Breaking barriers: redefining music education in India with Artium
Mumbai: Artium is revolutionizing music education in India, bridging gaps in traditional methods to create a globally recognized, outcome-driven platform. Rooted in performance, innovation, and accessibility, Artium redefines how music is taught and learned, ensuring every student—from hobbyists to aspiring professionals—finds their rhythm.
It is a structured music education platform that aims to provide a comprehensive and performance-driven curriculum for learners of all ages. The academy focuses on bridging the gap in music education in India by offering globally recognized programs and fostering a community of musicians.
The curriculum is designed to be flexible and adaptable to the musical aptitude of each learner. It includes both graded and non-graded pathways, allowing students to choose their level of commitment. The graded pathway involves rigorous assessments, while the non-graded pathway is more relaxed, catering to those learning music as a hobby and emphasizing on practical performance experience. Students are encouraged to participate in weekly showcases where they can perform in front of an audience, receive feedback from instructors, and gain exposure. This performance-driven approach helps build confidence and stage presence. The academy fosters a sense of community among learners, which is crucial for motivation and support. Offline centers are equipped with performance areas where students can gather, practice, and perform together.
Artium Originals is a platform within Artium Academy that focuses on nurturing aspiring creators and artists. It serves as a launchpad for students who wish to pursue a career in music by providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and exposure. Students who demonstrate potential and commitment can transition into a cohort called “Creators.” This group receives specialized mentoring, including training in soft skills, social media management, and performance techniques. They have collaborated with these creators to produce original songs, which are then marketed and distributed through various channels. This initiative aims to fast-track the careers of emerging artists by connecting them with established industry professionals.
Juju Baby Music is a record label launched under the Artium Originals umbrella. It aims to promote the music created by the academy’s talent and facilitate collaborations with well-known artists. The label has successfully facilitated collaborations between emerging artists and established stars, enhancing the visibility and credibility of the creators associated with Artium. For example, one of the talents from Artium collaborated with a well-known artist, which significantly boosted their career prospects.
Juju Baby Music, along with Artium Originals, emphasizes outcome-driven learning. The goal is not just to teach music but to ensure that students have clear pathways to becoming successful artists in the music industry. Artium Academy, Artium Originals, and Juju Baby Music collectively create a robust ecosystem for music education and artist development in India. They focus on performance, community engagement, and real-world exposure, aiming to nurture the next generation of musicians.
Ashish Joshi is the founder and CEO of Artium Academy, a Musictech platform aimed at creating a Gold Standard in Music education. Artium aims at giving an opportunity to talent across the globe through their performance-based curriculum designed by Maestro’s like Sonu Nigam, Shubha Mudgal, Louiz Bank, Aruna Sairam, Raju Singh, KS Chitra, Gino Banks who are a part of Artium’s unique Academic Board using their Proprietary Platform and technology. Currently, Artium teaches Vocals, Guitar, and Keyboard.
Ashish is a veteran in the media technology and digital industry and comes with over 2 decades of experience in media strategy, content acquisition & distribution on various digital platforms, e-commerce, and launching products on AI platforms in a B2B and B2C environment. Ashish has also experience in running independent business verticals while optimizing them through the implementation of various innovative ideas in media technology & AI space.
Vivek Raicha – Co-Founder Artium Academy, CEO Artium Originals, has over 20 years of experience in operating and investing in media and technology businesses. Vivek started his career as an operator with Star Network followed by Turner Broadcast and Viacom18 where he headed Commercial and Business Affairs. In 2011, Vivek moved into private equity investing, first with The Chernin Group (TCG) and later with KKR leading the $300mm Emerald fund for investing in media and tech companies.
MadeInMedia.in’s Kalpana Ravi in an exclusive chat with Ashish Joshi – Founder and CEO at Artium Academy and Vivek Raicha – Co-Founder Artium Academy, CEO Artium Originals on launching the academy, the nuances of structured teaching of music, selection of teachers and much more…..
Excerpts:
Coming from the broadcast and music industry, what made you think of doing something like this, especially for the music genre?
Joshi: I was born into a Gujarati family, where traditional career aspirations often revolved around becoming a lawyer, doctor, CA, or engineer. In such an environment, anything outside these paths was frequently undervalued. Yet, despite these expectations, there was a deep affinity for music within our family. My father had an appreciation for the performing arts, though he never allowed me to formally learn music from my mother, despite her musical talent. Still, I found myself immersed in music, singing, and listening to it throughout my school and college years.
