Thamil Isai Kalaamanram
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| Abbreviation | TIKM |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1992 |
| Type | Music conservatory Non-profit organization |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
Region served | Ontario, Canada |
Official language | English, Tamil |
President | Thambiah Sripathy |
| Website | http://www.thamilisai.org |
Thamil Isai Kalaamanram (Tamil: தமிழ் இசை கலாமன்றம்) (TIKM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting carnatic music and bharathanatyam dance in Ontario, Canada, headquartered in Toronto. Founded in 1992, this Toronto-based organization has grown to become the widely accepted conservatory of South Indian music and dance, servicing over 160 classical music teachers in Canada.
The 3 main goals of TIKM are: (1) to provide opportunities for young singers, musicians, and dancers to stage their performances; (2) to provide opportunities for Canadians to listen to professional artists from India and Tamil Eelam; and (3) to conduct standardized carnatic music and bharatanatyam dance examinations for students from grades one to seven.
Organization
Since its conception, TIKM is a volunteer-run organization. Its current administrative organization consists of four levels: members, assistant directors, executive directors, and advisory directors. Membership is open to all, and official members can present new motions and make suggestions at the Annual General Meeting held in January. At this meeting, the organization elects members to positions in either the Executive Committee (executive director) or in the Subcommittee (assistant director). Within the Executive Committee, several management positions are also chosen, including the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Vice-Secretary, and Treasurer. As of 2004, these annual elections are held once every three years to facilitate completion of larger projects.
Besides organizing all events and exams, the Executive Committee is responsible for any fundamental changes to the constitution. If necessary, Subcommittee members aid in event organization and execution. In 2005, the Executive Committee passed a motion that created an Advisory Committee of five internally chosen Carnatic professionals. This committee helps with changes to the music syllabus and other issues. The Executive Committee must approve Advisory Committee changes before they are introduced to the organization.
Examinations
Since 1992, the principal activity of TIKM is to organize standardized Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance examinations for Canadian students, which they hold in Toronto in the fall. The last examination cycle, in 2005, had over 2000 applicants from more than 100 teachers. Originally, the tests were administered in the following subjects: vocal, violin, veena, flute, and Mridangam. In 2002, Bharatanatyam dance was introduced. These exams consist of seven grades, and have been modeled after similar testing centres in South India and Sri Lanka. Other than the introductory Grade 1, which contains only of a practical component, all subsequent grades require successful completion of both the practical and the theoretical elements. From Grade 4 onwards, an oral component is also introduced, and this level represents the informal watershed between junior and senior students. The final Grade 7 exams have a significant teaching component to prepare graduates for music education.
In these tests, a panel of judges grade students into four categories: distinction (75-100%), first division (65-74%), second division (55-64%), and ordinary pass (45-54%). These candidates receive certificates and plaques (for distinction and first division students) during the Isai Vizha celebrations held during in late winter. Besides these four categories, two other divisions apply to unsuccessful candidates: “referred” (for a pass in practical, but failure in theory), and “unsuccessful” (for failure in both practical and theory components). These candidates must retake tests in the next examination cycle to apply for subsequent grades.
Future directions
In the last 13 years, TIKM has witnessed rapid growth, and is currently a well-recognized organization in the South Indian community of Ontario. However, awareness of TIKM and even Carnatic music in general has been lacking in the broader community. One of the main mandates of TIKM is to increase awareness of Carnatic music in Canada.