This event is in collaboration with UBC Green College\, Asta Alliance\, and the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV).
Most scholars of Indian music cons ider dhrupad\, and its cognate form dhamār\, to be the oldest extant subgen res of Hindustānī music. The practice and performance of this art has grown in popularity in recent times\, though a wider understanding of the art re mains elusive. Practitioners\, scholars\, and hereditary keepers of the tra dition often choose to exude an air of esotericism\, rather than offering a practical and logical explanation for the objectives\, structure\, functio n\, and performance of the art. In this talk\, we touch on each of these as pects\, particularly delving into a model of dhrupad that defines it as a m usical entity in multiple dimensions. Specifically\, we consider dhrupad fr om the perspective of alāp syllables\, the tonal complex of the rāga\, time and rhythm\, tonal dynamics\, and textual content. In each of these dimens ions\, we introduce a logical calculus that governs the progression of cont ent. Taken in totality\, these calculi\, when followed\, uniquely define a well-formed dhrupad performance. We hope that this talk will allow the atte ndee to more critically listen to and understand a dhrupad performance.
Arijit Mahalanabis began his studies in music under vocalist Smt. Shahana Banerjee of Delhi\, shortly before hi s family moved from India to the United States. Faced with few options for formal study\, Arijit undertook an intense period of self-directed study\, encouraged and supported by his mother\, Smt. Sukla Mahalanobis. Starting in 1989\, he began a long association with Penn State University’s Raaga. D uring this time\, he received much encouragement\, mentoring and informal g uidance from the members of this group\, in particular in the joys of Carna tic music. In 1999 he moved to Seattle\, a seminal moment in his musical li fe. There\, he began a diligent period of discipleship under Smt. Shantha B enegal\, a vocalist and musicologist versed in Dagar Bani Dhrupad\, Khayal\ , and Thumri. Arijit learned much about each of these forms from his primar y Guru. He was also deeply influenced in his studies by time spent with var ious visiting musicians. After serving in adjunct positions at the Evergree n State College and the University of Washington\, in 2008\, Arijit found h is true calling as a teacher of music\, when he established the Seattle Ind ian Music Academy (SIMA). In 2014\, after 15 years in Seattle\, he relocate d to State College\, and is presently helping to establish a new SIMA (the Society for Indian Music and Arts) in his old hometown.
Kisha n Patel is emerging as an all-rounder with potential as a singer\, harmonium accompanist\, esraj player\, tabaliya and pakhawaji under the tu telage of his guru\, Arijit Mahalanabis. Previously\, Kishan studied vocal music with Dr. Nisha Joshi in Portland\, Oregon\, and mridangam under Vidwa n Poovalur Srinivasan in Texas. He was also a percussionist in his high sc hool band. However he has found his niche in north Indian classical music. Having moved to State College\, PA\, Kishan continues his college education through Bellevue College\, simultaneously studying music with Arijit. Asid e from solo performances\, Kishan has had the opportunity to accompany some of India’s finest musicians including Vidushi Aditi Kaikini Upadhya\, Mita li Bhawmik\, Sandipan Samajpati\, Kumud Diwan\, Satish Vyas\, and Arnab Cha krabarty.