Growing up, I was fortunate to gain exposure to the media industry and began my career with Hungama, one of the largest media houses at the time. Eventually, I transitioned to Universal Music, which marked the beginning of my journey in the music industry. As I delved deeper into the business side of music, I realized a glaring gap: despite India’s immense diversity and richness in music, there was no globally recognized, structured system for music education.
Traditional music education in India is well-established, particularly in Hindustani Classical, Carnatic, and other traditional forms. However, there has never been an Indian equivalent to internationally renowned institutions like Trinity, ABRSM, RSL, Juilliard, or Berklee. This realization sparked an idea, and as we researched further, we discovered that many people were learning music in a fragmented, unstructured manner—whether through schools, colleges, small academies, or neighborhood teachers. A standardized, systematic approach was missing.
For instance, international music education systems offer a clear progression from kindergarten to advanced levels, allowing students to systematically build their skills. In contrast, India’s music education system felt outdated, especially for beginners or hobbyists. Often, beginners were told to practice the basic ‘Sa’ note for six months before moving forward, an approach that works for aspiring musicians but is discouraging for those learning music as a hobby or skill.
For this majority—those learning for personal enjoyment—music should be as accessible and engaging as sports or other performance arts. This insight inspired us to create a performance-driven, structured education platform. Out of 100 people learning music, only about 5% aim to become professional musicians. The remaining 95% are hobbyists, learning for personal growth or enjoyment.
We also noticed a cultural shift in how music is perceived. Today’s parents increasingly view music as an essential life skill. Unlike my father’s generation, where pursuing music might have been considered frivolous, modern parents recognize its value in holistic education. This perspective is further reinforced by international curricula like IB and Cambridge, which emphasize extracurricular activities, including music, as integral to a child’s development and even college admissions.
Music as a culture in this country?
Raicha: Music has always been a part of our culture. Somewhere post-independence, as the country’s economy was growing, priorities shifted. At that time, the per capita income was around $200, and people were focused on other things. But now, as the per capita income has grown to $3000, people are returning to their aspirations, including the desire to learn music.
Today’s children are learning music or playing an instrument, how is this happening?
Joshi: That change is partly due to the influence of IB and Cambridge boards. These boards emphasize holistic education, where extracurricular activities like music, dance, and sports are considered important for global admissions. This awareness has helped parents view music as an integral part of their child’s development.
You aim to revolutionize art education in India. How does your approach differ from traditional art education methods? It has been “theoretical,” do students study music and pass exams but don’t necessarily become performers?
Joshi: As we discussed earlier, traditional music education in India has been largely theoretical, unstructured, and rigid. For example, students often focus heavily on theoretical aspects and exams rather than practical applications.
Exactly. Let me give you an example. I have a friend who studied guitar for two and a half years at a reputed music school. She can play every chord perfectly but struggles to play a song on her own. She can’t comprehend rhythm and improvise. That’s the gap we aim to address.
In music, just as in sports, the ultimate goal is performance. Yet, traditional methods often fail to prioritize this. We believe the first step in learning music is to fall in love with the process. For example, a child’s initial exposure to music is often through songs they hear, not Sargam exercises. While Sargam is essential, we introduce it only after students develop an appreciation for how Sargam combinations create beautiful melodies.
We also imbibed inputs from industry legends like Shubha Mudgal, who emphasized the need for a positive and innovative approach to teaching music to modern learners.
Raicha: From a technological perspective, our approach is transformative. Traditional methods don’t offer post-class support. In contrast, Artium provides features like class libraries, practice studios with built-in Tabla and Tanpura, and dashboards for submitting assignments. Teachers can review assignments, provide feedback, and annotate corrections—all in real time. This seamless integration of technology and academics elevates the learning experience significantly.
One other point related to this is the scaling up of existing Gharanas. For example, Trinity has become a global brand, but there has been no brand coming out of India for Indian music that is recognized globally. That is a vision for Artium. Our curriculum, at some point in time—not too far from now—will be globally recognized. We are already having conversations with foreign bodies to achieve this. That is one core element.
