the knowledge I had learned in my brain and stored on the tips of my fingers were completely wrong. So, I had to learn everything from scratch again.”
After passing Grade 8 (the final level in the music education system), he started pursuing Associate of Trinity College London (ATCL) which is a professional course. “When I was working for the ATCL, I had to practice eight to ten hours every day. If someone tells me I have to do that again, I could never.”
After months of continuous practice, it reached a point where his fingers were injured. “It took me about six months to recover. I cried myself to sleep many nights because my future is in my fingers. It was such a rough time, that I asked every pastor I met to pray for me,” he recalls the experience. The artist picked up his preparations for his final ATCL exam, which would be the most important 40 minutes of his life. “I had to prepare for about two years for this exam, one which is hard to pass in one-shot. But with God’s grace, I made it through on the first try.”
Sangma hopes for a future where many from the region will achieve the same and more. He feels this would create a path for them to explore the world outside, which was also his initial plan. Unfortunately, he could not fulfil his own goal on grounds of ill health.
He came back to Tura with no intentions of staying for long. “I thought I’d teach a few kids while I was here for a month. When I sent an ad out for students, more than 20 applied for it. This made me realise that we need a school here.” He had planned to start the school with a couple of business partners, but the pandemic hit the world and he had to start running the school by himself.
“Music has to be a part of our lives. It has the power to change a person, his behavior and mindset,” he says. He adds that humans tend to hold themselves up on a pedestal with little knowledge, while thinking we know everything about ourselves. However, we find our real selves once we venture out and seek real knowledge.
Sangma notes that he has witnessed a great change in the music scene in Tura in recent years. “We (artistes) have been showing the benefits of learning music. People become sharper, which also helps bring improvements in students who are weaker in studies. This happens as we have to fully make use of our brain capacity because we are learning a completely new language.” He believes once music is taken as a compulsory subject in Tura, it will bring about a great change for the individual, society and the church.
The teacher brings artists from outside Tura for the school’s annual concerts. Having received the chance to explore music through seasoned professionals, he wants to offer the same to his students.
“Education only is not enough. If we look at Garo Hills, the colder months are crucial in destroying our youth. Once classes are over, there are no extracurriculars occupying their time. If people are more invested in art and music, they won’t go down the path of drugs and alcohol.”
Sangma adds that he aims to help kids learn music correctly from scratch, and not have to relearn later in life, which is the hardest thing to do. He wants A.chik musicians to be seen and heard. “I’m planning to take them for international competitions. I want to do this for our people, because we are hardly recognised by the world in any field.”
Art and music are essential for an individual’s growth, and make up a large part of what makes life worth living. To quote John Keating in the classic film Dead Poets Society, “..And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.” And what is music, if not poetry?