Make music compulsory in education to reduce violence: Illyaraja
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 20 November 2015 19:07 IST
Anil Kapoor takes blessings of Illyaraja (Photo: Ved)
“Make music compulsory in education, from school to college level, violence will automatically be reduced”, said Illyaraja, the South-based Indian legend of music in the film industry.
The Padmabhushan recipient was honoured with the “Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year” at the 46th edition of International Film Festival of India in Goa today evening.
Stating that he always created divine music, Illyaraja recalled the sad music he composed for a scene of students fighting in the Ram Gopal Varma’s film.
“When Ram Gopal asked me why sad music for a fight, I told him: I feel sad when students fight.”
Music is like water, he said, turning into different moods in the sea, river, well etc.
The 72-year old music maestro repeatedly spoke on increasing violence in the society and appealed to the union and state ministers as well as officials to introduce music in education in order to bring down the violence.
He also recited a tune to tell how he has composed his whole music - both Anatara and Mukhada - with only three musical notes, amidst huge applause from the audience at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium.
Bollywood film star Anil Kapoor, who felicitated Illyaraja, recalled his initial struggle in the film industry four decades ago, when the music maestro had come to his rescue.
“Having no job in Mumbai, I had shifted to South and it was the first Kannada film ‘Pallavi’ of both me and Mani Ratnam. The film was promoted with only one established film personality – Illyaraja”, he said.
BACKGROUND
A composer predominantly in the South Indian cinema since 1970, Illyaraja has composed more than 5000 songs in over 1000 films till date.
Regarded as one of the finest music composers in India, Illyaraja is also an instrumentalist, conductor, singer, and song writer.
Winner of four Indian National Film Awards, Illyaraja is known for integrating Tamil folk with western musical sensibilities into the South Indian musical mainstream.
Illyaraja is also known for creating music by fusing symphonic orchestration with traditional Indian instrumentation, often performed by Budapest Symphony Orchestra.
In 1993, he organised a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London and thus became the first Indian to compose a full symphony, with Ravi Shankar being the only other Indian to do so.
He is also the first Asian to compose a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Iliya raja does not know Goa. His suggestion will be another reason to divide Goa into new types of pieces. What music? Which music? Western or Indian? If Indian Carnataca, Jaipur or Agra gharans? If Konkani then Romi or Dev nagari? Will Fado singer be spared from labeling Portuguese remnants? Every musical note will hv to be okayed by NGOs n gram sabha. My god!!!