If music be the food of love, play on, said Shakespeare. And if having choices makes the love stronger, head on to Muzigal, an EdTech platform dedicated entirely to music, making it a portal like no other. But wait, where have you heard the phrase 'like no other' and EdTech in one sentence? Yes, it has started to sound like a cliche made more commonplace by COVID, but Lakshminarayana Yeluri, Founder, Muzigal, has dismantled the cliche to somehow make it ring true and now, after running it for exactly a year, they have 10,000 users, 400 teachers and 120 employees. And counting.
Coming back to Lakshminarayana's story, it was his dual passion for music and entrepreneurship that propelled him to start Muzigal in July 2020. And it's amazing because here was a 44-year-old who did not believe that an art form like this could be taught online. "Given a chance, who wouldn't want to learn face-to-face? But learning online offers you literally a 'whole world' of choices," says the Hyderabadi who moved to the city from Visakhapatnam in 2007. So those who aspire to learn about melody and rhythm have an abundance of teachers to choose from, can catch a video clip of the masters displaying their mastery and also sign up for a trial class with them (up to three). Choices confusing you too much? Opt for counselling sessions that will help you find the best choice.
But what we like most about Muzigal is that it is also offering to train you specifically for the big leagues — Trinity College London, ABRSM (exam board of the Royal Schools of Music), Rockschool (an international music board) and more. Even prestigious Indian schools like Andhra Mahila Sabha Arts and Science College for Women, Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya could be on your hit list with their help. "Over 20% of the students who sign up with us direct their energies towards these exemplary institutions," says the entrepreneur while crediting Kalaari Capital for backing them all the way through. So no matter what your goal is, performance, technical, theory, examinations or anything else, you'll find a tutor who suits your needs — that's the assurance that this online platform is giving you.
But Muzigal isn't just working for you, it works for the tutors as well. "We empower teachers, not employ them. We are just providing the platform, so that they can build their own academy of sorts with us," says the veteran whose expertise lies in building businesses from the ground up. That's how Carnatic vocalist Bindu Lalitha from Bheemunipatnam (a suburb in Vizag), who couldn't find very many takers for her lessons in her own town now earns more than 40k every month and has 30 plus students. That's why we nod along sincerely when Lakshminarayana gives us another platitude he has attempted to make true, "Our aim is to democratise online music learning."
And democracy is always music to the ears.
For more on them check out muzigal.com