Another important aspect we always emphasize is that whatever we build must be outcome-driven. It should be a platform where learners achieve tangible results. For example, in many music institutes, you learn and then fend for yourself. This creates a gap in the overall music industry because people who have learned music and want to make a career out of it often don’t know what to do next. They lack the resources, capital, and know-how to create and distribute music. That is a major gap we are addressing, and it is why we call ourselves the number one outcome-driven learning platform.
Joshi On our platform, Artium Originals, we identify learners who aspire to make a career in music and move them into a cohort called “Creators.” These individuals go through a defined internal process. Once they qualify, they sign up with us as creators. We mentor, nourish, and nurture them through a structured journey.
Through Artium Originals, we create original songs with these creators, market their work, and distribute them through various partnerships. Recently, we also launched our label, Juju Baby Music, under Artium Originals. Some of our talents have already collaborated with superstars like Shaan. For instance, one of our creators worked on a project with him, significantly fast-tracking their journey to becoming a superstar.
This entire pathway—from being a learner to becoming a creator and performer—is a unique element we are stitching together.
Another key outcome we focus on involves parents enrolling their children in music education. Trinity’s global popularity stems partly from the UCAS points associated with its grades. Even if a child does not pursue a music career, those points are valuable for gaining admission to global universities. However, there is no equivalent for Indian classical music. Artium aims to be the first globally recognized brand offering certified programs in Indian classical music. These are the two outcomes we are focused on.
What teaching methods or curriculum approaches do you use to make academic development more accessible and effective for students in India?
Joshi: Our approach is performance-driven. One significant innovation we’ve adopted is tailoring curriculums to the aptitude of individual learners.
For instance, if you and I are in the same class but have different musical aptitudes, traditional curriculums would treat our journeys as identical. In contrast, we design curriculums to adapt to a learner’s pace. If I can complete a course in 18 months but you need 36 months, the curriculum seamlessly adjusts for both. Our teachers are trained to assess these aptitudes and guide learners accordingly.
We differentiate between fast and slow learners. This is one part of our method. The second part involves standardizing what teachers deliver. For example, if Yaman Raag is the fifth Raag in our Hindustani classical course, teachers must follow our structured versions of its Bandishen.
How do you standardize teaching methods when your teachers come from different backgrounds?
Joshi: All our teachers undergo a rigorous training process lasting at least a month. The selection process is stringent—out of every 10 applicants, only 4 make it to the interview stage. Out of these, only 2 or 3 proceed to training. After completing the one-month training, they must pass the Artium Teacher Certification Program.
Even then, only 85% of trainees pass the certification. This ensures a high standard.
Raicha: Unlike other platforms that simply connect teachers and students, we are not an aggregated marketplace.
Who do you consider your competition?
Joshi: There are a few notable brands like Shankar Mahadevan Academy, Spardha School of Music, Ajivasan Music Academy, and Music Pandit, but they operate in different formats. Our largest competition, however, is the unorganized sector.
Raicha: Our competition comes from the unorganized sector. What sets us apart is that all our teachers are exclusive to our platform. They are trained to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience.
Joshi: We also have a robust Quality Assurance (QA) process. Teachers are assessed on delivery, soft skills, technical skills, and attendance. If a teacher’s QA score falls below 19, they are removed from active teaching and sent for retraining.
We’ve integrated AI into our platform to maintain these standards. For example, AI detects if a teacher switches off their video during an online session. Teachers also have dashboards tracking their performance, including attendance and QA scores. This level of monitoring ensures accountability, similar to what you’d expect in a top-tier global platform.
How do you ensure that teachers are trained to your standards?
Joshi: We have a dedicated academic team led by Anand Vaidyanathan, our Chief of Pedagogy. Anand is a renowned voice artist and academician. It took us two and a half months to convince him to join Artium because he wanted to ensure we were serious about our vision.
Under Anand’s leadership, we have 11 academicians specializing in different genres, such as Carnatic, Hindustani classical, guitar, and keyboard. This team designs the curriculum, oversees training, and ensures QA processes are followed.
How do you ensure your programs cater to both aspiring professionals and hobbyists who pursue art for personal growth?
