Logical lapse in Manodharma Sangita Lec-dem in MA

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, muniraogaru,

Right from the beginning you are writing all your posts positively fervently appealing for others participation also striving hard for the betterment of our kids. But, I hope, you are also observing the very poor response we are receiving from others in this respect.

Since more than past 50 years I have been living on music and having much acquaintance with many of the ins and outs of this field. As a ‘straight-forward-person” I have all along been fighting alone in so many ways about which I have already wrote in my book ‘Gurushishyasamvadamulu (Telugu)’ which you already read.

Even though none of them is aware of it, all the music-teachers on the globe are always used to sing or play the instruments themselves and ask the aspirants to follow them in singing or playing the instruments. They all are used to think that this way of doing itself is teaching and there is no other way of doing it.

As already explained in my previous posts, by driving the motor cycle myself and merely explaining the operations orally to the aspirant no aspirant can learn the driving properly and quickly. The same thing applies to cooking also. In both these things the teacher should not at all do these things himself/herself but properly initiate the aspirant in doing all these things. This is the only correct way in training the aspirant in all these performance-oriented subjects. You may not believe me if I tell that I found this only after 5 years after my retirement as an unsuccessful teacher.

But, most unfortunately, our music-teachers never even think of this kind of thing or come forward to follow it as, by this, ultimately, not only the learning process becomes very fast leading to heavy financial loss but also the aspirant becomes independent enough in doing all the respective things on his/her own running away from the tentacles of the teacher. In fact, to properly implement this method, a perfect logical plan is required and the teacher, with high level teacher’s perspective, aptitude and attitude, must be proficient both in Laya and Shruti aspects and very efficient, honest and sincere in teaching. After properly testing the instinctive abilities of the kid (between 6 & 8 years of age) in Laya and Shruti aspects the teacher must always initiate him/her to regularly practice different Laya exercises with the aid of audio and video aids which thing has never been done by any of the music-teachers in the past.

While Shruti is ‘rakti and the Laya is ‘Shakti’ i.e., the vehicle and unless the vehicle is made ready to move efficiently the rider cannot proceed fast and, in the same manner, unless the teacher makes the kid efficient in Laya he/she cannot move further confidently. More over, unless the kid becomes efficient in handling both Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis he/she can never stand or walk or run on his own legs confidently (all the 250 school-going kids learning music here in our music-insitute, Svarabhangima and its eight branches they very efficiently render all the Alankaras both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis). It is most essential to the music-teachers to realize that this is the primary thing for the success of any kid and umpteen experiments proved this beyond any doubt. Simultaneously the teacher must make a perfect plan in making the kid dependent mostly upon the Casio-machine (machine only gives out the fixed version of either rhythm or note than the teacher) for learning or regular practice upto Varnas even in the absence of the teacher. The teacher’s success mostly depends upon this plan only. Of course, many printed, audio and video aids play a very important role in the success of this plan. Right from the first day of learning the kid must mostly become dependent upon the Casio than the teacher. The teacher becomes more a vigilant guide than a teacher. By all this, the kid himself/herself learns many of the intricacies of rhythm along with the inter-relation of notes on his/her own leading towards Manodharma Sangita on his/her just within 2 or 3 years and becomes able to learn Kritis on his/her own. Thus, the aspirants will not leave any scope to the teacher to frighten them telling many stories about the Manodharma Sangita unnecessarily.

But, due to so many reasons no music-teacher comes forward to follow this modern method though beneficial to the kids and their parents abundantly. More over, in general, the common man/woman doesn’t want to be exposed to any such new experiments and that is why nobody is responding. Basing upon all these things I do not and cannot expect any response to these appeals. amsharma

[vasanthakokilam]

Shruti is ‘rakti and the Laya is ‘Shakti’ i.e., the vehicle

I like this. So true. As a meaningful expression this beats the cliche 'shruti mata laya pita' hands down!

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, muniraogaru,

While we both are the only persons struggling hard to do something constructive in this respect and while you are the only and lonely person very earnestly appealing our forumites for their serious dialogue without indulging in trivialities none of the thousands of our forumites is able to come out in support of saving the time or energy or money of our kids and their parents by quickly finishing the process of learning music in less than five years but, by keeping mum, only in extending their full support for the sad and merciless act of cutting their tender hands and legs into pieces by the criminal waste of spending 15 long years of their precious life even in this speedy and modern age (they all are very busily struggling with the Shruti alignment). In such case who dares to take music as his profession I don’t understand.

