Nenjamellam kadhal

Chapter -20

                                                                              Sakthi

Ramya paid a visit to our home straight from college, and she planned to stay at my place. During dinner, she persistently tried to persuade my mother. In the end, my mother relented, allowing me to join the music band, thanks to my father's intervention and assurances from Ramya, Sakthivel, and Mukhil Anna. They promised that one of them would accompany me on every college visit for competitions. Sakthivel also had plans to join as an assistant secretary of the Fine Arts department once he learned of our intentions. This way, he could join us for cultural programmes and competitions.

As Jithu told me, I was introduced to the music band the next day. They asked me to sing a song to gauge my vocal tone and style and to find a suitable partner for duets among them. After my brief performance, they gave me the choice between a solo or a duet for this competition. Given that it was my first time, I opted for a solo performance to avoid potentially dragging someone else down if I made any mistakes during a competition.

For the past three days, I have been practising diligently with the band, preparing for an upcoming competition at NEC College of Engineering and Technology, Chennai.

Initially, we practised only during college hours. However, the senior band members suggested that as the competition date neared, we might need to practise after college hours, either at college with instruments or without instruments at one of our houses.

Ramya often stayed with me during my rehearsals, and sometimes Jithu or Mukhil Anna joined when she couldn't make it. Additionally, the senior band members informed me that one male and one female teacher from the college's Fine Arts department would occasionally attend our rehearsals before the competition to ensure the appropriateness of our song selection for the performance and to address any potential controversies. Normally they would check before we started practising so we could change the songs and have time to practise, but this time they were late for a few days.

As our practise was in full swing, the professor and a middle-aged female teacher entered the music room. At that moment, two senior band members were practising a duet, while I sat on a stool behind the drum, waiting for my turn to practise and trying to play the drum as well.

The professor raised an eyebrow upon seeing me and asked, "Are you just casually hanging out by the drums or are you going to play for the competition? Is it not Kenny who plays the drums? Where is he anyway ?"

Before I could respond, a senior Akka who had been practising earlier chimed in, "Oh no, sir, she's not here for the drums. Kenny is attending his class since the teacher refused to allow him to practise; he will join us shortly, and she is just trying out the drums."

The professor seemed surprised by the explanation. He then inquired, " Is that so? What song are you going to sing? Could you please sing for us? Others just let us know the song, and it's enough."

I nodded and sang 'Enge yenadhu kavithai' from the movie "Kandukondein Kandukondein." After I finished, the female teacher, Mrs. Shanthi from the CSE department, complimented my performance. The professor remarked, "You sing beautifully, and you have a lovely voice. Why did not you sign up for the band last semester?"

"I have stage fright and feel too shy to sing in front of the crowd", I exhaled nervously.

Mrs. Shanthi boosted my confidence by telling me, " If you can sing this well for three days of practise, then you will breeze through your performance if you practise for more, and you will lose your stage fright and shyness after two or more performances. We will not put any pressure on you to place in the top position in the competitions; all we ask is that you give it your all until you feel more confident. With more practise, I am confident you will come out on top in most of the competitions."