Certificate Course in Hindustani Classical Music

This course has been designed to enhance existing knowledge and appreciation levels of the entire gamut of Hindustani Classical Music and is ideally suited for those of you who deal with or would like to deal with music in their careers but are not necessarily musicians. There will thus be a selection process for applicants and there will be a limited number of seats. Applicants should have passed their Higher Secondary exam or its equivalent. Other than this, we are looking for a basic understanding in tandem with a lot of passion for this genre.

Over a span of 30 interactive sessions, held twice weekly, the course will take you through guided listening of archival recordings, followed by discussions and informative talks. It will teach you to explore and analyze classical and semi classical music traditions and to understand the aesthetics of Hindustani Classical Music. The purpose is to enable you to hone your analytical skills on the subject of Hindustani Classical Music through a greater appreciation of the genre. This course could also pave the way for career or freelancing opportunities in music journalism for participants so inclined. Please note that this course is not to be construed as a music training course.

Eminent representatives of the world of Hindustani classical music, including faculty members of the Academy, will constitute the panel of experts who will present the course. When the course comes to a close, you will receive a certificate of completion.

The Academy plans to begin an Advanced Course and a 2nd Basic Course shortly. However it must be noted that since the venue of this course is Kolkata and it is not a residential course, it would be mainly beneficial to those who live in and around the city or those who plan to be in the city for the duration of the course.

The objective of the new course was to help raise the level of proper understanding and appreciation of Hindustani Raga Sangeet, which in turn could lead to development of music journalism, which in turn would also help to raise the level of performance of music and develop a community of connoisseurs who will be able to provide the inspiration as well as put a quality check on the performers of the future.

The sessions were scheduled on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5 - 7 p.m. In each session, experts of the Academy as well as invited experts made presentations aimed at providing useful information on Hindustani Raga Sangeet and its various genres, towards nourishing better connoisseurs (Kansen). Analysing classical and semi-classical music traditions through guided listening of archival recordings, participants acquired a clearer understanding of Hindustani Raga Sangeet. They were also helped to hone their skills at music journalism. The language of communication was a combination of English, Hindi and Bengali.


Subjects:

-Introducing the subject to the new learners.
-Introduction to instruments and instrumental music.
-Nuances of vocal music
-Basics of rhythm
-What is a Raga?
-Rhythm and Indian Music
-The vocabulary of vocal music
-History of recorded music in India: 1902 - 1940
-The Evolution of Indian Music
-Raga, Instrumentalist -Musicians and Musical Instruments: Ideas and Articulations
-Avanadha Vadya and Rhythm.
-Sound, Time and Thinking in the Heart-Lotus: Understanding Indian Music
-Presentation of a khayal and its performance
-Shruti and Hindustani Raga Sangeet
-Raga, Rasa and Dhruvapada
-Salient features of the music of the Gwalior Gharana
-Interactive group sessions: Developing music journalism skills - 1
-Interactive group sessions: Developing music journalism skills - 2
-Tradition, Continuity & Innovation
-Listening Session: Recordings from our Archives: ITC-SRA Seminar on Stylistic Patterns of Pandit D.V. Paluskar & Vidushi Kesarbai Kerkar
-'Purab ang Thumri' - Lecture & demonstration
-Listening Session: Recordings from our Archives : ITC-SRA Seminar on Stylistic Patterns of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan & Ustad Amir Khan
-Thaats and Ashray Ragas
-Salient features of the music of the Agra Gharana
-Writing about Music: present trends
-Khayal gayaki in various Ragas
-Listening Session: Recordings from our Archives: Kumar Prasad Mukherjee's Analysis of the Kirana Gharana
-Listening Session: Recordings from our Archives: Kumar Prasad Mukherjee's Analysis of the Rampur-Saheswan Gharana
-Student presentations and awarding of certificates