The WE Today January 2023
Khyochano TCK- Founder of Brillante! The Nagaland Piano Festival. She is effervescent, dynamic, intelligent, absolutely engaging and simply one who has a genuine heart for the things she is promoting in the field of music in India. With over 25 years as a music educator, Khyochano is also the Director of Music Academy Kohima https:// musicacademykohima.com/ Local Area Representative of Trinity College London and a recipient of the Governors Award for Music 2008. As a musician Khyochano is a celebrated pianist, composer, Conductor, sought after mentor, show curator and music academician. Her affiliations in music span too many more – Delphic Movement India, Academic team of Trinity College London, Nagaland Piano Teachers Association, UN Empretec etc to name a few.
So how did this lady single-handedly start such a festival that is now a community music movement?
Khyochano, or Khyo as she is called, started learning Piano at the age of 10 with the encouragement and support of her mother. She later graduated from BIOLA- CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, La Mirada CA, US and has ever since been involved in Music education in India, Laos and Singapore. Upon returning to Nagaland she was moved to creating a positive and productive space for all the stakeholders of the piano community in Nagaland. “Not everyone has the opportunity or the means to study music abroad and as a student and teacher myself I really felt that my people needed some sort of encouragement, incentive, inspiration and direction to carry them to the next level. Brillante was born out of that need, “ she says.
It is helpful to note that the Nagas are popular for their musical abilities and vibrant culture. When Brillante came into being in 2017, there was hardly anything in terms of a developed or focused industry in music in the state. With thousands of youth from various generations impacted by the social challenges of lack of career options employment, lack of development, problems of drug abuse and apathy – Music definitely becomes a viable solution for this population. “Talent is everywhere but it needs structure, focused approach and many platforms to celebrate it – Brillante exists to provide that!” gushes its founder with a smile.
This is the only multi genre piano festival in India with its hall mark features of Performance, Pedagogy and Competition organised to impact and celebrate. Brillante is a festival that brings world class pianists, young artists, expert educators/trainers and contestants from all over under one umbrella during the signature 3-day festival.
It all began with the desire to creating a hub for music professionals, learners aficionados to gather in one venue and have celebrative exchanges through musical dialogues and artistic expressions in 2017. It is now a pan India music movement that continues to consistently promote and celebrate what is available within the community itself.
Khyo continues to add that nothing would be possible without an amazing working team, a supportive community and sponsors/ collaborators. Great ideas need robust support to be actually implemented and affect an ecosystem and nurture it for the longrun.