Annual Summer Tabla Workshop 2013!

Wow, this past week just flew by so quickly! As I have for the past three years, I held my annual summer tabla workshop during the first week of July, at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. This year, the participants all came from the Montreal area. I had two groups - one of pure beginners, who had no prior experience with tabla, and an intermediate group of students with a few years of experience. Each group had four 90-minute classes, spread throughout the week, and both groups joined together daily for a two-hour group practice session. We also met for two video-viewing sessions, where I showed videos of concerts by some of the great maestros, and as always, we concluded the workshop with a Guru Puja.

The participants this year had such great enthusiasm and energy. We were also joined by two guests from the UK, Caroline (my Gurubahen) and her partner Neil. Neil participated in the beginner class, while Caroline helped out with some of the teaching.

This year, for the intermediate class, I decided to follow an 'accompaniment' theme, and so for one of the classes, I invited my santoor buddy Jonathan Voyer to come, and be accompanied by the students in Rupaktaal, Sitarkhani, and Teentaal. The following class, Neil sang some bhajans, which gave the students a chance to accompany in Kaherva, Dadra, and Bhajani theka. The experiment was a great success, and I will surely integrate this type of activity again in the future.

One of the many group practice sessions.

Lighting the incense for Guru Puja.

Marc doing puja. This is his third year at the workshop!

Kai getting his offerings, walking around everyone's tabla. 

In case you would like to see more, I have posted many more photos on Facebook.

Until next year! Thank you to Caroline Tabah for the photos!

PARAMPARA with Pandit Satish Vyas, October 5

This coming October 5, I will have the pleasure of accompanying my friend Jonathan Voyer's Guruji, Pandit Satish Vyas, in concert at Tanna Schulich Hall. This concert promises to be a truly special occasion, with both Satishji and Jonathan performing. A santoor festival! :)

Truly an event not to be missed for Indian music lovers in Montreal. You can keep up to date with the concert at its Facebook event page.

Friday, October 5, 2012 at 7:30pm
Tanna Schulich Recital Hall
Schulich School of Music of McGill University
555 Sherbrooke West, Montreal

Admission: 35$, 20$, 16$ (students)
Reservations: 514-398-4547

Here is a small clip to whet your appetite!

Second Annual Summer Tabla Workshop

This year's summer tabla workshop took place from July 2 to 8 at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. I'm really happy with how the workshop turned out this year. The number of students has increased and some travelled from quite far away to be here, coming from Ontario, PEI, Wisconsin, and Florida.

The tabla workshop participants, from L to R: Mathieu, Kingsley, Dave, Aaron, Jean-Marc, Lisa, me, Fred, Marc, Linda. Missing from photo: Emily, Kameel, Rajit, Tomer.

The students were divided into beginner and intermediate groups. Each had four 90 minute classes, plus we all met every day for a two-hour technique practice session. It was really evident by the end of the week how much everyone had improved; it really brings me joy to see their progress. I also held two video viewing sessions where we watched a performance and a documentary on a nice big screen via a projector, and an excellent sound system.

On the last day, we concluded the workshop with a Guru puja, in celebration of Guru Purnima. All the students participated in the preparations and took part. After the puja, I distributed the prasad, we had a nice Indian meal, and wrapped up with a final practice session. After a week of daily two-hour practice sessions, this final session passed by amazingly fast!

Kingsley working on the large mala (flower garland).

Applying the tikkas.

Making an offering.

Fred doing puja.

Kingsley doing puja.

Dave doing puja

This being the first Guru Purnima since Guruji passed away, his presence was sorely missed more than ever. It was really heartwarming to have all the students participate, making their offerings and giving thanks to Guruji and his ancestors. The entire model for this workshop is based on how Guruji ran his workshops in the past. It was great to see former summer tabla workshop participants return this year, also wishing to keep this great tradition alive. I think that Guruji would have been very happy to see his traditions continuing in this way.

The final group practice session.

Until next year!

Thank you to Caroline Tabah for the wonderful photos!

Announcing the Second Annual Summer Tabla Workshop with Shawn Mativetsky

Dear friends, I am very pleased to announce the second edition of my annual summer tabla workshop. Inspired by Gurujee's annual summer tabla workshops that took place from 1980 to 2008, I hope to continue this tradition in my own small way.

Like last year, the workshop will take place at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University (Montreal, Canada). The facilities there are excellent, and they have provided us with a well-equipped, comfortable room, with a great view of downtown Montreal. The workshop will take place from July 2 to July 8.

During this intensive hands-on workshop, participants will learn tabla in the tradition of the Benares (Varanasi) gharana. The workshop is open to all levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). The schedule includes daily group practice sessions, classes, and two listening/repertoire sessions. Students will live and breathe tabla for the duration of the workshop!

Tuition is 250$ and is due by June 1, 2012. Students must provide their own tabla. If you don’t already own a set, please contact me, and I will be happy to assist you.

For more information, or to register, please contact me here.

Last year's workshop was great fun. I'm really looking forward to this summer's session! I hope to see many of you there!

Santoor and tabla recital at McGill University

This past September 30, I accompanied santoor player Jonathan Voyer for a recital at Tanna Schulich Hall at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal. The concert was part of the Journées de la culture (Culture days) and also was in celebration of UNESCO International Music Day, which was interestingly started by the great violinist Yehudi Menuhin (himself a great lover of Indian classical music, and longtime collaborator of Pandit Ravi Shankar).

Jonathan chose to play Raag Charukeshi, which is one of my favourites on santoor (recommended listening: Pandit Shivkumar Sharma's recording of Charukeshi, with Pt. Kishan Maharaj, on the album Sympatico). The raag just seems to work so well on santoor, and creates a very special mood. Jonathan played an alap, followed by a gat in vilambit jhaptaal, madhya teentaal, and then drut teentaal.

We really had a great performance. A great hall, great audience, and great mood. This was one of those performances that just felt right. The hall was almost completely full to capacity and the audience was very enthusiastic. We even got some audible appreciation at times during the drut, which is very rare here in Montreal.

Our CD, Shanta, can be purchased from us directly, or online via iTunes and CDBaby.