In fact, I can also very conveniently remain calm, cool and un-controversial in this respect as, by the grace of the Almighty, nobody can stop me working here for all our kids very constructively with all the full support of our efficient, honest and sincere team of noble people.

However, as a truthful old man, I am unable to understand in which way this is justifiable in respect of all these so called music-lovers, reputed legends, knowledgeable giants, reputed associations, reputed institutions and all our forumites to unanimously support a merciless and suicidal act which very seriously and badly effects all our future generations. amsharma

[munirao2001]

Vasantakokilam
Sruthi ' mata '-embodiment of love and extraordinary care, resulting in ' rakthi ' and Laya 'Pitah'-embodiment of resources provider, resulting in 'shakthi'.
'Cliche' No, Sir.

munirao2001

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, munirao garu,

Even after the lapse of more than three-weeks nobody is interested in responding to your earnest appeal even in the interest of our own kids.

Having personally experienced the same, even Vidwan Chi. T.M.Krishna also, in his recent interview with Hindu, expressed ‘The sadness does not come from the fact that people have not supported me when I stuck my head out, but more from the fact that most are not willing to engage in direct discussions on these subjects. I know that some feel that many of the ideas I have put across are unnecessary or frivolous or even part of a PR strategy! I will not waste my time in trying to prove my integrity. In general, the classical music world lacks the courage and moral strength to face critical issues. We live in a self-absorbed world’.

By all this it becomes clearer that it is always healthier to do things on our own without getting involved with others as most of the people look like noble and knowledgeable persons but are very highly self-centred in one way or the other.

While the age old quantitative method in teaching/learning music is mainly self-centred giving much importance to the teacher illogically and irrationally elongating the process for many more years to come the modern qualitative method is very strictly a ‘time-bound and result-oriented’ method mostly initiating the aspirant work more on his/her own in learning the subject giving much importance to the aspirant for which a logically based syllabus aided with the respective notations, audio-files and video-files is needed to facilitate the aspirant work more on his/her own extensively . For this purpose two pre-recorded CDS of AMS Easy Methods in Teaching Music-2007 along with more than 700 videos are already uploaded to different sites long ago to help the aspirants all over the globe.

Even though I have visited a number of music-institutions and music-departments at many places I did nowhere found such a syllabus or the respective aids in any of these institutions. As most of the teachers are mainly performers having a very limited teacher’s perspective none of them cannot even understand the logic behind.

However, in educating our people, even at this old age of 75 years, I have, till now, been wasting most of my energies and time in explaining the respective details to others to, in turn, benefit our kids. But, as this has undoubtedly been proved as a criminal waste, now, I have decided to, hereafter, respond in respect of genuine cases only. amsharma

[cmcn]

Dear Akella Mallikarjuna Sarma sir, I have followed your efforts over a number of years and have greatly benefited from both your books, Sangita Vidyabodhini, Easy Methods with their CDs and the remarkable video examples and explanations you have uploaded to youtube. Your generosity and energy are truly remarkable and single you out as worthy of respect and deep gratitude. As an adult learner I have been too shy to write before to thank you as you always explained the necessity to start young and invest in those with intrinsic rhythmic capability. Despite lacking any aspiration to become a performing artist I don't feel I would have made such headway over the last 10 years without your guidance and expertise. In this modern saturated era of global communication and multimedia tools, your contribution shows in an exemplary manner how much can be down to preserve the remarkable unique and divine gift that belongs to the South Indian classical tradition. yours gratefully cmcn

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, cacn, I feel extremely happy to go through your post. Really I am surprised to abruptly receive your phone call from you yesterday and speak to you. Only after speaking to you on phone I have gone through this post. You have not only expressed your sincere appreciation through this post but also spoke to me then and there from France. Thank you for your kind appreciation which encourages me to still work hard sincerely even at this old age of 75 for the needy aspirants in keeping our great culture in tact. I also feel happy to know that by having 462 subscribers and 212,189 viewers in youtube my sincere efforts are becoming useful to the needy aspirants like you all over the globe. As I told you on phone you can get my guidance whenever you need. With all best wishes, amsharma.

