Course topics

Flow | Mela practice – number patterns (3 counts)

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a = middle octave (madhya sthayi)‘sa = higher octave (tara sthayi) The above svara pattern may be sung, hummed or practiced silently with any svara variants: those you are already familiar with (e.g. raga Mayamalavagaula, mela 15, raga Dhirasankarabharanam, mela 29, raga Mecakalyani, mela 65) or any other you want to practice. Enjoy practicing by … Read more

There really is no such thing as a ‘learner’ raga

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Gouri Dange, The Hindu, 11 May 2019 | Read the full article here >> Every kind of music has a protocol for ‘beginners’ or ‘learners’. Students must practise paltay, alankaras, scales, études, tonalisation exercises, depending on the kind of music they pursue.  […] However, here’s the rub: for many learners, these ‘early’ ragas get translated … Read more

Audio | Numbers in Indian music and beyond (rasa): Zero & Nine– CBC Ideas

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The story of zero: How ‘nothing’ changed the world Before it could be used, it had to be invented. “This invention of the zero and the way we write our numerals today is what is now the basis of all modern technology,” Princeton mathematics professor Manjul Bhargava told IDEAS. “We often take it for granted. But … Read more

What is the Katapayadi sutra?

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The Kaṭapayādi sūtra is an aid to memory or “mnemonic system”.  Its name corresponds to a “thread” (sūtra), here provided by the initials of four sets of letters within the Sanskrit alphabet:  Ka Ṭa Pa and Ya A total of 33 letters are distributed among ten numbers including 0 (zero): K (1st) to 9 (nava = 9) + … Read more

“Bhava” and “Rasa” explained by V. Premalatha

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“Rasa is realised in from the combination of the sthāyibhāva (permanent and dominant emotional mood) with the vibhāva-s (the objects of emotions such as the hero and the heroine, and the exciting causes such as the spring, flowers, moonlight and the bower), anubhāva-s (the external manifestations of emotions such as the movement of the eye-brows, … Read more

Indian music and the west – an account by Sangita Kalanidhi Trichy Sankaran

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Tiruvarur to Texas, Carnatic musicians have transcended global cultures, echoing the seven notes to the West. Trichy Sankaran,to be honoured with the Sangita Kalanidhi today, summarises Carnatic music’s history in America in a chat with critic Veejay Sai While everyone is aware of how Hindustani music became popular in the West, especially America, with maestros like … Read more

“Learning should be a source of joy” – V.V. Sadagopan on Music education

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Audio source: singing by the author | Find details for “78RPM – V V Sadagopan” on Archive.org >> It is a curious irony that we, who claim to “hear” our music,1 are less sensitive to tone quality than the Westerner who “sees” his music. Happy exceptions apart, musicians and listeners (especially of the South) are … Read more

“The fundamental principle is joy” – Music education pioneer VV Sadagopan

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“Children should grow with joy, courage and freedom and a discipline born out of these attributes. The fundamental principle is joy, suggestion must be the method, the emphasis should be on the imaginative and creative experience of music and teaching should follow a “flow-form-flow” spiral. – VV Sadagopan | PDF-Repository >> World Children’s Day (20 September) … Read more

Beyond performing competence: Students set to become good teachers and informed citizens as well

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By S. Sankaranarayanan in Sruti (1998) | Excerpts that remain relevant today: Observations on the teaching of music at the Rotterdam Conservatory, Holland: Along with theory and history of music, the students [at the Rotterdam Conservatory] also acquire knowledge of ancillary aspects such as voice modulation and the reading and writing of notation. However, weightage … Read more