The last two days have been extraordinarily overwhelming, but I sense that I will thrive under the pressure. I got here Tuesday night at 10 pm and was greeted at the airport by Liz, the program coordinator, and Michael who is the percussion faculty. In the car, they explained that while orientation for the students was to begin the next day, most of the planning/construction hadn’t been finished yet. We got to the apartment and most of it is still under construction. 
The ground floor and 1st floor have been finished, but apparently they’re building another apartment and a “gym” on the 2nd floor. So when Liz said that I was to live in, “one of A.R.’s houses”, she meant a building that Rahman bought. 
We each have our own apartment with bedroom and living/kitchen area, but attached to mine is the “common” room which the other apartments can share. But who’s going to open the door and sit in a room that’s attached to mine? Probably not anyone. So it’s as if I have a giant apartment all to myself. It is bigger than any studio/1 bedroom apt I’ve seen in Boston and the equivalent would probably go for 17-2000 a month over there. 
And it’s WITH air conditioning. I am gleeful. Originally the male and female faculty were supposed to share this building, but word got out and apparently it was a big deal so they put the men in another building down the road. They’re living in more of a communal house with rooms attached to a common area. 
From what I have seen so far, Chennai looks like any other city in India – less intimidating than Mumbai but much more lively than Bangalore. The mosquito bite count has begun - 2 so far. The school is literally two blocks away from the apartment and although the outside looks kind of run down, they have done a beautiful job with the interior design. KM Conservatory shares the building with Rahman’s studio…where he still records. So we will get a chance to see it soon and hopefully record at some point. They were recording something for a new movie today but I didn’t hear the name of it. New plasma tvs line the walls and the walls are made of that glass brick material (you know what I’m talking about? It’s not a glass pane, but it looks like bricks but made of glass). Across the street is a building under construction which will become a performance hall and have classrooms, and next to it is Rahman’s first home which he’s giving up for the school. The building we’re in right now is the equivalent of the “student center” and holds the administration as well as practice rooms and a small cafeteria.
My first day of teaching was today and I feel quite inept. I’m not exactly a charismatic speaker, and with these kids today, my efforts were met with silence and total bewilderment. I set up audition times for the following day so I can hear what level they’re all at, and almost all of them said they had never learnt an English song. So I said, oh don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be classical, it can be a folk song, or pop, or whatever. They nervously looked at each other and then said they had never even heard a song…sung…in English. (I somehow find this hard to believe but whatever.) So they are coming to class tomorrow to sing twinkle twinkle little star and I have to somehow teach these people everything there is to know.
It’s quite sad actually. If you ask any of them what their goals are, not even one of them says “to perfect my instrument,” or “to be a well-rounded musician.” Every single one says, “I want to be a playback singer for Rahman,” or “I want to compose like Rahman.” Exposure to Rahman is their goal, not the music. I just hope they understand what they’re in for because it aint easy my friend. Are they willing to spend decades perfecting this craft? I doubt it.
Rahman is on tour in London right now and we will be having a formal dinner with him on Sunday with the Administration and faculty. I met his sister who is overseeing the first few days of the school and his mother who came to bless the occasion. Neither of them seem like they’re related to a man like Rahman, but I guess that’s normal.
So we’ll see. The first day was interesting…more to follow.
