Background
A musical lineage and her own passion as a singer shaped Pratima, but it was her daughter's nascent years that truly tuned her into the world of music education. With a successful corporate career, Pratima was keen to introduce her daughter to music because she believes "it is the best gift that a parent can offer to their child."
Today, her daughter, a Trinity College London grade 8 certificate holder, is a student at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute, London. In fact, she converted her Trinity grade 8 certificate to UCAS points for her admission to the institute.
According to Pratima, her daughter exemplifies the spirit and vision of Chantochords - Pratima’s brainchild, where music resonates not just as an art but as an ethos, a way of life.
“Being a mother first, I see music education uniquely, valuing fun and performance exposure.”
Goals and Vision for Chantochords and Trinity's resonance
At the heart of Chantochords' 16-year journey is a commitment to holistic music education. By creating platforms for students to perform regularly, it allows parents a front-row view of their child's evolving musical prowess. Trinity, with its syllabus, has complemented Chantochords' philosophy seamlessly.
- Drives seriousness: The Trinity syllabus has accentuated the seriousness of music, evolving it beyond a mere hobby. With its structure and depth, parents now envision a musical career for their children. Chantochords today sees a growing cohort dedicated to this artistic path, a shift Trinity played a pivotal role in catalysing.
- Impacts university admissions: "The Trinity certificate has become a passport to global education," states Pratima. Over the past seven years, it has gained prominence among universities, enabling over 100 Chantochords’ students to secure university placements in India and abroad. Notable mentions include Berklee College of Music, Boston and numerous UK universities. Additionally, Pratima says there are about 10-15 students who have obtained admission to universities in the UK using their Trinity certificates, at Grade 6 or above, to obtain UCAS points.
- Lends recognised and reliable credibility: The global expertise that designs the Trinity syllabus offers a robust structure, simplifying its adoption by institutions like Chantochords. Being recognised as a Registered Exam Centre (REC) further boosts Chantochords' credibility. The Trinity Grade 8 certification, a minimum prerequisite for Chantochords' educators, underlines the depth of their musical knowledge.
- Aids transparency: Trinity's documented approach to guided and practice hours offers clarity, assuring parents of the genuine commitment towards preparing students for examinations. “In the absence of this, when you go ahead and suggest 50 guided sessions or 50 practice sessions, it might sound like there is some business angle to the recommendation being made. Trinity’s documenting of necessary guided and practice hours also places the onus of ensuring practice on parents,” Pratima explains.
- The best gift a parent can give a child: Pratima believes this wholeheartedly, and says that it is true because, “music stays with a child their whole life.” She loves that through Chantochords she can give children a healthy, expert-recommended outlet that can help them ride through tough times at any point in their lives. “It also gives children a method to make social connections when they need to settle into new environments, like college, for example,” she says. And since parents invest in their children’s passion for music year after year, Trinity helps because they can track their children’s progress thanks to the set curriculum and timeline.
Chantochords' mantra, "Learn Love Live Music" has a harmonious partner in Trinity
- Learn music: The Trinity syllabus drives seriousness and enables students to chart a plan and path to continue to grade 8. They become more committed to learning.
- Love music: The kind of syllabus that Trinity brings to the table – one that revolves around learning songs that the students hear in their lives, makes the learning more relatable and loveable.
- Live music: All of the above drives music into the lives of students. Daily practice makes music a core part of daily life. Moreover, some students end up making music their lives when they make a career out of it, and Trinity certificates are essential to making a career in music possible.
Trinity evolves to match the present context
Pratima lauds Trinity's adaptability during the pandemic, applauding their tech-driven approach that eased students' examination journey.
“They made space for the limitations of the pandemic and made it easy for students to record and upload their videos. Little discounts went a long way in helping students,” she noted.
Online music coaching blossomed because Trinity’s attitude made continued exam enrollment, completion, and success possible. As a result, the pandemic became an opportunity for Chantochords to spread its wings to new markets – despite being Delhi-based, the music school has students in other countries including Dubai, Singapore, Holland, Australia, and Canada.”
Furthermore, Trinity's decision to expand its syllabus while retaining its core resonates with Pratima's belief in a comprehensive musical palette. “It helps meet all tastes for music”, she says.
Age, at Chantochords, is just a number; from a 4-year-old student to a 75-year-old music enthusiast, Chantochords echoes with diverse rhythms, proving that with Trinity, music knows no bounds.
“Being a mother first, I see music education uniquely, valuing fun and performance exposure.”