Joshi: Our curriculum is standardized, catering to both types of learners. Participants can choose between graded and non-graded certifications. The graded path involves rigorous assessments, requiring students to complete all ten elements of a class before progressing. For non-graded learners, the focus is on achieving specific learning objectives without the pressure of exams. For instance, someone preparing for karaoke performances may concentrate on performance upgrades rather than delving deeply into theoretical concepts like ragas or sheet reading. Regardless of the path, learners receive the same foundational knowledge tailored to their needs.
For those pursuing a professional singing career, do you include training in notations and sheet reading?
Joshi: Absolutely. As Sonu Nigam has often mentioned, structured learning significantly enhances a singer’s capabilities. He reflects on how Hindustani classical training could have made him an even better artist. Today, prominent singers like Arijit Singh, Shreya Ghoshal, and Sunidhi Chauhan are not just performers; they deeply understand ragas and their nuances. Our professional track emphasizes these technicalities, ensuring learners not only excel in performance but also grasp the theoretical components of music.
How do you balance traditional education with modern technologies, especially for learners from diverse socio-economic backgrounds?
Joshi: One of our standout features is trial classes conducted by trained academic experts, not regular teachers. This approach ensures a consistent experience for all learners. If we identify a highly talented individual unable to afford fees, we offer significant scholarships—often waiving 50% of the cost. In some cases, we fully sponsor talented students, only recovering the teacher’s fees. This allows us to make music education accessible without compromising quality.
India is incredibly diverse. How do you ensure accessibility to music education across different regions?
Joshi: We have teachers proficient in 14 regional languages, covering almost the entire country. For example, families in the Bay Area often prefer Carnatic music instruction in Telugu or Malayalam to maintain cultural connections. Our platform accommodates these preferences, enabling learners to study in their native languages. Interestingly, we even have international students, including Russians and Germans, learning Indian classical music. While programs like Rabindra Sangeet are in the pipeline, current courses like Popular Film Music (PFM) allow learners to incorporate regional music styles like Baul or Bihu as part of their curriculum.
Do you offer specialized programs like Marathi Natya Sangeet?
Joshi: Yes, Marathi Natya Sangeet is part of our devotional music program, which includes various regional devotional styles. These programs are customized for different cultural and linguistic needs, ensuring every learner feels represented.
Are your teachers exclusive to your platform?
Joshi: Yes, our teachers are exclusive to Artium Academy. While they may also teach locally, they are not associated with any other brands, ensuring their focus and commitment to our learners.
How important are industry connections, mentorship, and real-world exposure in your programs?
Joshi: Industry mentorship is integral to our platform. From the outset, we partnered with renowned maestros to ensure authenticity. Our academic board includes legends like Aruna Sairam, K.S. Chithra, Louis Banks, and Anant Vaidyanathan. They not only certify our programs but also train our teachers and conduct regular masterclasses. For instance, graduates of our Hindustani Classical program receive certificates signed by maestros like Shubha Mudgal. Additionally, we invite external experts like Unnikrishnan for masterclasses, ensuring learners gain diverse industry insights and exposure.
How do you expose your students to the outside world? Today, someone might have finished their training in either popular music as a hobby or as a trained professional. How does Artium help them reach out or participate?
Joshi – Our curriculum emphasizes a performance-driven approach, and we ensure students have ample opportunities to showcase their talent. One key criterion we follow is that once students complete the 9th class of intermediate in any course—typically achieved within 18 to 24 months, following a once-a-week schedule—they become eligible to perform in our showcases.
These showcases are held weekly, every Friday evening for India and Saturday morning for the US and Canada. Each session runs for about one and a half hours and features performances by around 15 learners. The audience includes teachers, learners, and their friends and families, with over 500 people typically attending virtually. After each performance, students receive live feedback from Anant Ji and their teachers, highlighting their strengths and areas for improvement.
Beyond the showcases, learners have the chance to audition for our annual event, Artium Superstar. Those who perform in the showcases can participate in the audition process, which leads to quarterfinals and semifinals conducted online. During the semifinals, we bring in renowned Bollywood, South Indian, and other artists to judge the participants live.
The grand finale takes place at Saint Andrews in Mumbai, in front of a live audience of 1,000 people. For instance, last year, we flew in finalists from Canada, the US, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and other locations at our expense for a two-day event. The finalists performed in front of legendary artists such as Sonu Nigam, K.S. Chithra, and Louis Banks. Winners of Artium Superstar become part of our artist ecosystem, paving the way for further growth and opportunities.
