Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts
The Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa) was founded in 2007, by violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam and Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam. It is run by singer/songwriter Bindu Subramaniam and violinist Ambi Subramaniam.
SaPa takes in musically inclined children as young as three years old and helps them build a career in music. The institute uses Baby Rooms, baby Dikshitar and Tyagaraja characters in the textbooks, and stuffed toy musical instruments to make music fun for children.[1] The focus is Indian classical music, but students are also exposed to music from over 20 countries.
Located in Bangalore, SaPa’s main centre is in Sanjaynagar with branches in Rajajinagar, Whitefield, and Basavangudi.
Teaching Methods
SaPa follows a research-based curriculum to nurture professional musicians. Some of the characteristics of its signature SaPa method are:
- The SaPa Baby method makes music fun for children as young as three years old with Baby Rooms, baby Dikshitar and Thyagaraja characters in the SaPa textbooks, and more.
- The curriculum is interdisciplinary and encourages students to absorb as many different elements of music as they can. Most students pursue more than one stream at SaPa.
- SaPa provides a safe environment for students to experiment with music. Right at the beginning, students are encouraged to compose or try a new instrument.
- The curriculum is structured to emphasise technique, giving students a strong foundation and making it easier for them to pick up new skills as they progress.
SaPa’s curriculum includes special programs for international musicians to learn elements of Indian music and interactive workshops with leading artists from around the world. The institute also provides textbooks for various learning levels, and audio and video resources via an app.
Classes
SaPa offers ongoing classes in various subjects: vocal, violin, western piano, western theory, songwriting, drums, mridangam, konnakol, western voice, and choir. In addition, special six-week courses are available to professional International musicians looking to incorporate elements of Indian music into their work.
Examinations
SaPa conducts formal examinations and certifications for its students to test their all-round music skills: technical, theory, and performance. Its exams are conducted at the end of every academic year (or musical level).
Broadly, the institute provides assessments for the SaPa Baby level, intermediate level, and advanced level.
SaPa Baby: Here, SaPa tests the student’s grasp over basic concepts before they move on to more complex performance pieces. The syllabus includes a mix of theoretical and practical concepts, with improvisation introduced earlier on to familiarize the students at a young age.
Intermediary: The intermediary level is broken down into sub-levels from sa to ni, where the students who clear the exam at ni are ready to give their first full performance. Here, students are encouraged to bring in their own ideas and deepen their confidence to improvise on the spot.
Advanced levels: At the advanced level, the institute tests the student’s mastery over improvisation and confidence on stage. It also assesses their familiarity with more intricate, complex ragas.
Both theoretical and practical examinations are evaluated by trained reviewers and experts, who assess the student’s grasp over basic concepts, performance-readiness, and grasp over more complex elements of music.
Reading material for each level is provided by the institute.
SaPa in Schools
Founded in 2014, SaPa in Schools is an initiative to integrate music into the mainstream academic curriculum. Its aim is to provide music for all children, irrespective of background or circumstance.
SaPa in Schools works with over 30,000 students in India annually (as of 2019), through partnerships with schools in five[2] Indian states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. With a strong focus on teacher training, SaPa in Schools empowers educators to use music as a tool to build global citizens.
The vision for SaPa in Schools is to create an ecosystem for music education in India. Its founders – Bindu and Ambi Subramaniam – carry it out via international collaborations, structured educator training, a research-based curriculum and in-house course material, and outreach programs.[2]
Teacher Training
In collaboration with the Norwegian Academy of Music,[3] SaPa in Schools provides structured teacher training programs to music educators. Teachers are trained to deliver the SaPa in Schools curriculum to children of different age groups and cultural backgrounds. Full-scale training programs are conducted twice a year, and the institute conducts regular spot checks to ensure that the curriculum is implemented in schools effectively.
The teacher training process is two-fold; educators are taught both the curriculum and method. The curriculum includes the global component,[4] which teaches children about the culture and music of at fifteen countries, and a Music and The World Around component, which draws parallels between music and subjects like mathematics and science.[5]
Undergraduate course in music
In collaboration with Jain University, the Norwegian Academy of Music, and the Lakshminarayana Global Centre for Excellence (LGCE), SaPa offers India’s first undergraduate course in music education, performance, and technology.[6][7]
Philanthropy and Outreach
SaPa in Schools teaches over 8,000[4] children from underserved communities completely free of cost. The idea is to offer a structured music curriculum to all children, regardless of financial status or prior musical experience. There is a substantial body of research pointing to the benefits of music in education.[8] Additionally, as employability trends shift, there is a pressing need for skills like cultural sensitivity, and music is a proven gateway to developing them.[9]
Bindu and Ambi work with government and non-government schools, and recently partnered with The Akshaya Patra Foundation – the largest midday meal scheme in the world – to continue to reach out to every child.[10] Currently, funds raised are used to hire educators, develop the curriculum and audio material, train teachers, and translate all material into regional languages.
The SaPa Show
The SaPa Show is an educational TV program for young children. It is anchored by Bindu Subramaniam, Ambi Subramaniam, Vivek Sadasivam, and Kanchana S. Shrutiranjani. It features artists including Dr. L Subramaniam as well as guest artists from around the world. The show aims to teach Indian classical music to children who may not have access to it, and is structured to introduce a new instrument or artist every week.
Started in 2016, The SaPa Show has been described as “the antithesis of the typical musical reality show.”[11] It airs on Sri Sankara TV every Sunday at 11 am.