[hnbhagavan]

Dear friends,

The views expressed by respected scholars are true.But there seems to be no drive to inculcate the cultural values in children.Most of the times parents want their children to learn music in addition to other studies.The music teachers with the exception of few great masters teach music in a routine manner.In most of the cases parents do not actively support music learning.Sri Madurai GS Mani in a concert in Bangalore lamented about the lack of interest in young people and remarked that only grey haired ones are seen in the concert .He wanted parents to bring their kids to the concerts as they take them to movies.

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, hnbhagavan,

You have written a very nice post which indirectly indicates the elders and elite to remind their duties and responsibilities while their number is decreasing fast day by day due to the domination of their selfish attitudes. In any country in any society it is the duty and responsibility of the elders and knowledgeable persons to stand idealistic and inculcate the cultural values in the society. Now, this is the time that elders and elite must question themselves in this respect and do the needful in safeguarding the interests of the society.

In fact, as the parents also are very highly enthusiastic in giving music also to their kids they are insisting upon learning music also along with any other subject their kids are entangled with.

In respect of the methods of teaching music, even in my case, all my teachers are used to sing or play themselves and ask me, in turn, to follow them in singing or playing. To tell the fact, none of them did ever define either the grammar or the techniques of music. Later, again, in turn, when I did the same while teaching my students in the class, in the first 10 to 15 years of my Govt. service, failure is far more than success. From then onwards, my introspection started and found that, basically, it is not the method of teaching at all. Even later, only after 5 years after my retirement as Lecturer and Principal in the Govt. Music Colleges of Andhra Pradesh, that too only by the grace of the Lord Saibaba of Shirdi, I could fully introspect myself and realize that I was not an efficient teacher at all. Believe it or not, later, with true repentance, having given up my entire artistic life, when I sincerely prayed Him, He blessed me with the needed knowledge and then only the true evolution started in becoming an efficient teacher in music. As any evolution takes its own pace now I cannot declare that my present findings in teaching music are the best and final. However, by all this, now, I am able to make an aspirant sing or play music efficiently within the duration of hardly 2 or 3 years. That is why, in general, I never teach any aspirant for more than 3 years.

At Secunderabad, since last 5 or 6 years, we are running our music-institute, Swarabhangima with nearly 100 highly talented kids along with another 150 talented kids of eight branches in this area. All our institutions are very ably managed by Shri J.S.Eshwaraprasad, famous Nritya-sankeertana Dancer, while the aspirants are trained by the efficient, honest and sincere teacher, Chi. Sow.Chidroopalakshmi Eshwaraprasad and their son, Chi.J.S.Shreeram (my disciple). Shri Eshwaraprasad inspires many by his efficiency and transparency in work maintaining very high level cultural values among all our kids even daily waking them up at 4 am for their regular practice etc.

We, in general, prefer to admit the kids between 6 & 8 years of age and finish of teaching before 12 years of age to facilitate them to take up professional courses like medicine or engineering etc. All these kids are school-going children and with the sincere efforts of the respective parents all these kids are maintaining very high standards in music unlike any other institute on the globe. Along with their kids even some of their mothers also are being trained and appointed as Teachers in our branches in this area.

In our institute, within a time span between 3 to 5 years of training 8 kids are able to sing 30 to 60 minutes concert with intricate Svarakalpana and brief Ragalapana, 6 kids are able to sing 1 to 2 hours concert with intricate Svarakalpana and brief Ragalapana, 5 kids are able to sing all the Varnas @ 4, 6, 8, 12 & 16-notes per beat, 15 kids are able to sing all the Varnas @ 4, 6 & 8-notes per beat, 20 kids can demonstrate many of these Varnas with symbolized Gamakas unlike any other kid of that age, 13 kids are learning Varnas and all other kids are able to render all the 28-special-laya exercises efficiently. To any kid, the minimum requisite to continue his/her studies in our institute, is to basically sing all the Alankaras @ 4 & 3-units i.e., both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis efficiently (visit 28-videos of AMS-Kids singing Jatis & Svaras and 38-videos of AMS-Kids singing & playing Varnas and Kritis of ‘youtube.com/user/msakella’). Our teachers very sincerely try to make each and every aspirant sing all the Alankaras both in Chaturashra and Trisra-gatis. But, ultimately, the aspirants who cannot do this shall certainly be sent out.