Raicha: We have a great example of how our platform empowers learners. One of our students from Seattle, a Microsoft product manager, had been with us for about a year and a half. She progressed through the rounds to become a finalist in the Artium Superstar competition and flew to Mumbai to perform at the finals. During the live stream of the event, someone working on the Lo-Fi Baarish album noticed her talent and asked why she wasn’t featured. As a result, she ended up collaborating with Shaan on the album. There’s even an article highlighting her journey.
Another inspiring instance involves Ayushmann Khurrana’s show in the US, where two of our learners were invited to open for him. It was an incredible opportunity that showcased their talent on a significant platform.
In South India, we have offline academies where some of our young learners are excelling. Two of them are now participants in SAREGAMAPA Lil Champs. Anant Ji personally mentors them after each episode, offering guidance and advice on how to improve their performances. These examples highlight how we nurture talent and open doors to remarkable opportunities.
Do your students participate in shows like Indian Idol or other music talent shows in hindi and regional languages?
Joshi: Yes, there’s one girl who recently made it to the top 15-20 of Indian Idol. What we’ve also done is that the major reality shows see us as a bedrock for talent. They’ve partnered with us to identify new talent. Usually, if you’re a random person, you apply and go through the regular audition process. But for our students, Zee and Indian Idol give us two-hour slots specifically for our talents. They don’t have to wait in long queues for auditions. These are special auditions for our certified talents, and the performances speak for themselves. There’s no favouritism, but because our students have been chosen and trained in our ecosystem, they get direct access to audition and perform.
What’s the difference between recording a song probably a decade ago and today? It’s perceived that anybody can become a singer?
Joshi: The difference is significant. There’s a famous clip of Sonu Nigam at an AR conference in Delhi where he, Javed Akhtar, Raju Hirani, and others were discussing the challenges singers faced in the past. Sonu Ji pointed out that in the past, everything was live, and singers had to perform. That approach, however, is short-lived. Today, the real money that singers make is not from playback singing; it’s from live performances. Shows are still not as profitable as live performances. If you attend a concert by someone like Shubha Mudgal or a Carnatic music artist, they often perform for three hours without any backup singers. Live performances are where the true value lies.
Yes, technology can help in the studio. Outside the studio, it’s different – live performances are more about raw talent and skill. Technology can support a singer in the studio, but live performance is where true artistry is shown.
Raicha: The biggest stars today all started with live performances. That’s true for everyone, from Bollywood to international stars.
How do these stars from Indian Idol or SAREGAMAPA transition into full-time singing careers?
Joshi: For 90-95% of mainstream artists, the bulk of their earnings comes from live performances, not playback singing. Take someone like Arijit Singh or any other top artist; live performances are where they make most of their money.
Raicha: The global music industry, currently valued at approximately $90 billion, is projected to grow to around $150 billion by 2030, driven by significant trends reshaping the sector. A major contributor to this growth is the rise of streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, which have transformed how consumers access music and significantly boosted streaming revenue, with artists receiving a larger share of profits.
Additionally, digital platforms have revolutionized artist-fan interactions, enabling direct connections that bypass traditional intermediaries, and empowering artists with substantial fan bases to build sustainable careers without relying solely on record labels. Furthermore, artists are diversifying their revenue streams by tapping into merchandise sales, licensing deals, and brand collaborations, which complement traditional income sources like album sales and live performances, fueling the industry’s rapid expansion.
Joshi: For anything being used, whether it’s YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram, the money goes to the original copyright owners. For example, if you use a Bollywood song in an Instagram reel, the money goes to the copyright holder, and there are publishing rights, underlying rights, sync rights, etc. The distribution is now more fair, benefiting labels, composers, writers, and everyone involved.
I recently heard that Manoj Muntashir gets a large amount every month for his work. Copyright royalties ensure artists are compensated for their contributions. We should thank people like Javed Akhtar, Sonu Nigam, Sunny Ranjan, Shaan, and others who fought for these changes in the industry. If more people understood the economics of the business, more parents would encourage their kids to pursue music. Reality shows, like IPL has done for cricket, have revolutionized music. These young artists are creating wealth for themselves.
