Short Tabla Residency in Bangor, Wales

This past March, I was invited to perform a tabla recital in Pontio's Music@Bangor series, in Bangor, Wales, UK. I was in residence at Bangor University for a few days, where I rehearsed with local musicians Andrew Woolley and Josephine Wilkin in preparation for the recital. I also gave tabla workshops at the Pontio shop, at Bangor University, and at Ysgol Friars school.

I have to say that Bangor is a beautiful city (feels more like a town), with amazing mountain and coastal views. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming, and my time there just flew by.

My first activity was an Indian rhythm workshop at the Bangor University School of Music. My goal here was to rhythmically challenge the students, and to provide them with some strategies and solutions for approaching complex rhythm. All using concepts from tabla, of course.

I also gave a 'Taste of Tabla' demonstration at the Pontio shop. The shop is Pontio's publicly accessible office space, on Bangor's high street. The shop will often host small, intimate events, as a way of publicizing upcoming concerts, and as a way for performers and audience to interact. It's a great idea, that more arts organizations should imitate.

For the tabla recital, I performed a number of works for tabla by Canadian and American composers. As I typically do, I opened the recital with a traditional tabla solo in Teentaal, as a way of showing the tabla in its traditional setting, and showing the depth and beauty of the repertoire. Something different this time around was the accompaniment, since no harmonium was available locally, I was accompanied by Andrew Woolley on an old electric organ! In the context of this concert of new music, it worked quite well. I then followed with Bruno Paquet's Les arbres célestes, for tabla and fixed media, inspired by Quebec's ice storm of 1998, and then Payton MacDonald's Alap, for solo tabla.

The second half began with Paul Frehner's Ke-Te for solo tabla, followed by the UK premieres of my composition, Bol, which is based on traditional bol paran compositions, and Tawnie Olson's provocative new piece, Something to Say, for tabla and fixed media. The concert concluded with Jim Hiscott's Shadow Play, for which I was joined by talented flautist, Josephine Wilkin.

On my last day, I gave a second 'Taste of Tabla' workshop, for a small group of very enthusiastic music students at Ysgol Friars high school. They had an excellent sense of time, and clapped taal quite expertly!

Many thanks to Xenia Pestova and Pontio for having invited me to Bangor. I hope to return soon!

Also, special thanks to the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec for its financial support.

Thank you to Caroline Tabah for the photos! For additional photos, please visit the Facebook album.

The McGill Tabla Ensemble in Concert

This past Monday evening was the end of semester concert for the McGill Tabla Ensemble, a group that I teach at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, here in Montreal. The ensemble of 25 tabla players is made up mostly of music majors, but we do have a few students from other faculties in the university. While a few of the students have some prior tabla experience, the great majority were beginners, having only started to play tabla in January. They had to work quite hard in order to put together a performance in only three-and-a-half months! Unfortunately I don't have many photos from the concert, but do have a few from the dress rehearsal earlier the same day.

The McGill Tabla Ensemble in rehearsal.

Aaron Landsberg running through his solo during the dress rehearsal.

The concert started with two of my more experienced students each performing a 12 minute solo. First, Aaron Landsberg opened the concert with a solo in Vilambit and Madhya Teentaal (16 beat cycle), with me accompanying him on harmonium. Aaron opened with a mukhra and a couple of moharas, followed by the famous Delhi kaida, a charbag rela, and ending with a few tukras. The audience was very impressed by the amount of speed and clarity that he was able to develop in the short time that he has been playing; about a year. Next, Emily Thompson played a solo in Rupaktaal (7 beats), again with me accompanying on harmonium. After an introduction of some moharas, Emily played a couple of kaidas, and concluded with an ari tukra and a farmaishi tukra.

Emily Thompson reciting a tukra during the dress rehearsal.

Next, the ensemble of 25 tabla players was on. We played various arrangements of traditional repertoire, re-arranged for the ensemble configuration. A couple of kaidas, and three tukras, all with recitation of bols as well. I played tabla along with the ensemble, accompanied by Dan Garmon on harmonium. The students performed impressively, and played the material with great energy and enthusiasm, which was met with equal enthusiasm from the audience. I was really overjoyed to see amount of people that came out to support the ensemble, and their applause during the performance was very motivating. I'm happy to see Montreal audiences slowly becoming more educated with respect to etiquette at Indian music performances, and showing their appreciation during the performance, not only at the very end. Clara Lichtenstein Recital Hall is quite small, with a maximum capacity around 70 people. Every seat was full, and on top of that we had additional people sitting on the floor in the front, in the centre aisle, and standing along the back wall. It was really great to see the ensemble having such a strong impact at the school and in the community.

