A R Rahman celebrated his 42^nd birthday on Sunday like he always does -- quietly. But there came a big announcement later in the day which was as a pleasant surprise to all the music lovers.

The surprise was one of the musical genius' long cherished dream -- to launch a music conservatory, which he did. Going by the name KM Music Conservatory, the instititution is "an attempt to recreate a world-class orchestra for the enjoyment of the people of India."  

"Synthesizers and electronic sounds played a significant role in the evolution of music in the 80's and 90's. As this fresh sound captivated listeners, they began to lose appreciation and interest in live classical compositions." Rahman said in a press release.

He was also worried that if the trend of listening only to synthesizers and electronic sounds continues, future generations would be deprived of the joy, that is, live classical music.

"Currently Indian composers have to go abroad to find orchestras for recording. The vision of KM Music Conservatory is to eliminate this obstacle and provide an exemplary orchestra here in India. I feel, as a modern classical musician, having the knowledge of both music performance and music technology is invaluable. Only having the skill to perform an instrument may not necessarily be lucrative, however having that skill as well as excellent music production capabilities will ensure many more career opportunities and financial security. That way they learn to use the best of both worlds." Rahman further added.

 The KM Music Conservatory and Audio Media Education will be India's first Apple authorised training centre, and it will be located at Chennai. The training centre will initially function next to his studio but eventually will shift to a bigger campus on the outskirts of the city.

The conservatory faculty will include professors and musicians from both India and abroad, who will educate students in Indian and Western Classical music.

For the first batch that starts in the coming academic year (2008), the school will audition singers and students who play flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass, and percussion.

Courses include Western Vocal and Instrumental Performance, Indian Classical Vocal, Western and Indian Music Theory, Music Appreciation, Ear Training, Piano, Audio Engineering, an Apple certified course in Logic Pro, and a Digidesign certified course in Pro Tools.

In addition to this, students can also audition for the professional KM Music Symphony Orchestra after the completion of the programme.

However, Rahman's role does not end with the school; the A R Rahman Foundation Scholarships will be offered to deserving students.

Those who wish to know more can visit the following websites www.arrahman.com and www.audiomedia.com.