Here, at Secunderabad, mainly observing the dedicated teaching of our teachers and finding the successful end-results of our kids, many parents residing at far off places are coming forward even to shift their residences to the nearby places to get their kids trained in our music-institutions. All these things became possible by the combined effort of the kids and their parents. Mostly this became possible by the efficient, honest and sincere efforts of our teachers and the organizers.

In my umpteen experiments I have ultimately found that the reliable machines like Casio, Electronic-metronome or Shruti-instruments along with properly notated books and pre-recorded CDs in which the same compositions are sung in the same notation are far more helpful than any music-teacher on the globe. But, most unfortunately, none of the present music-teachers are used to supply notated books along with pre-recorded CDs or even suggest their students regularly practice along with Casio or Metronome.

Even though both the aspirants and their parents have abundant interest in learning music the adamant attitude of the so called legends, maestros and experts in illogically, irrationally and shamefully passing a resolution in respect of the elongated duration of 15 years in learning music in the discussion held at the Music Academy is making all the aspirants and their parents run away far from learning our music. Thus, the fault lies on the teachers only but not either on the aspirants or their parents. By all this, it is better to understand that, irrespective of their stature, all the musicians under the guise of great teachers prefer to, somehow, elongate the process of learning to 15 years or even more only to meet their personal gains but not in the interests of the aspirants or their parents at all. At the same time, this discussion obviously revealed that none of them is that knowledgeable in teaching to finish of the learning process within the maximum duration of 5 years. More over, when they all are well recognised legends, maestros and experts getting very prestigious titles like Sangitakalanidhis or Sangeetakalaacharyas or Sangeetasamrats or Padmashrees or Padmavibhooshans etc., etc., and I am neither a legend nor a maestro nor an expert nor a title-holder (that is why I was not given any title but TTK Award) but an ordinary teacher in music I do not understand why they all are damn afraid of me to discuss things and defeat me in this respect in the Music Academy.

I sincerely hope that they all feel their responsibility and strive hard in safeguarding the interests of the aspirants and their parents and avoid being called ‘cheaters’ or ‘Magic academy’ by the sufferers. At least in saving their prestige they must come out and set things right in favour of the aspirants, their parents and the art. amsharma

[msakella]

In my Govt. service, what I have taught and what I have not taught, in which way I have taught and in which way I have not taught to my students, I have realized only after 5 years after my retirement. Teasing is very easy but not teaching and every person who resorts to teach must look into himself/herself every time whether he/she is, in anyway, taxing the poor students.

From then onwards only my full introspection and evolution in teaching music started for the first time in the history. Prior to this evolution while the aspirants have to study music for more than 10 or 15 or even more years this duration has drastically and unbelievably been reduced in this qualitative method of teaching to less than 5 years for the first time in the history.

In this modern system when the dependency of the aspirant on the so called Guru is reduced the duration of learning is also simultaneously reduced which makes all the teachers very unhappy and repulsive. As the personal gains only are far more important to all these teachers than the welfare of our kids and their parents they never want to follow these modern techniques and simultaneously and possibly even want to tarnish them and also discourage the aspirants in following them.

More over, very importantly, unlike any other syllabus our syllabus is fully based on logic bringing out amazing end-results. To tell the fact, as all the musicians are more with performer’s perspective and far more lesser with teacher’s perspective and accordingly, as all these syllabi are framed by these performers only all these syllabi contain heavy logical defects which a common man cannot easily locate. More over, adding fuel to the fire, as they all have been used to follow the same age old quantitative method the end-results are very very poor in all these institutions and departments. But, all these teachers working in all these institutions and departments have very ably been able to manage with them conniving with each other not to spill out their own beans and, very sadly, the outsiders are not at all aware of any of their mis-deeds. Many a time, having acted as paper-setter, paper-valuator, practical-examiner and even as a member of the Boards of Studies of different Universities and having gradually become aware of all their mis-deeds I have resigned to all of them long ago. I have even brought out many of these mis-deeds in my book ‘Gurushishyasamvadamulu (Telugu)’ which our brother-member, munirao garu, had recently read. amsharma

