Playing the Japanese way
The launch of India’s first Roland School of Music Japan in Calcutta, reports Gargi Gupta.
Shigeru Kimoto of Roland Corporation Japan, Rupam Islam, a Bengali vocalist, Jyoti Bansal and Raunak Agarwal of Happy Hours inaugurated India’s 1st Roland Music School of Japan in Calcutta. Roland has over 25 years of track record in music education enhanced by its collaboration with an electronic musical instrument manufacturer.
People of all ages attend the Roland school of Music and most are at the beginning and intermediate stages of their musical journey. The school offers private instructions to both small groups (2-4 students), large groups (5-8 students) and provides band workshop classes too. They also host guest clinicians and artists at the school. Roland plays a great role in providing world class musical instruments for India as well as the world market. It has its own schools in various countries, the likes of United States, Japan and China.
The academy will offer specialist training programmes in collaboration with Roland UK. Students will be encouraged to consider a variety of career options and to develop the skills needed to create their own business opportunities or attract potential industry employers.
In addition to working with leading-edge technology, academy students will benefit from a range of master classes and clinics delivered by Roland product specialists and leading industry figures. Boasting state-of-the-art teaching facilities, each academy has been equipped with Roland and Edirol hardware products, Cakewalk’s Sonar production software and Make Music’s finale notation package.
Catering to all age groups, RSM will facilitate the use of interactive software and visual aids for the toddlers. Imparting lessons in piano, guitar, western vocals, lucina, V-drums and keyboards, RSM’s semester system of curriculum has been devised based on Indian preferences, so that the learners will have a bouquet of songs ready to play during festivals. Besides, after a year of training, the students will be ready to participate and showcase their talent in RSM’s own band which is internationally acclaimed. 
Calcutta has always been the backbone of music in this country. Calcutta has been the Capital of Music and culture, where music by the great ones like Rabindranath Tagore has stirred the whole world. So Calcutta was chosen as the 1st city for the launch of RSM in India at Happy Hours studio. Today’s technology tools teach traditional concepts in new and creative ways that increase student involvement, interest and retention. Innovative technology also allows us to develop broad-based programs, extending the power of music education to students of a new generation.
RSM will also be using audio- visual aids here to explain the students about the instrument keeping in mind to make the theory part very interesting by giving them examples with which they can relate. The students will begin their journey keeping EDUTAINMENT (education + entertainment) in mind. Along with learning music there will be different games too attached to their sets which will take care of the entertainment part.
“The training offered by our academies will give students a practical understanding of industry-standard technology, and equip them with the skills needed to create and sustain their own business activities in a highly competitive environment. The RSM has global presence and provides the perfect platform to encourage kids and adults alike,” signed off Kimoto.
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