Continuing the extracts from pre-blog newsletters
from Sandeepany Sadhanalaya.
From ANL8 -
Feb.2012 ...STAGE CRAFT EVEN HERE...
On Monday
we had more diversion. The director of the Naada Bindu wing of CM was visiting.
NB is a two-years-young division devoted to teaching and promoting Indian Cultural
activity (mainly dance and music) but uniting it with vedanta; “Swara to
Iswara” is the motto – from the single note to the Universal Note, from the
simple word to the inexpressible language of God.
Anyway, we
had the entire day in workshop!! From
9:30 to 12:30 was the first session in which we were introduced to the concept
of music being the most natural form of communication, even beyond language,
how even the most tone-deaf person actually has music potential inside, how to
bring that out, how to understand what it is we hear – or don't – plus there
was an amazing moment of meditation and some of Himanshu-ji's bhansari (flute)
playing. Oh Bliss.
At 3:30 we
resumed for another couple of hours this time getting active with clapping
music, learning some simple carnatic rhythms (raga) plus learning the Sa-Re-Ga
scale. Then the bombshell was dropped that each group (we had been divided into
6) should now prepare a stage piece based on a theme, to be given in the 7-8
evening slot before Acharya-ji – the group I was in had to 'become' a
traditional instrument and produce its music.
Well –
after some really daft and overly ambitious ideas we settled on the very dear,
ubiqitous and much overworked harmonium. Yours truly was on the flappy end of
the “bellows” along with Manoj so we hammed it up good and proper, bringing
many bouts of laughter as we struggled more and
more to keep the scale and Nadesan, our 'player' had to run to keep up with the
wheezes!
Everyone's
was very good and there were some whacky concepts – the jungle music one was
particularly good and the first group did wonderful stuff with all their
body-parts (you had to be there...) It was all tremendous fun and absolutely
hilarious, but physically exhausting.
Next day
again the old body felt like it had been on the rack; but it was worth it. The
mood since then, one can't help noticing, has been lighter and a little more
focused, so benefits on all levels.
Okay better
get dressed ready for noonday chanting.... one of the skills that has been
honed is to tie sari in 3 minutes flat.
YAM xx `
Hari Om, Yamm! This was a fascinating read, it sounds wonderfully relaxing and creative. I've added you to my blogroll, and mentioned you on FB. (Are you there under another name?) Indigo x
ReplyDeleteMusic is universal. :-)
ReplyDeleteNow about that made with body parts...
Pearl
What a great experience, Yam. :-) It's amazing what we can come up with when we have to, but of course it wasn't just about the music.....
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteIndigo!!! Lovely of you to visit and thank you so much for the 'addition'. HHMM I don't go in for booking face. I inadvertently got a 'handle' there due to attempting to leave a comment. PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME!! PLEEEASSEEE. Am only just coping with coordinating all this Go Ogle-oid stuff.
Pearl - it is - and, well, maybe another day...
Perpetua - it truly was a great day and a much needed break from the regular study... we could do with another! As you say, we learned much more than a different scale. ^&>