Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

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srinidhi
Posts: 227
Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 08:59

Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by srinidhi »

My daughter aged 9 has been going to a nearby pattu class ( JP Nagar) for the past one year. Earlier in Chennai she had come up to geetham but with a change of place and change of teacher it was decided to start from scratch sarali varisai . Now these are my experiences- want to know if this is the norm in Bangalore

1. Class is - on an average- for 15 minutes. SOmetimes for 20 minutes. Fees 800/-p.m Classes are twice a week. The most recently learnt segment is revised, a new segment taught and a devarnama squeezed in- all within 15 minutes. Old lessons are never touched.

2.The only time my child gets to revise any old lesson is if some other child is singing something familiar while my child is waiting for her turn. Even then, the teacher pays no attention to my child- whether she is committing any mistake or not.

3. In one year my child who started from sarali varisai has now reached keerthana- the teacher's speed would put Usain Bolt to shame. This - despite my repeated requests to go slowe and ensure quality over quantity

4. Focus of the teacher seems to be preparing the student for the junior level music exams- hence the breakneck speed with which she is teaching. Again I have indicated that exam is not our priority

5. 5 Varnams were taught - Shankabharanam Mohanam Hamsadhwani Kalyani and Abhogi- only in the first kalam. No second kalam, no akaara sadhanai. When asked - the reason is- it is not in the syllabus. The varnams all are sans gamakam.

6. Finally- the teacher has a penchant to change the shruti midway the class. If the child has started sa-pa-sa in 6 kattai and halfway is unale o reach the tara- sthayi notes, instead of guiding the student the teacher lowers the shruti. Midway.

Seriously I don't know whether to cry or laugh. Are all teachers in Bangalore like this? I am seriously on a look out for a better teacher in the JP Nagar 5th phase area.

VK RAMAN
Posts: 5009
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:29

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by VK RAMAN »

If the child can handle, it is OK, but to force on the child is not good. 20 to 30 minutes class is good, anything more than that will lose the attention of child IMO.

Sachi_R
Posts: 2174
Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by Sachi_R »

Very simply, any teacher who is busy covering the syllabus for Junior exam without caring for a good grounding in fundamentals, isn't a good option for you.
Unless you look around and ask, sorry, you won't find a good/great teacher.

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by msakella »

If you are serious patiently go through all the posts and videos of http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic. ... &start=325. amsharma

sriramr
Posts: 31
Joined: 04 Jul 2016, 17:43

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by sriramr »

My experience with CM as student and teaching (my wife is a carnatic music teacher):

One problem with Bangaloreans is most of them want to write "junior and senior level exams and become teachers / performing artistes overnight. Hence , even the teachers also teach the same way because some of them would have learnt that way. In fact, the syllabus of the exams narrow down the scope of learning. For. eg. Students will never be able to sing Tisram for Varnams. Fortunately, this learning methodology / teaching methodology is not there in Chennai or other parts of TN wherever Carnatic Music is appreciated. Learning should be given priority than giving any exam.

Regarding the timings, some teachers do offer 45 mins - one hour class. Most of the classes will be ghoshti ganam only. It is understandable because the teacher cannot handle too many students on a one-one basis.

Once the student reaches Manodharmam level, it is mandatory to put him/her under a learnt person on a one-one basis so as to improve.

I have also come across one kathu-kutti teacher who was teaching sarali varisai to students by putting talam with two hands on two thighs !! Alas if the parents are ignorant of CM , they will end up in appreciating the versatility of the teacher !!

srinidhi
Posts: 227
Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 08:59

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by srinidhi »

Many thanks- VK raman ji and Sachi-R ji.

MS Akellaji- Pranams and honoured to see your reply

srinidhi
Posts: 227
Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 08:59

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by srinidhi »

sriramr wrote: 13 Mar 2017, 12:01 My experience with CM as student and teaching (my wife is a carnatic music teacher):

One problem with Bangaloreans is most of them want to write "junior and senior level exams and become teachers / performing artistes overnight. Hence , even the teachers also teach the same way because some of them would have learnt that way. In fact, the syllabus of the exams narrow down the scope of learning. For. eg. Students will never be able to sing Tisram for Varnams. Fortunately, this learning methodology / teaching methodology is not there in Chennai or other parts of TN wherever Carnatic Music is appreciated. Learning should be given priority than giving any exam.

Regarding the timings, some teachers do offer 45 mins - one hour class. Most of the classes will be ghoshti ganam only. It is understandable because the teacher cannot handle too many students on a one-one basis.

Once the student reaches Manodharmam level, it is mandatory to put him/her under a learnt person on a one-one basis so as to improve.

I have also come across one kathu-kutti teacher who was teaching sarali varisai to students by putting talam with two hands on two thighs !! Alas if the parents are ignorant of CM , they will end up in appreciating the versatility of the teacher !!
Sir... forget tisram, I doubt if my daughter will even be able to sing second kalam. On enquiring why the second kalam for varnam is not taught I was given the reply " it is only in the second level exams" . But the teacher has started kritis - hamasadhwani, mmgowlai and today- panthuvarali. How can a child be able to sing sangathis for a kriti, how can the voice traverse the sangathis of a kriti if the second kalam is not taught ? or at least introduced?

