OM SREE SARASWATHYAI NAMAH







CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP



ON



CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC







CONDUCTED BY



SMT. KALYANI RAMANI





SUMMER 2003



(July 15, 16, 17; 22, 23, 24; 29, 30, 31)





VENUE: 3, Eleanor Dr., Kendall Park, NJ 08824





CALL (732)821-0641 or E-Mail: kalyaniramani@yahoo.com for Details





CARNATIC MUSIC WORKSHOP (SUMMER 2003) – FAQ



1. Why this Workshop?



There is much more to Indian Classical music than just singing or listening. Indeed, our classical music is so rich in its history, variety and depth that a serious student may spend a whole lifetime studying this wonderful fine art and yet have to cover plenty of ground. No doubt, we are blessed with the rich heritage of our music thanks to the innumerable great souls, including the "Musical Trinity", who dedicated themselves completely for a great cause. It is extremely important for our younger generation to imbibe as much as possible of the great wealth that is our classical music. Such Workshops offer a great opportunity to make that happen.



2. Who should attend this Workshop?



This workshop will offer great insights/glimpses into the history/theory of Carnatic music and would be ideal for serious students of Carnatic music aged 8 to 17 years. Such children should have had a formal initiation into Carnatic music and must have been learning for at least one year. Exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Participants can look forward to a highly invigorating, informative and enjoyable 3 weeks.



3. How can participants benefit from this program?



This Workshop has been designed in such a way that at the end of the 3 weeks, participants will:

· Be introduced to the theory, history and evolution of our music

· Gain knowledge of the various instruments

· Be offered glimpses of the raga and tala systems of Carnatic music



4. What are the timings of this workshop?



This workshop spans 9 days over a period of 3 weeks, with 3 days each week. The timing on each of these days would be 9.30 AM to 1.00 PM. We also plan to have a couple of performances that will conclude this Workshop. These details will be announced shortly.



5. What are the actual Topics to be covered?



· Musicology

Ø Evolution of music and musical instruments

Ø Greatness of Indian Music

Ø Comparative Musicology



· Ragas

Ø Meaning of the term raga

Ø References about raga in early literature

Ø Obsolete ragas

Ø Classification of ragas

Ø Ragas used in Thevaram and Thiruppugazh

Ø Raga and Rasa (or bhaava or emotion)

Ø Identifying ragas

· Talam

Ø Varieties of talas

Ø Angas (components) of talam

Ø Jaathi and gathi bhedas



· Sruti

Ø The importance of Sruti

Ø Various types of Sruti

Ø Gamakas (nuances)



· Creative Music (Manodharma sangeetham)

Ø Raga elaboration / improvisation

Ø Kalpanaswara / improvisation of swaras

Ø Other aspects of creative music



· Life history of great composers

Ø Pre-Trinity period

Ø Trinity period

Ø Post-Trinity period

Ø Contemporary composers



· Format of a Carnatic Music Concert

Ø Concerts in the Olden days up to 19th Century

Ø The great Ariyakudi and 20th Century concerts

Ø Present-day concerts



· Practice (Saadhana) in Carnatic Music

Ø The Importance of Saadhana

Ø A few techniques for Saadhana

Ø Voice/body preservation

Ø Voice culture / Training

Ø Yoga and Saadhana





· Musical anecdotes





· Concluding session (concert, lec-dem, etc.)





6. Who will be the faculty for this program?



Smt. Kalyani Ramani is an Indian classical musician (Carnatic style). It is generally said that music runs in the family. True to this saying, Kalyani has imbibed the essence of music from her mother, Prof. R Subbalekshmi, who herself was the disciple of two great Maestros of Carnatic music, Semmangudi Sri R Srinivasa Iyer (for vocal) and Palghat Sri K S Narayanaswamy (for veena). She also trained under Smt. Neela Ramagopal of Bangalore, a well-known vocalist and teacher, and briefly under Madurai Sri T N Seshagopalan.



Kalyani has done her Masters in Music from Kerala University. With her solid foundation in both vocal/instrumental styles, as well as in academics, Kalyani has the “best of both”, i.e., it enables her to perform with a deep knowledge of the nuances of this fine art.



Kalyani has been actively engaged, since the past several years, in promoting the cause of Carnatic music in the US. Her dedicated and “scientific” approach to training in music has attracted scores of students for vocal music and Veena playing. She strives to ensure that her students simultaneously learn the “theory” and the “practice” of Carnatic music.





7. What is the format of the presentations?



All the topics will be covered in a very informal atmosphere and will be highly interactive. The Participants’ complete involvement is encouraged and is very crucial for the success of this Workshop. There will be impromptu quizzes, discussions, group and individual exercises that will keep all the participants fully engaged.





8. Should participants bring anything with them for this workshop?



Not necessary. All course material will be provided at the Workshop.





9. How much does it cost to attend this program?



US $ 300.00 for the complete workshop. This will include course material.





10. Can you elaborate on the registration process?



The deadline for registration is May 15, 2003. Registration may be done through phone or email. Please mail your checks by May 30, 2003. Checks should be made payable to KALYANI RAMANI. The complete mailing address is:



3, ELEANOR DR.,

KENDALL PARK, NJ 08824-1815



The contact email is kalyaniramani@yahoo.com.



Seats are very limited, since the aim is to conduct a focused and high-quality Workshop. So please hurry with your registrations for an exciting, fun-filled 3 weeks!





PICK-UP and DROP-OFF may also be available for participants residing 10 miles or less from the venue of the Workshop. Please call for details!