Anil Srinivasan, a trailblazer in music, education 

Anil Srinivasan, a trailblazer in music, education 

“Creativity and expression are such natural things to us,” says Anil Srinivasan, renowned musician and educator. Whether it is the multiple initiatives he has spearheaded, or the passion with which he talks about education, there’s one thing certain — he’s been a harbinger of change.

It was in 2013 that Mr. Srinivasan founded Rhapsody Music Education. With an academic background that dealt a lot with how music affects the brain and how the brain processes music as information, he says music isn’t just useful for memory or concentration, but it is a great learning aid. A decade later, Rhapsody is in 477 schools and has touched over 3.77 lakh students.

“We developed 460 lesson plans which connect music and visual arts, to some extent, to different aspects of the primary school syllabus. The Rhapsody programme isn’t an extra class or an after-school session; this is factored into their class schedule twice a week in tandem with their curriculum,” Mr. Srinivasan says.

“One ends up learning a lot better if they learn the periodic table as a song, or the multiplication tables with a rhythm,” he explains. “We have also been conscious that the performative aspect of the syllabus is pan- genre, age-appropriate, and should definitely pay homage to traditional music forms from different parts of the country.”

He emphasises how even when the idea was just taking shape, equity of access was the most important aspect of education they focussed on. In Tamil Nadu, for instance, this music education in schools programme has found a place in several government schools, reaching out to marginalised students.

It is this emphasis on equity in access that forms an important part of the pianist’s project-based learning initiative — Kruu. “The idea again here is that no child should get left behind. I began mulling the idea of giving middle and senior school students the access not just to higher education institutions but also to a world of ideas,” he says, about Kruu’s beginnings.

He says that while a majority of students might not have access to these ideas, this in no way signified a lack of aptitude. “Instead of giving them access through lectures and talks, which aren’t equitable, they are given exposure to ideas, projects to work on, based on everything ranging from public health to AI, and an opportunity of being mentored,” Mr. Srinivasan says.