Raicha: The real success stories now are singer-songwriters – artists like Diljit Dosanjh, Anuv Jain, and Prateek Kuhad. These artists write their lyrics, compose their songs, and perform them live. They have a real connection with their fans, and they retain all the earnings from their work.
Everything is shifting towards live performances. In India, playback singing in films is becoming less relevant. Many of the songs you hear in movies today don’t have the same emotional connection as they did in the past.
Yesteryear music especially Bollywood is still memorable, why is it not today?
Joshi:Yes, many people wish they had access to independent music during the time of Sonu Nigam. In the 90s, T-Series, for example, introduced indie music to Bollywood, blending the two. Over time, Bollywood music became more commercialised because of the money spent on marketing, while indie music didn’t get the same exposure. But things are changing now, and even Bollywood artists like Alisha Chinai have ventured into indie music, singing for Bollywood as well as their independent projects.
What are the biggest challenges when it comes to revolutionizing music education in India? How have you faced these challenges?
Joshi: One of the biggest challenges is the perception of music education in India. It’s not pursued in the same way as other subjects in K-12 education. Music is often seen as a hobby, and because of that, it’s hard to attract a large number of students who are willing to invest in serious learning. But we’ve broken this barrier by demonstrating that we have a global audience, with over 25,000 learners. Another challenge is that no one has ever put in the effort to structure existing music education in a meaningful way. We’ve focused on creating a comprehensive approach.
It’s just a meticulous approach. First of all, we had to understand all the formats of music education existing out there. Then we partnered with experts to understand and build the structure. For example, let me explain how we approached this: we said, “OK, this is what has been done.” Some global bodies have guidelines, almost like an ISO 9001 certification program for music education. So, we had to understand what had been happening globally and then try to incorporate that into our structure, which was challenging. It has taken us a long time to put all those elements together. For instance, there’s a standard that your class must have a certain number of hours, of reading, video submissions, assessments, and examinations. All of this is important.
The second challenge is putting the structure in place. That’s another hurdle. And, of course, to do something like this, we have to continuously raise capital to build such an infrastructure.
Raicha: Even more importantly, the challenge is how quickly we can scale this up, which is also dependent on capital. Our vision is to provide access to good quality education to everyone. So, we started with the online format, where education can be accessed from anywhere. Then, we opened our first center in Chennai in June. It did well for us in just 3 months, we broke even there, and now we opened a second center on October 12.
The idea is to first establish one center in a city, then scale it to 3-4-5 centers, and after the model is established, expand to other cities. Our goal is to have 7 – 8 centers in the next 4 years. The model includes both offline and online formats. We also want to launch school programs because the best way to access children is through schools. So, we have 3 formats: online, offline, and school-based programs. Sometimes, it feels like there’s such a big demand—how can we scale this up quickly? That’s where capital becomes crucial, along with execution.
Joshi: All these formats require the right kind of education. Those are the major challenges: perception and scale. Because we’re doing this through technology, delivering the experience is another challenge. After all, this is music education, not a fintech company that can just give loans to everyone. We have to be very mindful of every detail.
You’ve talked about your challenges. How do you plan to stay one step ahead going forward? What innovations are you planning? You mentioned wanting to open schools everywhere—how does that fit into the broader picture?
Joshi: I think staying ahead of the game will be through technological innovation. For example, when we decided to focus on online education, others could have gone offline. However, we chose to integrate a “phygital” model—combining both physical and digital elements. The advantage we have is the phygital model. For example, when you build technology, you keep innovating. Take our practice studio, for example it’s still in its early stages until we add the AI element to it. We’re building those innovations to ensure that we stay six steps ahead of anyone else trying to do the same thing.
Globally, how do you plan to expand?
Joshi: We have a two-part strategy for global expansion. First, we aim to become the first brand emerging out of India that offers Indian classical music education globally. We already have 18+ countries on board, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Singapore. Our goal is to become the go-to brand for any Indian looking for music education worldwide.
The second part of our strategy involves building our technology platform in such a way that we can take it to other countries, like Africa. By localizing pedagogy, we could expand there using a SaaS model, similar to how Uber has scaled across countries.
And lastly, we believe there are medicinal benefits tied to every raga in Indian classical music—each raga has healing properties. This is why we believe that Indian classical music will gain global recognition, just like yoga did. We see it growing steadily over the next 5-10 years, and we want to be the brand leading that charge.
