Correspondent
Kohima, December 7
In an added prize value for the bands and musicians of the already highest prize money Rock Concert in the country – Hornbill International Rock Competition, the True School of Music (TSM), Mumbai and Blue Frog today announced to extend support and training to the achieving bands and musicians of contest the will offer the winning bands and musicians at the Hornbill International Rock Competition by providing coaching modules, a headlining gig at Blue Frog and more valued around Rs. 30 lakhs.
TSM Mumbai acclaims to be the country’s first comprehensive institute of contemporary music while Blue Frog, India is said to be a premier live performance space for musicians.
The duo has tied up with the International Hornbill Rock Contest in Nagaland this year to support young musicians.
In an effort to provide all-round support to these musicians, Founder of TSM Ashutosh Pathak addressing a press conference early this morning in presence of Music Task Force Director, Gugs Chishi and Managing Director of XL THeja Meru at Dream Café said the TSM and Blue Frog would not only offer winning bands and musicians course scholarships for modules at the school to help them get better at their craft, but also provide travel to and stay in Mumbai, for a three month period to a select few.
In the individual musicians’ category, the best guitarist, drummer, keyboardist, bassist and vocalist would provided dream packages in the form of scholarships for coaching modules worth Rs. 4 lakh.
In the band category, the most promising band will receive a coaching module at TSM, a headlining gig at Blue Frog, a tour of Mumbai and Pune with paid gigs and an audio-video recording, while the runner-up band will receive a coaching module at TSM as well as an audio-video recording.
He also announced that the team is considering opening up branch of TSM in the state within a year. He said though initially it would be in the form of imparting workshops and coaching classes but subsequently we would want to open up branch of TSM.
Phatak, who is on the panel of judges for the Hornbill International Rock Contest 2013 “since HRC is the biggest music contest in India with 130 bands participating, we felt it was really important to contribute to the welfare of the next generation of musicians by offering scholarships, gigs and tours to the winning bands. Rs. 30 lakhs worth of prizes is just a start in our commitment to create a robust independent music scene that India deserves and is more than ready for”.
Founder of Blue Frog Bobby, who has already performed and won awards in the Hornbill Rock Contest in 2006 and presently come as one of the judges of the contest said that there are lots of talents in the region and they are happy to join hands with the organizers of the Rock Contest and provide opportunities to the musicians to take it as profession and not just hobby.
Elaborating on the prizes, Pathak said the most promising band would get package worth Rs. 11 lakhs as the Band Boot Camp, which include one month scholarship for the whole band for a Custom Designed TSM Band Coaching Module; 16 lessons per member of the band including performance and technique coaching to take your band to even further levels. It would also take care of their one month stay.
On the other hand BlueFROG would provide headlining gig at Bluefrog, besides the travel and stay at Pune.
The Best Band from Nagaland would receive package valued at Rs. 5 lakh which include one month scholarship for the whole band for a Custom Designed TSM Band Coaching Module; 16 lessons per member of the band including performance and technique coaching to take your band to even further levels. They would the video recording opportunities.
Meanwhile, Director MTF Gugs Chishi expressed happiness that with the involvement of the two music academics the value of the HRCN has gone up. He said that the organizers of the HRCN has always been wanting to promote the musicians and “we will be privileged to have a branch of TSM in the state within next year”.