In the week leading up to the concert, a few students asked if I'd play a solo as well. I didn't plan on it, as I didn't think it would be appropriate; this concert was intended to showcase the students of the Ensemble, not me. But then, at the end of the concert, one of the students asked out loud, "Who would like to hear Shawn play a solo?" After the applause that ensued, I basically had no choice but to comply. So without any planning or rehearsal, Dan accompanied me for a short solo in Vilambit and Madhya Teentaal. It was great fun, and it was highly motivating to play in front of an audience who obviously had such a great appreciation for tabla! Kudos to Dan for providing such solid lehra with only about a month of experience with tabla solo music!

The McGill Tabla Ensemble in Concert.

For September, we're aiming to increase the size of the ensemble to 30 members. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with some of the students this summer in private lessons and at the tabla workshop at McGill (which is also open to the general public), and again in the context of the McGill Tabla Ensemble once school starts up again in September.

Thank you to Caroline Tabah for the photos!

Announcing the First Annual Summer Tabla Workshop with Shawn Mativetsky

I am very happy to announce the First Annual Summer Tabla Workshop with Shawn Mativetsky, hosted by the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, this summer from July 4 to 10, 2011.

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, four classes, and two listening/repertoire sessions. Classes are scheduled during the daytime. Students will live and breathe tabla for the duration of the workshop!

Tuition is 250$ and is due by June 27. 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 at shawn.mativetsky@mcgill.ca

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Une Première estivale à Montréal :

1^er Atelier annuel de Tabla avec Shawn Mativetsky

À l'École de musique Schulich de l'Université McGill

Montréal, Canada

Du 4 au 10 juillet 2011

Lors de cet atelier intensif les participants apprendront le tabla, instrument de percussion de l'Inde du Nord, selon la tradition du gharana de tabla de Bénarès (Vârânasî). L'atelier est ouvert à tous les niveaux (débutant, intermédiaire, avancé). Le programme inclut des sessions quotidiennes de pratique en groupe, quatre leçons, et deux séances d'écoute de répertoire musical. Les cours auront lieu pendant la journée. Venez vibrer aux rythmes du tabla!

Disciple du légendaire Pandit Sharda Sahai, de la tradition de tabla de Bénarès, Shawn Mativetsky est très sollicité en tant qu’interprète et éducateur.

Tarif : 250 $ payable le 27 juin 2011.

Les étudiants doivent fournir leur propre tabla. Si vous n’en possédez pas déjà, s'il-vous-plaît contacter Shawn. Il sera heureux de vous aider.

Pour de plus amples informations, ou pour vous inscrire, s'il-vous-plaît contacter Shawn Mativetsky à l’adresse suivante: shawn.mativetsky@mcgill.ca

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Performance with Suns of Arqa

This past weekend, I was invited to perform with the legendary group from the UK, Suns of Arqa. Led by Wadada, their music combines influences from Indian classical music, dub/reggae, and electronica. The concert took place at the Bobards in Montreal, as part of the Festival Musique Multi-Montreal. Apparently, the group hasn't played in a venue this small in about 20 years. So, let's just say that the place was packed!

Local DJ, Guapo put together an excellent roster of musicians for the show:

SUNS OF ARQA

Wadada : sitar, citern, guitar, harmonica

Angel-Eye : vocals

Guapo : Guitar, electronic dub FX

Geeta Sparkle : vocals

RHYTHM SECTION

Jahsun : drumset

Bass One: bass

RAGA SECTION

Aditya Verma : sarod

Shawn Mativetsky : tabla

VJ : Cousin Chang

We performed a mix of old and new tunes from the Suns of Arqa repertoire. I also accompanied Wadada on sitar, and Aditya on sarod for a couple of traditionally-inspired pieces.

Suns of Arqa with Aditya Verma on sarod.

Bandleader, Wadada on sitar.

I was especially impressed and inspired by Jahsun and Bass One ... really great rhythm section. Very creative, and tight! This was definitely a different kind of gig for me, as I haven't played anything remotely like this since perhaps Ramasutra back in 1999-2001. While trying to find a website for Ramasutra, I came across this video. Here it is, for old-time's sake:

On a completely separate note, in the category of better late than never, here are some photos from my tabla workshop at the University of Western Ontario that I gave at the end of February. Thanks to Prof. Jill Ball for these!

Enthusiastically explaining something related to playing the dahina.

With composer, Paul Frehner.

Notice my great drawing of India on the blackboard? :)

People really love tabla at UWO!