20+ YEARS17+ YEARS IN CHURCH MUSIC1,500+ STUDENTS50,000+ DIRECTLY REACHEDCOMPOSER
Where it began
An old harmonium. A curious child.
I grew up in a Christian family where worship, songs and choir music were always around me.
At home, there was an old harmonium once played by my grandfather and uncles. It became my first instrument. I started with simple songs, one finger at a time. There was no big plan then—only listening, trying and slowly falling in love with music.
A curious child discovering the family harmonium.
“Every confident musician begins with one uncertain note.”
The turning point
8th standard. A responsibility was handed to me.
I was already a chorister in our traditional Lutheran church in Mayiladuthurai. The organist serving there, Jonathan Jawahar Singh, was moving to another town because of his work. He affectionately called me “Thambi”—younger brother—and asked me to continue playing in his place.
He did not simply leave an instrument for me. He entrusted me with a responsibility he deeply cared about. That is how my journey as a church organist began.
Age 13 · A responsibility before I felt ready.
01
Trust
Someone experienced believed I could take responsibility even before I felt fully ready.
02
Service
Weekly worship taught me preparation, timing, consistency and respect for the order of service.
03
Growth
What began as a schoolboy’s responsibility became a musical journey that continued for more than 17 years.
The instrument
It was not a normal keyboard. It was an electronic organ.
The instrument itself made the beginning difficult.
On top was the keyboard for the hands. Below was a pedal keyboard for the feet. I had to play treble with my hands and bass with my feet. Both hands and both legs had to coordinate—four limbs working together while I also followed the choir, congregation and worship order.
Those organs were made in India during an earlier period. After a few years, our organ gradually deteriorated. Later I moved to a regular electronic keyboard, but the organ years had already trained my coordination, listening and musical thinking in a way I never forgot.
Hands, feet and a whole new way of making music.
My church chapter
Chorister. Organist. Choir master.
For more than 17 years, the church became my real-world music school, rehearsal room and leadership training ground.
01
First, a chorister
I first learned music from inside the choir—listening to parts, following conductors, understanding hymns, phrasing, ensemble balance and the discipline of singing together.
02
Then, an organist
I learned to accompany worship, choirs and congregational singing; follow traditional service order; support singers; play organ-style music; and understand how accompaniment serves the whole group.
03
Later, choir master
In later years I moved into choir leadership—teaching singers, preparing performances, conducting rehearsals and helping younger musicians grow.
Age 25 · Helping many voices sing as one.Age 30 · Sharing the joy of music with the congregation.
What I taught
Music training inside the choir
Vocal training and choir singing
SATB part singing—Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass
Keyboard and organ fundamentals
Ensemble music and group coordination
Conducting patterns and musical cues
Beyond the notes
Discipline and leadership
How to sit and stand correctly as a choir
How to watch and respond to a conductor
Stage behaviour and rehearsal discipline
Listening to one another instead of performing individually
Respect, teamwork and responsibility in group music
One unforgettable incident
The day that changed how I heard music.
I was probably studying in 10th standard when I travelled with my mother to Porayar for a Lutheran Women’s Federation programme.
A violinist aunty travelling with us had several things to carry, so she asked me to take her violin case upstairs to the church balcony. The service had already begun. As I climbed, I could hear the choir and accompaniment. The sound immediately caught my attention.
Age 15 · Watching my uncle, Benjamin Durairaj, in the church balcony.
When I reached the balcony, I saw the musician: my uncle, Benjamin Durairaj. I already knew he could play, but I had never realised how beautifully he could play. That moment completely changed my musical perspective.
The inspiration
One performance became a lifelong influence.
After that day, I became deeply inspired by Benjamin Durairaj’s playing. I listened, observed, practised and learned from his musical approach for years.
01
I heard differently
His accompaniment showed me that playing was not only about correct notes—it could have depth, movement, colour and expression.
02
I practised differently
I began trying to understand why good playing sounded good, instead of simply copying songs.
03
I saw what was possible
Looking back, that ordinary trip with my mother became one of the moments that ultimately influenced the musician and teacher I became.
The journey
From church musician to music educator.
Engineer by degree. Musician by calling.
I completed B.E. Civil Engineering in 2014 and M.E. Structural Engineering in 2016. But through all those years, music remained at the centre of my life.
Teaching beyond my own church
As my playing and teaching grew, I was invited to perform in other churches and programmes in places including Chennai and Trichy. I was also asked to train choirs and institutions.
The offline teaching chapter
I taught keyboard and music offline for years and also experimented with building an offline academy. Not every attempt succeeded, but each one taught me how beginners struggle and how music can be explained more clearly.
Composition and production
I composed music for TV advertisements, events, title tracks and other projects in India and Qatar. During the FIFA World Cup period in Qatar, I composed the fan-made song Kun Shakiran, which received attention through television and radio there.
Judge, speaker and invited mentor
My journey later brought invitations from colleges and institutions including Madras Christian College, Loyola College, Chennai Institute of Technology, SRM institutions in Trichy and Bharathiyar College in Salem—as judge, speaker, performer or chief guest.
The lockdown idea
One thought became clear: what if students could learn keyboard online through structured pre-recorded lessons in Tamil? That idea became Emperor Keys in 2021.
A complete learning ecosystem
Emperor Keys grew into structured courses, website and mobile learning, and IvanGPT—designed to help students learn clearly at their own pace.
Why I understand beginners
I did not begin because I was ready. I began because I was trusted.
I was a schoolboy when a responsibility came to me. I struggled with the organ. I learned by listening, practising, making mistakes and continuing.
That is why I do not believe a beginner needs to know everything before starting. The right direction, a clear path and consistent practice can change a person’s musical life.
Sometimes one opportunity, one mentor or one musical moment can change the direction of a life.
What success means
Not just players. Music leaders.
Today, more than 1,500 students are part of the Emperor Keys learning ecosystem.
Through workshops, classes, training programmes and educational events over the years, I have directly reached and trained more than 50,000 people. But the real goal is not the number. It is to help people perform, create, accompany, teach, guide and inspire others through music.
Mission
Create 1,00,000 music leaders.
Method
Simple. Structured. Practical.
The Emperor Keys path
Start. Learn. Ask IvanGPT. Lead.
1
Start
Join the 3-Day Keyboard Beginner Class.
2
Learn
Follow premium courses on website and app.
3
Ask IvanGPT
Get course and music guidance whenever questions arise.
4
Lead
Grow as a performer, teacher or producer.
I understand beginners
You do not need to feel ready. You only need to begin.
Start your keyboard journey through a simple Tamil class designed for complete beginners.
