JOIN USEquating music to medicine, Dr Sunil Paulraj says that they both have the power to heal and are “magical”. “Music is a magical medium that both energises and heals. As a neonatologist, I deal with newborns. My days at work can get very long and tense. Music helps me relax and vent this stress. It has definitely made me more positive and helps me find my inner peace.”
All set to bring to the City a musical journey called ‘Toccata Live Concert’, he talks about the benefits of music and more.
“Music to me is a part of almost every important personal and collective moment. Post my athletic days, music has been the only passion I have pursued. Hence, it is not really difficult for me to make time for it after work hours.” While he calls medicine his profession, music has become his passion. Getting a bit more technical, he adds, “It is the only art form that uses both sides of the brain. Music has also proven to be beneficial in improving memory, language skills and physical coordination.”
Every year, ‘Toccata Live Concert’ comes up with innovative and new ideas for its listeners. “‘Toccata’ believes in constantly upping the game with every new concert tour. This year, the tour is called ‘Resonance’, which lives up to our ethos of resonating the beautiful memories of the past with the chimes of the new while we continue to impact lives. The team has new members bringing in newer perspectives from their professional music experiences. Our musical arrangements will bring in never before heard connotations,” he says.
This year, they will introduce the ‘Kenyan Boys Choir’ to India for the first time, in an attempt to aesthetically blend African music with the Western genres. “The idea of harmonising the African energy and our versatility was born out of pure zest to treat our fans with a never before concept.”
Sunil makes sure there is something fresh each concert season and this has been their driving force. “We go back to the drawing board after every concert tour to evaluate the critical success factors and to understand the areas which have room for more creativity. We realised the high energy numbers with the diverse musical arrangements were top favourites.”
The concert rests on pillars of multicultural experiences and creativity. Music that transcends all borders, cultures and races, ‘Toccata Live Concert’ fuses the innate musical spontaneity with various rhythms. Talking about his beginnings, Sunil says, “I was fortunate to be exposed to some of the renowned musicians in India and abroad in my growing years. Watching them filled me with a strong sense of belonging to this beautiful art form. Having sung with various children choirs and transitioning into youth bands and later maturing into the pop and opera genres is just a testimony of how this art form grows on you. Music is not a destination, it is a journey. To me, this art form is still evolving.”
Sunil is living proof that anyone can venture into music if they are passionate about it. “I am an example of someone with little musical talent who trained hard to be where I am today. Everybody can sing, but not all can be musical divas. The skill levels vary and take a lot of perseverance even for innate musical talents to sound and feel good. If one enjoys music and is willing to work hard on it, they can be trained to perform,” he adds, passionately.
Soon, they plan to take the troupe to Kochi. They are training a 100-member school choir there to perform with them. Sunil also has plans to bring together the Palestinian and Israeli children together in a concert. “We look out for musicians who are willing to learn and adapt and go beyond their comfort zones. Versatility is the key to be part of a group that travels extensively around the world. As positions on the choir are voluntary, it also about people who are willing to commit time and talent to touching lives.”
They will be performing on August 13, 14 and 15 at 7 pm and August 16 at 3 pm and 7 pm at Bishop Cotton Boys’ School.