MUSIC EVANGELISTS
Gurgaon-based music professionals Lorraine Fiona and Aubrey Aloysius are wholly convinced that music education needs to be fully integrated into K-12 education for the holistic development of children. To enable this symphony as also to teach world music, they moved from Mumbai seven years ago to Gurgaon, the new satellite city of Delhi where they promoted the Lorraine Music Academy (est. 2005).
“Music education is important for the optimal development of the human mind. In early childhood, linguistic ability is developed by a child listening to sounds in the immediate environment. Later in life an individual can develop advanced learning skills and linguistic ability by listening to music. Moreover written music is based upon the principles of mathematical progression. That’s why most great scientists, mathematicians and artists including Leonardo da Vinci, Albert Einstein and Galileo among others were great music aficionados. It’s now well-established by research studies that the development of musical learning ability to the creative right side of the human brain supplements development of the logical left side. Music melds and harmonises the two sides of the brain.,” says Aubrey Aloysius, a commerce graduate of Mumbai University, former International Banker with Canara Bank and currently the Promoter-Director of LMA and business advisor to the well-known Delhi-based law firm Titus & Co.
While Aubrey Aloysius is the left brain of LMA managing the business operations of this ambitious enterprise, the creative teaching-learning initiatives of the academy are the preserve of Lorraine Fiona Aloysius who was raised in a music-soaked family environment. Lorraine who started playing piano at the age of 8, was awarded the Licentiate of the Trinity College of London even as she acquired a Masters degree in banking & finance from Mumbai University.
“I began my career as a lecturer at Mumbai’s Narsee Monjee, Raheja & Hinduja colleges. After a long stint in the Corporate world during which I worked closely with my husband Aubrey, I realized my passion for music was greater and I was inspired by God to pursue a career in music,” says Lorraine.
The duo’s seriousness of intent is testified by their relocation from Mumbai to Delhi in 2004. “Since our objective is to promote a fully-fledged university of music, we felt that setting up base in the national capital region would help as far as clearances, grants, procedures etc are concerned. Besides north India is unexplored territory for Western music,” says Aubrey.
Starting their ambitious venture from a studio in their home in Gurgaon, today LMA run two centres in Gurgaon with an aggregate enrolment of 250 students learning western music in their after-school hours and on weekends. “We plan to expand to ten centres in the next six months, some of which will be located in south Delhi and some in schools which have invited us. We offer a UK-based curriculum which enables children to develop their musical talents on the piano, violin, drums, guitar, etc. Our objective is to propagate music not just as an extra-curricular activity but as an integral component of holistic education,” adds Lorraine.
The summit of ambition of this cheerfully optimistic duo is to establish a university of music to evolve a new genre of fusion music which will be universally acceptable. “I know it sounds a bit far-fetched. But you need to remember that within two decades India has emerged from obscurity to become an IT industry super-power. I believe we have a glorious cultural tradition which can replicate the IT miracle in music,” says Aubrey Aloysius.
Wind beneath your wings!
Autar Nehru
