Faint strains and musical notes flow into the ears, as one strolls along the picturesque campus of Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music, Thiruvananthapuram. Spread over one-and-a-half acres, even the gentle breeze that rustles through tree leaves seems to permeate with music.
A perfect setting
The calm ambience in the college appeals to Vidya Devi, second-year MPA (vocals). “My college offers a quaint atmosphere for learning music. Nothing distracts us here,” she says.
Earlier known as The Music Academy, the college was established in 1939 by the erstwhile Travancore royal family to promote the music compositions of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal. Today, around 300 students learn music at this prestigious institution.
Courses on offer
The college initially offered certificate courses in music — Gayaka and Gayika, both spanning over four years. Later a four-year diploma course called Ganabhushanam and a two-year PG diploma course called Vidwan were introduced. The Vidwan course was then modified into a three-year PG diploma course called Ganapraveena.
The college carries a rich legacy and is known for teaching music the way it should be taught. “Carnatic music remains pure and fresh even today. We are involved in a divine task of carrying on this legacy. We make sure the students imbibe music without losing its essence,” says Vanaja Sankar, the principal.
The college was renamed as Sree Swathi Thirunal College of Music (SSTCM) in 1962. The diploma courses became degree programmes affiliated to University of Kerala in 1999.
The college offers bachelor’s and master’s programme in performing arts under different streams such as vocal, instrumental (mridangam, violin and veena) and in Keralanadanam (a simpler form of Kathakali).
Infrastructure
The music college houses a multimedia library where students can listen to various compositions and performances of great musicians. The library also has a collection of about 6,000 books, which cover a wide range of subjects including music and Indology and several journals.
The students attend various festivals in December, which is also the music and dance season in Chennai. They also interact and exchange ideas with other students, living legends and eminent musicians.
For Divya Raveendran, a second-year MPA (vocals) student, it is a unique experience to be a student of the college, which is also her parents’ alma mater. “I feel so proud and happy to be a student of SSTCM. Some of my teachers have also taught my parents. I have always wanted to be here.”
The mirror panelling system used in the college is a unique feature of the institution. The system makes use of three mirrors to evaluate and rectify mannerisms and the movements of a student during practical lessons for
vocal music and instrumental music.
“We regularly organise seminars. Music scholars and performers stay in the college for a week or two and interact with students on various facets of music. Through these sessions, we try to rejuvenate the concept of gurukula,” says M Balasubramaniam, HoD, Mridangam.
Admission is based on an aptitude test and an interview. The total number of seats in BPA vocals is 45. The rest of the courses have seven seats each.
Most of the students feel it’s a privilege to be a part of SSTCM as it has been offering lessons in the purest form of music.
— aswin@expressbuzz.com