Now in a span of 8 classes, two kritis have been completed and a new one begun today. Not to forget a devarnama sandwiched in between. Is such a speed advisable? My daughter is good- but not a genius .

If someone is aware of a teacher in the JP nagar area, please do let me know.

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by Nick H »

OK so I am not even a music student.... but isn't learning such skills one of the points of learning and singing varnams?

srinidhi
Posts: 227
Joined: 09 Feb 2010, 08:59

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by srinidhi »

Nick H wrote: 13 Mar 2017, 19:40 OK so I am not even a music student.... but isn't learning such skills one of the points of learning and singing varnams?
You mean second kalam and tisram ?

Nick H
Posts: 9379
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by Nick H »

Yes. Getting to be able to do several speeds in the swaras. When I was a "young" mridangam student, I noticed that the vocal students actually learnt to be able to do that before we did!

Anyway, I can understand your dissatisfaction with your daughter's teacher

msakella
Posts: 2127
Joined: 30 Sep 2006, 21:16

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by msakella »

In Dec., 2009, when I had been to Chennai to receive the TTK-Award from the Music academy and stayed with my disciple, Chy. Sow. Revathy S. Krishnan at Velachery, my bosom friend Sri S.Nageshwaran came to me and asked “You are going to receive even an award in teaching by the prestigious Music Academy. I have a very talented 11 year old grand-daughter, Chi. Shreenidhi. I have changed four or five music-teachers to give her good music and still struggling to find an honest and efficient music-teacher in Chennai. Why don’t you please take her as your student?” In turn when I asked him to bring her he immediately brought her with 103 degrees severe fever. I felt very unhappy about her, somehow made her sing a very little and found she has a very nice instinctive sense of music which is a must for music. Later, from Feb., 2010 I have started initiating her starting with my usual rhythmical exercises both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis and other select items weekly twice by Skype without singing myself even Sa or Pa in any of the classes.

As per this novel system of learning (not teaching or cheating) we stabilise the instinctive rhythmical abilities of the aspirant both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis and give the notated material up to 9 select Varnas along with the respective audio and video-files. Basing upon them the aspirant himself/herself has to work hard mostly relying upon the key-board, metronome and other material we give.

Around October, 2010, upon the request of Sri Nageshwaran, I have slightly altered the course to make her sing a mini-concert in Dec., 2010 in the Rasikas’ Global meet at Chennai. Thus she gave a mini-concert of 45 mts., very confidently and efficiently. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6PzLGv8xFw)

In the same manner I have trained several kids among which my 11 year old great-grand-daughter, Chi. Padmaja from Bangalore also sang mini-concerts at Bangalore and Chennai on 08-08-2015 and 30-08-2015 respectively very confidently and efficiently. (https://youtu.be/P7CLYMgCuWk?list=PLtlk ... gRDmIMym5X and https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=P ... 10MUWEQ2cP)

Even in our music institute, Swarabhangima at Secunderabad, all the school-going kids, who have learnt up to Varnas can invariably sing them both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis very confidently and efficiently. This is the honest way of doing things. amsharma

vvssaraswathi
Posts: 22
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 14:14

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by vvssaraswathi »

Dear Srinidhi,

Namaskar. In Bangalore, we stay near KR puram (Which is very far from JP nagar).

Smt Sandhya garu, who is student of Sri MS Akellaji, conducts classes at my home in AMS system where Kids are encouraged to learn Sarali, Janta, Alankaras, Datu and proceed to Geetas only when they can sing aa kaara in all 3 speeds. My younger daughter learns from her. Here kids sing aa kara in 3 speeds with different metronome speeds 80 to 110. Geetas are completed and children are made to sing Swara, Aa kara and sahitya in 1 2 3 4 notes per second. Simultaneously, Children are trained in Laya , along with kalpana swaras. After Geetas, Children are made acquainted with Melakarta ragas (32 MKR). After that Varnas are taught at 1 note per beat and also with 4 6 8 notes per second. Trisram is mandatory for all these kids. After swaram, child has to sing Aa kara in 4 6 8 speeds and then only can enter into next varna. With very minimal intervention from teacher, we are able to see a great improvement in Children here. We are all very happy. This system is enabling children to be independently learning along with teacher's minimal intervention / guidance.

While I am aware that it is very far for you, you are always welcome to come to see the classes when you have some time.

Regards,
Saraswathi

mythreyisowrirajan
Posts: 8
Joined: 29 Nov 2018, 08:21

Re: Music class-"Bangalore Style"? Other's experiences please

Post by mythreyisowrirajan »

Hello Rasikas,

Namaskaram.

I am Mythreyi Sowrirajan. I teach Carnatic vocal classes on Skype in multiple timezones.

Looking for both Kids and Adult students. I can teach Raga Alaphana, Kalpana Swarams, Niraval.

You can hear me in http://bit.do/mythreyimusiclibrary

To join classes you can click this link: http://bit.do/mythreyimusicclass

My Phone/whatsapp number is 9790848674. I also teach in-person in Chromepet, Chennai.

My visiting card: https://ibb.co/MBVdSwV

Fees: 17 USD/1200 INR for 8 classes. Each class 45 mins each. Not for profit.

regards,
Mythreyi Sowrirajan

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