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Introduction

“If music be the food of love, play on.” said William Shakespeare
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” said Plato
“Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies.” said Edward Bulwer-Lytton
“Music is the strongest form of magic.” said Marilyn Manson
All these and more wonderful thoughts about music can be found if one searches the internet. So much has already been said about music. Why then do I feel the need to say more? Perhaps - because no one can say what I can, in quite the same way as me. My experiences are mine alone and my reactions to them are also unique to me.
Come join me on this journey. Let us travel together with music as our companion. Life will be so much happier then! If you haven’t tried it yet, go ahead and do so, If you need help, we are there for you.
As we begin this journey, in the traditional way, let us seek the blessing of Goddess Saraswati, the patron of all education.

Om shuklãm brahma, vichãra sãra paramã

Madhyãm jagata vyãpinim

Veenã pustaka dhãrinim

Abhayadãn jãdyãndhakãrãpaham

Hasta sphatika mãlikãm

Vidyãtitãm padmãsanay sangsthitãm

Vandetwãm parameshwarim

Bhagawatim buddhipradãn Shãradãm

Arpita Chatterjee

Arpita Chatterjee is a musician, teacher, researcher and translator who began “Activity centre”, a children’s non-formal education centre in 1993. She later joined Birla High School (Girls’ Section) and began the Rhyme, Rhythm and Raga Club. From 2004 – 2009 she headed the Academic Research Department of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy where she edited the magazine “Parampara”, journal “Ninād”, coordinated the Academy’s FM programme and Music Appreciation course.

Presently she runs “Sangeetika Seva Trust”, an organisation dedicated to music appreciation. She is also a regular participant of workshops conducted by CENTIL, Jadavpur University and has worked in several print, radio, television, multi-media and film productions. Her solo publications include “Shraddhanjali”, “Rahuler Abhijan” and “Aparnar Kalame”. She has also co-authored the Bengali translations of Amish’s 3-volume best-selling “Shiva Trilogy”. Her translations have featured in print and digital publications in India and overseas.

The pandemic has helped her to focus her attention on the therapeutic and developmental impact of Hindustani music training, an area that she has been researching ever since she first began working with children.

Introduction

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Arpita Chatterjee