Music Lessons

My teaching model is based on the conviction that Rabindra Sangeet as a genre is as much about understanding and interpreting the verses, as about picking up the tune and singing it correctly. My training in literature (I am a gold medalist in English from Jadavpur University, India, and hold a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge, UK) has informed my appreciation of the art I practice. Every phase of my life and the exposure I have had to different cultures, music, and literary traditions – from my academic degrees to my experiencing operas in Italy, or simply traveling through new lands - have added value to my reading of Tagore’s poetry. For more about me, please go to the Bio section of this site.

In these lessons, I will teach Tagore’s music by sharing my experiences and at times cross-referencing relevant works across disciplines. My classes will be modeled as appreciation courses for the genre, where students will be encouraged to bring their interpretation to what they learn.

I offer the following three formats of learning in the US & Canada and only the Advanced format in India and Bangladesh:

General

In these interactive sessions, I will take you through the background of each song and analyse its text in detail

We will work with songs both from the major thematic sections (parjyay) – puja, prem, prakriti, bichitra, etc. – and from different stylistic variations, such as dhrupad-dhamar, lok-sangeet, bhanga-gaan, etc. 

I will provide you guidance and feedback on your singing throughout the course

5-8 students in each class

Advanced

We will study Tagore’s composing years, with attention to the distinctive features of each phase. We will further explore some new talas created by Tagore

We will read and discuss portions of Tagore's Sangeet-Chinta

For this level, I will put emphasis on details such as gayaki, scansion, pronunciation and expression 

You will learn songs from Tagore’s dance dramas and musical dramas

3-4 students in the US & Canada OR up to 6 students in India & Bangladesh in each class

Master Class

This is an exclusive format targeted towards students requiring finishing touches and performance-oriented training 

This format is suitable for you if you have prior formal training in the genre or have excelled in the Advanced class 

I will design this course according to the individual needs and aspirations of a student

One-on-one

Enrollment

If you are interested in these lessons, please send the following details to ContactKamalini@gmail.com: 

  • an informal audio recording (smartphone recording sufficient) of any one Rabindra Sangeet with no or minimal music
  • a brief write-up on why you are interested in this course
  • your choice of format if you are in the US or Canada (General, Advanced, or Master Class)

On evaluation, I will determine if my lessons will help you with your goals and may recommend a level different from what you have chosen. Once we align, I will discuss and publish the start date and schedule of your class.

Please Note

  • Students must be 16 years of age or above
  • Students are required to take weekly sessions, each session being 55-minute long
  • Classes will be held on Zoom
  • Students should have the necessary IT infrastructure to attend the classes over Zoom with sufficient bandwidth for steady streaming
  • When I need to travel between India and the US or otherwise, I will compensate for missed lessons by rescheduling to a mutually convenient time