Correspondent
KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 12
Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and former Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Friday said Nagas have inborn talent in music and he underscored the need to properly guide and groom this inherent raw talent into excellence.
Addressing a brief function after formally inaugurating the Music Academy Kohima (MAK) at IG Stadium Road, Rio said that there is a high demand in music profession and Nagas have unlimited potentials in this field.“We need to nurture and mould the young talents who have the potential,” he stated.
The MP lauded the effort and courage of the MAK director, Khyochano TCK Ngully and administrator, Ajeen Longchari for pursuing their dreams and establishing the academy with a vision to provide quality training to equip aspiring musicians. He expressed enthusiasm that music institutions are emerging, with highly qualified professional musicians and instructors to train and groom talented youth at a tender age.
Recalling how the establishment of the Music Task Force (MTF) came about, Rio said the state government, though it had many weaknesses, had decided to identify, encourage and promote the few potentials that the people had and with music figuring among the list, the MTF was instituted to make music into an industry.
“There is a huge potential, a high marketable commodity in music,” he reiterated while encouraging young musicians to take the support of the government and make use of available facilities such as the Regional Centre of Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA) at Jotsoma.
The MP called upon all to put efforts together and support and encourage music institutions such as the MAK. By doing so, you will be indirectly supporting young children who aspire to be good musicians.
Music Academy Kohima director, Khyochano Ngully, who highlighted the mission of the academy said the institution is for all music lovers who have a desire to pursue music professionally or as a hobby. Our objective is to educate, train and develop students to excel in music through quality training based on international curriculum, she stated.
She also said that the MAK envisages to become a centre for musical development in Nagaland and beyond by training and equipping talented individuals and supporting the younger generation of musicians for the market and the Church.
She said that the MAK was a result of the mutual passion that she and Ajeen have, which is to play a role in the music ministry in the state.
Khyochano termed the occasion a “rainbow moment” in their venture, tilling the ground for the next generation in the area of music.
MTF project director, Gugs Chishi, in his address, honoured Neiphiu Rio by describing him as the visionary behind the concept of promotion of musicians of the state. He said that Nagaland still requires infrastructure for musicians. Looking at music as a profession, quality is unbounded but opportunities have to be generated, he observed. He further expressed optimism that institutions like MAK and the MTF can share a common journey in promoting musicians of the state.
It was informed that the MAK, though just freshly inaugurated, had begun operations from February earlier this year. The curriculum includes three tracks- Classical, Contemporary and Worship & Church Music.
Ajeen Longchari has studied music in USA and the Philippines and has a teaching experience of more than 10 years. She hopes to guide talented young people through proper technique in the knowledge of vocal pedagogy and broaden their careers. Whereas, Khyochano Ngully, the official representative of Trinity College of Music (London), is a versatile musician who has directed, taught and performed in India, USA, Laos, Thailand, Netherlands and Singapore. She has taught music for 22 years. She says that she feels privileged to play a role in supporting the younger generation of Naga musicians achieve their destiny in making a mark in the world through their gifts.
