A Journey Called Music Cafe
“We are Music Cafe”
That’s a phrase that has begun many Music Cafe concerts since it began on 1st August 2013, as a workplace engagement initiative at UST in its Trivandrum campus in the verdant state of Kerala.
On August 1st, 2023, this music club marked its 10th anniversary, a decade filled with heartwarming performances, exceptional talent, and unforgettable moments. In a world where music has the power to transcend boundaries and connect souls, the UST Music Cafe stands as a shining example of how a shared passion for melodies can transform lives.
At the heart of the UST Music Cafe’s success story lies a unique people engagement plan, one that embraces a crowdsourced approach. For a decade now, UST Music Cafe has been more than just a venue for music performances; it has become a melting pot of creativity, talent, and community engagement. One of the key reasons behind its resounding success is its unique people engagement plan, which relies heavily on a crowdsourced approach.
On August 1st, 2023, UST Music Cafe crossed its 10 year milestone — marking a decade filled with heartwarming performances, exceptional talent, and unforgettable moments. At the heart of the UST Music Cafe’s success story lies a unique people engagement plan, one that embraces a crowdsourced approach.
For a decade now, UST Music Cafe has been a confluence of creativity, talent, and community engagement. Rakesh Sreekumaran, one of the current Music Café Leads says that there are 180 associates all of whom are part of the regular performances in the iconic lobby of the UST Campus at Phase II, Technopark, Trivandrum. Barring the pandemic years, Music Café has regularly hosted Thursday evening sessions, along with iconic performances for company events like its iconic Foundation Day celebrations.
UST Music Café is aligned with the UST mission of ‘Transforming by nurturing homegrown musical talent with memorable performances for the Company, Clients and Communities. From the very beginning, the UST Music Café founding team: Vishnu Varma, Joseph Fernandez, and Renjith Ramachandran, ensured that the cafe a collective endeavour of all those who walked through its doors. UST Music Cafe engagement strategy has created an inclusive and vibrant community, that starts with fostering a sense of ownership among UST associates.
A prime example of this is their Thursday Sessions. These evenings provide a platform for budding musicians, within the UST community, to showcase their talents. Here you get to hear performances of the best and latest songs in Indian cinema, Carnatic & Hindustani performances as well as the work of budding composers in the company.
On Thursday evenings, between 6.30 p.m. and 9.30 p.m., music fills the air at UST Campus. For the past 9 years — except for the pandemic years , every week, a group of likeminded techies have been gathering in a cafeteria inside the office for the love of Music. Each weekly gathering typically draws some 20 to 35 associates, who often sit in a circle, pitching in with unplugged versions of songs in Malayalam, Tamil, Hindi and many more languages, with Western soft rock as well as instrumental and classical music, which are either their own compositions or popular numbers.
In a decade, UST Music Café has hosted over 1000 shows and sessions, showing that a well planned people engagement initiative can thrive and stand the test of time. UST Music Café has performed 35 music sessions for Kappa TV’s Moodtapes, a popular unplugged music show. Music Cafe’s highly professional team have won prizes in “Tech A Break” and “Band Wars” hosted by Technopark’s Natana.
Speaking on one of the early Music Café milestone moments, Vishnu Varma remembers when Music Café performed for Chennai Super Kings in 2014: “One of our highlights was performing for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) cricket team at the Impact India launch in Bangalore. Ten of us went to Bangalore and performed the song ‘Blowing Whistles’, which we ourselves had composed. Indian captain and cricketing icon Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is also captain of CSK, had rich praise for the anthem.”
Watch that UST Music Café performance for Chennai Super Kings here:
The UST Music Cafe’s decade-long journey holds invaluable lessons for other organizations seeking innovative ways to engage their audience. UST Music Cafe’s success story is an exemplary case study for other organizations looking to implement people engagement strategies. By adopting a crowdsourced approach, companies can tap into the collective creativity and enthusiasm of their associates, creating a sustainable community-driven ecosystem to enhance employee participation and create a sense of belonging.
Furthermore, from Day 1, Music Cafe has been an active participant in social media engagement. They encourage members to share their experiences, pictures, and videos on social media platforms using specific hashtags. This has not only created a strong online presence for the cafe but has also allowed them to connect with a wider audience.
In conclusion, UST Music Cafe’s journey of ten years is a testament to the power of music in transforming lives and creating a vibrant community. As they embark on the next chapter of their adventure, we can only expect the spotlight to shine even brighter on UST Music Cafe and its incredible musical talent.
In a world where music has the power to transcend boundaries and connect people, UST Music Cafe stands as a shining example of how a shared passion for music can transform lives.
— o0o —