Raicha: While doing this, if we can create creators who want to become stars, then we’re part of that journey too.
How difficult was it to convince parents that music is an important skill for their children?
Joshi: I think it’s a process. There are two sets of pain points. The good thing is that the narrative is changing. Every parent may not necessarily prioritize music, but they do believe that every child should do something beyond studies—whether it’s music, crafts, or sports. The key insight here is that children’s brains develop 90% of their capacity in the first five years, and music learning is an integral part of this holistic growth process.
So, convincing parents isn’t the biggest challenge; the real challenge is convincing them that we are the right brand for their children, above all others. We need to position ourselves so that when they think about music education, Artium is the first name that comes to mind. That’s the bigger challenge.
Raicha: From the child’s perspective, there’s also the challenge of time. Kids already have school, tuition, and sports, so there’s limited time left for music. Parents often have to decide whether they want to invest that time in music over other activities. The good part is that, especially in music, anyone can start learning at any time in their life. 35% of our learners are children, but 22% of our learners are adults over 40. They’re coming back because they missed the opportunity in their youth, but now they have the financial means to pursue it.
Apart from teaching music, do you also focus on helping people who come from non-musical backgrounds learn how to present themselves or perform on stage?
Do you also impart presentation skills?
Joshi: Yes, that’s part of our teaching. For example, when a student performs a song in a showcase, the mentor might say, “It’s a great song, but your body language doesn’t express the song as much as it should.” Expression is an art, and we teach that as part of our learning process. If someone decides to pursue a career as a creator, they’ll receive proper mentoring, including soft skills training, how to present themselves, and even media and social media management.
Raicha: We have a dedicated A&R team for this process. We groom our talent through a continuous cycle. Once they start performing, they can begin monetizing their talents, and this brings in more people. Think about it—3-4 years down the line, we’ll have 80 centers and a growing base of online and offline students. Anyone learning online in Bangalore, for instance, could also visit the offline center for practice. Our offline centres have performance areas and jamming spaces where students can perform, and their parents can watch. We aim to build a strong community culture, including alumni networks.
Absolutely. In today’s world, children, even young adults, need to be taught how to be part of a community. After all, the interpersonal skills lost during the COVID years need to be regained. Many kids are now happier sitting alone in front of a laptop, disconnected from the world. Do you believe that music and art can help prepare them for this ever-changing world?
Joshi: There are two parts to this. First, we want to be the first brand for Indian classical music worldwide, but we’re not ignoring global music trends. We’re integrating Western instruments and teaching methods, but we’re also evangelizing Indian classical music. We believe the curriculum we’re developing—with its performance-driven approach—helps build confidence and creativity. It’s about developing the right brain and stimulating creativity.
Looking ahead, we believe that in the next 10-15 years, AI will take over many mundane jobs, and the people who will thrive in this new world will be the creative ones. For example, a creative entrepreneur will always find ways to adapt and evolve, whereas AI can’t replicate human imagination.
We’re preparing our students for this future. The skills they’re gaining now—confidence, cognitive development, and creativity—will set them apart in a world where creative roles will be more valuable than ever.
Raicha: There’s a lot of research showing that children who learn music perform 25% better in other areas as well.
How would you say how much of your audience is learning pure classical versus Bollywood music?
Raicha: Approximately 80% of our learners focus on vocals, and about 20% on instruments. However, the popularity of instruments is growing rapidly, and we’re keen on both. In terms of vocals, classical music is a major part. But when it comes to film music, particularly Hindi film music, it’s just as popular. So, if we consider both genres, I’d say it’s about a 60-40 split in Favor of Popular Film Music (PFM).
This is because our PFM courses are designed so that every PFM class includes half a class of Hindustani classical music, and we incorporate ragas associated with film music.
But, when you look at the age groups, the numbers shift. For children aged 6 to 12, classical music tends to be more popular because parents prefer their children to learn classical music over film music. However, with our adult learners, there’s a greater preference for film music, as many of them aren’t inclined to learn Carnatic classical and prefer Bollywood songs instead.
Joshi: We’ve integrated classical elements into our film music programs very effectively. For instance, you need to know ragas like Yaman Kalyan to perform songs like “Moh Moh Ke Dhaage” well. However, parents still predominantly prefer their children to focus on learning instruments.