[munirao2001]

msakella garu,
I had a telecon with Shri Chitraveena Narasimhan Sir on 11th of April'2014 during my Chennai visit. He fully supported the idea for the standardization of Karnatik music teaching, even though the task is enormous considering the academic institutions and private-with different schools and conveyed his support and participation in future. He advised that it is necessary to form a panel of experts and convened by MA for a detailed discussion-panelists names indicated are Mr.Pappu Venugopal; Mr.B.M.Sundram; Smt.Suguna Purushottaman; Smt.Suguna Varadachari. I conveyed to him till date I had discussion only with you and wanted to conceptualize the idea with his cooperation. Obviously, he wants to engage in serious discussions and work only after clear plan and execution is made. Any suggestion on the panel?
munirao2001

[msakella]

Dear brother-member, munirao garu,

I feel very glad to go through your post. I sincerely appreciate you for your sustained interest in respect of our poor aspirants and our music.

Only yesterday a lady, who had recently taken her M.A (Music) Degree from a reputed University, came to me to learn music for her further development. As usual when I asked her to sing Ata-tala-alankara @ 4 & 3-notes per beat (in Chaturashra & Trisra-gatis) consecutively she could not even attempt the Trisra-gati. Even in M.A. she was taught only one Kriti with little Alapana and Swarakapana, she told me. Having visited many of these music-institutions and music departments of Universities long long ago I have found the same situation in all of them without any exception in the absence of any supervision at any time and at any level. As I am more of the teacher’s perspective than many others I, only, am able to find all these defects but not others. Taking the advantage of their certifying authority, almost all these institutions are thus misusing their power to meet their selfish ends. But a common man can never become aware of them. This is only one incident among thousands I came across which drove me mad of this worst conditions causing disaster to our culture and country. You must have already found some more of them in my “Gurushishyasamvadamulu (Telugu)’.

Presently, to save even some of our kids from such precarious conditions, only by the grace of the Almighty, I have been able to successfully implement the modern qualitative methods in teaching our music in our institution, Swarabnhangima at Secunderabad getting amazing results. In our institute we have nearly 100 school-going kids, most of all below 12 years of age with abundant talents. Thus, I am fully satisfied with what I have been blessed and being able to efficiently serve our people of this area.

At this juncture and at this old age, in fact, in need not crave to do the same in any other part of the globe which is filled with the age old quantitative method in teaching music swallowing many years of their precious lives of our poor aspirants. However, I am always ready to do the needful with the whole-hearted support of our knowledgeable friends like Vidwan Shri Chitraveena Narasimhan, Prof. N.Ramanathan, Prof. Pappu Venugopalarao etc.

Having already raised this crucial and controversial point of reducing the duration in learning our music to 3 years in the meeting at the Music Academy as a sincere will-wisher of the poor aspirants and also being in a responsible seat of Secretary of the Music Academy, if Prof. Pappu takes the lead along with our friends in doing the needful in this respect I shall be very happy to co-operate with him in every possible manner.

Until recent past as I was also a part and parcel of the age old quantitative method in teaching our music I have every understanding of it. But, as the modern qualitative method in learning music is new to all, I sincerely feel that it is my responsibility to demonstrate this in a meeting before all our friends at Chennai and remove all their doubts, if any, in getting their whole-hearted support in serving our people at Chennai also efficiently.

If Prof. Pappu, along with all our friends, makes plans accordingly for a meeting in the Music Academy I shall certainly go over there along with our dynamic-artist-organiser of our institution, Shri J.S.Eshwaraprasad to do the needful.

In this respect, I also feel that, along with my demonstration of 2 hrs., a concert of 2 hrs., with the demonstration of 20 to 30 of our kids also helps a lot in making the people properly understand more about this far easier and quicker method in teaching our music. I shall arrange this also if it is needed.
(please visit http://rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php? ... 60#p260960 also for reference).

Thus, I am optimistic in serving our people better along with all our friends and teachers starting from the basic level laying a strong basic foundation in this respect. amsharma