The usual
trend, when it comes to the Indian educational system is to have the average
(or above…or below) child study with the hopes of becoming a doctor, lawyer, or
engineer. The arts aren’t always looked upon kindly by the powers that be.
However, there are those that dare to dream, and then follow those dreams.
Goa has
been long since known for its pedigree of musical talent. However, the younger
quotient that represents the sector is in a smaller number, as opposed to the
industry seniors. And some say that it could well be a lack of credibility,
when it comes to dignity of labour that is a factor at play here.
Jonathan
Furtado, a qualified organic chemist from Chinchinim, spent a little over two
years in Belgium, dedicating himself to a life of science, when he discovered
that his true calling lay in a more artistic sphere – that of music. A jazz
virtuoso, the local lad returned home to work within the music industry despite
being otherwise qualified, and he finds that the challenge is one that he
relishes.
“For me, I
set out on perhaps a completely different path, when it came to what I wanted
to do with my life. However, there comes a point in time when you introspect,
and very often you realise that what you are doing may not always be what you
want to do. I was (and still am) absolutely confident in my abilities, and as
such, knew that music was something that I wanted to do. My family comes from a
background of lawyers and doctors, and to be a musician is a little out of the
box, but I manage to make it work,” Jonathan says.
Rosswyn
Fernandes from Vasco, on the other hand, has a slightly different tale to tell.
The drummer, who plays in a band filled with youth prospects, called Take 5,
has had a journey that is relatively bump-free, and shares his thoughts on the
same.
“My parents
have always been very supportive. They knew that I didn’t want to have a
mainstream career, and that I wanted to make music the core of my life. Bearing
this in mind, they gave me the liberty to pursue the path that I desired, and
even helped me acquire the tools I needed to make it happen. It is not
something that happens often, and in fact, is possibly one of the main
deterrents to the rise of many young musicians,” the young drummer opines.
But how
many talented youngsters out there are willing to take a leap of faith? Not a
very large figure, it turns out. Touching on Rosswyn’s last statement, Jonathan
adds, “Very often, by the time we realise that perhaps we want to focus on
something like music, we are already set upon a career path and don’t want to
necessarily break away from a life we have grown accustomed to. That also acts
as a reason to not take the plunge.”
Amongst
other things, parental support does play a large role in making such choices.
There are many unofficial ‘jams’ that arise in various pockets of the state
that see younger talent turn up to let loose and have some fun. This indicates
that there is potential, without doubt, just not enough to generate a concrete
musical movement. Once more, Rosswyn points out that support on the home front
makes all the difference in the world.
“If
youngsters know that they can bank on the support of their family and have
their backing, they will move forward, comfortable in the knowledge that they
won’t be bogged down with negativity, and maybe even have friendly faces at
their gigs. Jams see many young faces present, but not even a fraction of those
represent the younger segment of the musical fraternity, which means that
though there is potential, it doesn’t translate into the final product,” he
adds.
If Goa’s rich
cultural musical history is to have more chapters added to its fine tale, these
would be its authors: the Jonathans and Rosswyns and many others in that mould.
But in order for them to write said tale, they need to be equipped with the
tools that will enable them to do so, and the support that such an endeavour
requires. And that in itself, on a parental guidance front, is plenty of food
for thought.
