University of Minnesota's School of Music introduces
course in North Indian Music

Dear Music Patrons,

IMSOM is pleased to inform you that the University of
Minnesota's School of Music will be offering a course
in North Indian Music in Fall 2006. Many thanks to
Prof. Mirjana Lausevic (Prof. of Ethnomusicology), and
Prof. Noel Zahler (Director of the School of Music)
for making this possible.

The course will be taught by Dr. Pooja Goswami, master
vocalist visiting from Delhi (see instructor bio
below). Many of you might recall Pooja's two
enthralling Baithak concerts for IMSOM in Nov'03 and
`04, respectively, of Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal and folk
music.

"Introduction to North Indian Music" is a one-semester
course in Hindustani vocal music for beginners, that
also includes elements of history, culture and theory
as appropriate. The course is now listed on the U of M
Course Registration Website and is open for
registration. Please
visit:(http://www.onestop.umn.edu/onestop/registration.html)
Registration is limited to 20 seats for Fall 2006.

No prerequisites are necessary for the course except
the ability the carry a tune and keep a steady rhythm.

This is the brief course listing from the course
registration website:
(http://www.onestop.umn.edu/onestop/registration.html)

MUS5950

-005 LEC , 03:35 P.M. - 05:00 P.M., Tue & Thu
(09/05/2006 - 12/13/2006), FergH 203, TCWESTBANK
Introduction to North Indian Music, A-F only, 3
credits, Course involves musical performance; ability
to carry a tune and to keep steady rhythm is
necessary.
15 of 20 seats open (as of 5/18/06).

This is a detailed description of the course:

MUS5950
Title: Introduction to North Indian Music
3 credits (A-F only)

Instructor: Prof. Pooja Goswami

Learn the cornerstones of North Indian Classical Music
from a master artist. Along with lectures and readings
in the history and theory of Hindustani music,
students will also learn rudimentary exercises in
singing and spoken rhythms.

This course examines the classical music of Northern
India in relationship to Indian culture and history.
Students will learn the tenets of voice culture and
foundational concepts of rhythmic practice in
Hindustani music through intensive listening and
hands-on practical exercises. These musical
fundamentals will be contextualized through a study of
their relationship to aesthetic and philosophical
concepts, cultural practices and historical
developments in the region. Through this combination
of practical training and academic study in India's
unique brand of musicology/ethnomusicology, students
should gain new perspectives on music, its meaning and
place, and a greater understanding of the diversity
and possibilities of human _expression.

Prerequisites:
This course has no specific prerequisites. However,
prospective students will be expected to exhibit an
appropriate level of musical aptitude. The ability to
carry a tune and keep steady rhythm is necessary.

Grading Option: A-F

3 credits (= 3 hrs per week)

Expected enrollment 20
The course is intended for both majors and non-majors.

40% undergraduate, 60% graduate
Graduate students enrolled in this class will be
expected to produce a 15 page final research paper in
addition to the coursework expected from the rest of
the students.

Course Outline:

I. VOICE CULTURE IN HINDUSTANI MUSIC
1. Musical voice and its cultivation
2. Vowel equalization
3. Foundation notes
4. Exercises for flexibility of voice (Sargam and
Alankar)
5. Exercises of yoga and morning practice

II. RAGA: THE MELODIC FRAMEWORK
1. The musical alphabet: notes, their combinations,
Shrutis (microtones)
2. Introduction to the Khayal: the principal vocal
genre in Hindustani music
3. Study of Khayal compositions in basic Ragas: Yaman,
Bhairav, Bhairavi, Bhoop, Kafi
4. Treatment of the Raga in various genres: classical,
semi-classical, folk and light-music

III. TALA: THE RHYTHMIC FRAMEWORK
1. The foundations of the Hindustani rhythm system (as
applied in Tabla drumming)
2. Study of basic Talas: Teentaal, Ektaal, Jhaptaal,
Rupaktaal, Dadra, Keharwa
3. Treatment of the Tala in various genres: classical,
semi-classical, folk and light-music
4. Introduction to compositions of rhythm: Kayda,
Tihaai, Tukda in Teentaal, Ektaal, Jhaptaal etc.

All of the above will involve a significant amount of
listening to music - live in class, on audio/video
recordings and via the Internet.

IV. LISTENING TO INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
1. Typical concert format of vocal music (Khayal)
2. Typical concert format of instrumental music
(Sitar/Tabla)
3. Listening assignments
4. Concert attendance assignments
5. Live demonstrations in class when possible

Text Book:
Sharma, Swatantra, Fundamentals of Indian Music,
Pratibha Prakashan, 29/5 Shakti Nagar, Delhi, India,
1996.

Evaluation of student achievement:

There will be periodic quizzes on the lecture material
and readings. Students will also be given exercises in
singing and spoken rhythms, which they will be
expected to practice daily. They will perform these
assignments in every class. The final will consist of
a written portion, based on the lectures and readings,
and a performed portion, drawn from the daily
exercises.

About the instructor:

Pooja Goswami, Ph.D. (Music)

Dr. Pooja Goswami was born in a musical family and
received her early training from her father Sri
Surendra Goswami, himself a disciple of Sri B.N. Dutta
of the Kirana Gharana (stylistic tradition). Till
date, he continues to be her teacher, mentor & guide.
She received her M.Phil from the University of Delhi
and completed a Ph.D. in Music in 2005, also from the
University of Delhi, under the guidance of Prof. Ajit
Singh Paintal. She is also taking music training from
him, learning the nuances of Khayal Gayaki. The
subject of her Ph.D. thesis was the life and music of
Pandit Amarnath, one of the prime disciples of Ustad
Amir Khan - an icon in Hindustani vocal music. Pooja
is also learning semi-classical music from the eminent
vocalist Smt Shanti Hiranand, the Regina of Thumri and
Ghazal (semi-classical genres) and the universally
acclaimed successor of the legendary vocalist, the
Late Begum Akhtar. The versatility in Pooja's
repertoire is evident in her ability to sing Thumri,
Dadra, Ghazal & Bhajan besides Khayals. Pooja has
received the prestigious National Scholarship awarded
by the Ministry of Human Resources Development and the
"Sahitya Kala Parishad" scholarship for advanced
training in both, classical and semi-classical music.
She was adjudged the best classical singer in a music
competition, "Suron-Ke-Silsiley", by the vocal
Maestros, Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra. India's
leading record label, T-Series, has released a
cassette of Bhajans by Pooja. Pooja's recent
performances at several prestigious venues such as the
India Habitat Center, the music society "Tarannum" and
the SOPAN festival, have won her accolades from
audiences and critics alike.