M S Martin: Gearing up for Guinness

Hailing from a family of musicians, Chennai’s Isaimamani M.S. Martin grew up on musical notes and has been naturally drawn towards practicing Carnatic music right from the age of five. After years of learning and later teaching Carnatic melodies on the keyboard to hundreds of students, Martin has been using music as a way to create awareness on a number of societal issues. Alongside this, he has been setting world records for his mega keyboard concerts, with many students playing the instrument along with him in unison.

After his Guinness World Record in 2011 for a keyboard concert with 109 participants, Martin is all set now to break it with a whopping 550 students this time, on May Day, at the St. Bedes Centenary Auditorium. “The idea is to create awareness to stop child labour. Children, between 7 to 17 years, who are young keyboard musicians from the state, will all be coming together to raise their voices against the issue. Visually and economically challenged children from aided schools will also be part of the group. They will be playing songs like Acham Acham Illai from Indra, Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite Raghupati Raghava Rajaram, and others in unison,” explains Martin, adding, “The students’ little fingers will play melodious music in support of their fellow working hands and will call out attention for educating the underprivileged children.”

Martin, who has spent around three decades teaching Carnatic music on the keyboard, has risen to become one of the most-sought after tutors in the field. “Keyboard is mostly considered an instrument that can play only western music, but there are many classical Indian tunes that it can produce. I have also been working with keyboard companies on making necessary additions to the instrument so as to allow playing Carnatic renditions on it better,” Martin adds. The musician hopes to continue making music that aids in facilitating a larger good.