Nilofer

We sat down with Nilofer to discuss her career so far and thoughts around music and education.

We would love to know about you and your journey in music. How has your life and music experience evolved?

I did my education at a blind school at Kothrud in Pune, where music became an integral part of my life and my interest in the field of music grew. We used to listen to morning songs at school by the choir group and I always wanted to sing and play the harmonium instrument out of curiosity.

As students, we were not allowed to touch musical instruments, but I used to find ways on how I could get my hands on them, and it felt great. Not being able to see the keys was very difficult but I tried to understand the gaps and the top and bottom parts of the keys. I then started learning and I used to be the one to lead all musical functions and programs. Later I tried getting formal music education but due to financial conditions was not possible. I kept playing though and later got into music classes where I got experience playing a keyboard, my first keyboard was the Yamaha PSR-295, which I brought from the scholarship money that I had accumulated.

I used to travel a lot to make money and offer music programs where I worked with several artists and my understanding of different instruments increased. Unfortunately, due to my condition, it was a difficult task to travel long distances. I tried teaching music in schools but while everyone was very supportive, fixed mindsets of teaching limited student development. During this time my sister, who used to be a vocalist, helped in referring a lot of people who wanted to learn pianos and keyboards, this helped in building myself as a music teacher.

How would you describe your relationship with Music?

My relationship with music has been strong and has helped in finding my calling of teaching music and always inspired me. Whenever I cried, laughed, or became angry, music has supported me all along.

I just go with my emotions whenever I want to play something, but I always have great respect for classical music because it’s so strong it can help with learning and understanding all kinds of music.

The music itself is my driving force, music is present in everyone’s life, and with music comes humility and passion. My property or soulmate is only music.

Many of my students are female and it is my dream to make an all-female band and create more female artists. In India, music as a category is male-dominated and we must start creating more passion for music, especially to attract women and identify ways that music education becomes more formal and can be considered a career option. Women generally do have a lot of patience with music, which I can tell has given me more patience and confidence.

People have always doubted, given my condition, how could I make music or even participate in this function, or be in sync with a group of artists. I have not used my condition to demotivate myself but given everything to prove to many that I could play well. Music has also supported me in every phase of my life, somehow it has stuck with me and become my walking stick to make my way.

How did you come into Music Education, tell us about your story, teaching style, and perhaps any discrimination experienced?

Eventually, I got the opportunity to become a teacher in the same blind school I attended, as they all needed a teacher who could teach the children with special needs. My teaching method involves understanding individuals’ problems and providing a solution specific to their needs which helped with my own learning and experience.

I feel as a teacher, we should try to keep our music culture alive and give everything to the next generation and continue learning new styles of music as well. I have given a lot of music education to children and adults and always try to understand their skill set and problems and evolve a method that best suits them where they should enjoy and understand the instrument rather than just being able to play a song. Many students have been doing well and I have been grateful to the almighty to have given me this skill which I am trying to share with all, especially the differently abled children to build more confidence in their life and show that there’s always hope even when there’s no light.

While teaching music, parents or students who were not very confident about how I could teach them (as the teacher is not able to see), wondered how I would manage. I am still challenged to build confidence and convince new students by demonstrating the learning process and even creating demos or experience classes. My special abled students playing music have been a real strength.

You know everyone has a different personality, but music unifies them all and I believe it is a language and can be understood without many barriers. Teaching has helped me in creating a more mature version of myself and I believe it is important to break this taboo of doubt surrounding my teaching abilities.

In terms of discrimination, I have faced religious as well as gender discrimination. Religious teachers used to tell me to leave music as it is not allowed for females – I should do prayers and other things. While attending music performances people have their doubts but the music itself has given me the courage to overcome such discrimination. Music is a companion that will stay forever even when no one stands with you. My instruments have been my family and have always given me strength whenever I faced a challenging situation.

What changes do you think need to be made to empower women in the field of music?

We must try to create an environment where music can develop into a career, and it can be taught as a core subject like any other subject in schools. I believe this will help in building more confidence, self-reliance and add a skill set that will remain for life. We must have more women play instruments along with singing in India, but it requires changes in the thinking of society to achieve this. We must promote women artists and create their success stories for becoming an inspiration for the next generations. It is important to build different stages where even hobbyists can become a part of something more, making a platform that can build a stage for change. Also, for the special abled people, we could request the organization to give them a place for work by which they can self-sustain, create their identity as well as contribute to society. When society accepts these principles, the change will come. I appreciate Yamaha in taking this step towards women empowerment and promoting women artists!

Please give your message to the next generation.

Make music a part of your life, it helps in giving confidence, patience, and humility and makes you a better person. Keep the Indian music culture alive and always be open on to learning other cultures. Never doubt, always do your best and keep learning and polishing. The challenge is to never quit and always keep on moving towards change!