Demystifying Classical Music

Making Classical Music More Accessible

What does the Pink Panther have to do with carnatic music? Watch Jayanthi Kumaresh demonstrate this on her veena. Carnatic music like all classical forms has a strong but finite audience. One way to grow the interest in carnatic music, is to help listeners recognize that classical melodies or ragas are everywhere, as I've written here in The Hindu.

Listening to Our Peers

Of course while attracting new audience members is important, are we as musicians, attending the concerts of our peers? We don't, argues Gouri Dange and she takes the position that we should in her thoughtful essay in The Hindu. Do you think the situation is any different for Hindustani music than it is in Carnatic music? I'd love to have your thoughts. You can read Gouri's article "Why are musicians uninterested in each other's work?" here.

A Shankarabharanam Playlist

Music is a source of comfort and inspiration as we face the uncertainty rising from the pandemic. Music too has had to go from an in-person to an online experience, forcing musicians to adapt to the new norm. As I prepare for lessons with my own students, creating curated playlists I've found is one way to help them gain a better understanding of melody, rhythm, and composition. I began with a playlist for raga Shankarabharanam that you can listen to here.