A revolutionary Indian Drum Notation system has been devised by British Asian musician Kuljit Bhamra MBE at Keda Music making Indian percussion accessible to musicians from all backgrounds. As part of Sound and Music’s portfolio programme, a pioneer of the British Bhangra sound and a British ambassador for South Asian music, Kuljit Bhamra has now provided a method to notate and demystify the notoriously difficult Indian musical rhythms and eradicate the hours needed to memorise complicated musical patterns. For the first time in Indian music history, this groundbreaking system will allow people from all backgrounds and cultures to play Indian instruments through a Read and Play system. The Indian Drum Notation System along with a set of tabla tuition educational books will be launched on 25th October at Club Inegales, London. Three composers were selected to work with Sound and Music’s Patron on this unique Portfolio Programme, all of whom have used the Indian drum notation system, will have their works realised and performed on the harp, marimba and tabla at the London Launch.
Traditionally, learning an Indian instrument is done under the tutorship of a guru through an oral system of learning. Complicated passages are memorised by the student to be later used in a virtuosic performance. There has therefore been no need for a system of writing down the music as performances are mostly improvised – each performance being unique and ‘in the moment’.
The new Indian Drum Notation System will allow self-sufficient musicians to study playing techniques from course books and the Keda online video resource. They can then share their written music with other musicians all over the world. Composers and songwriters using the new system can now add the beautiful sounds of Indian drums to their compositions and have their music played faithfully time after time. This is extremely important in theatre, on concert tours and invaluable in the education sector where exam grade pieces need to be repeated and assessed. Recent user of the system, Film and TV composer Howard Goodall, incorporated Indian drums in West End musical show Bend It Like Beckham during performances last year.
Kuljit says:
“Anyone with a basic knowledge of western notation can now learn to play the Tabla drum by using our new Read & Play books and online support resources. Western Composers are able to incorporate and write for Indian drums in a way that has never been done before- specifying exactly what they require – whether it be a solo, band or orchestral piece.”
Partnering up with Sound and Music, Keda have been able to develop the notation system through its application with established and young emerging composers. Sound and Music’s Portfolio composers, Sarah Sayeed, Pete Yelding and Laura Reid have used the drum notation system in their compositions to create new work for the trio of tabla, marimba and harp. These new works will be premiered, along with the launch of the system on 25th October at Club Inegales, London.
Find out more about the composers here: http://soundandmusic.org/projects/announcement-three-composers-selected-work-kuljit-bhamra
Alongside the Portfolio Programme the young composers at Sound and Music’s annual Summer School, which will celebrate its tenth year in 2018 have also been exploring the use of the Indian drum notation in their compositions, working alongside Kuljit and opening up their musical horizons.
The simplicity of the system has encouraged music teachers up and down the country to sign up for the Keda course books and organise workshops to give their students the ability to play Indian percussion in classrooms and on stage. Such has been the success and interest by the education sector that the innovative system has been nominated for the Times Higher Education Award in Excellence and Innovation in the Arts with project partners Exeter University- the winner of which will be announced in November.
Kuljit says “I am delighted that the Indian Drum Notation has been received well. The traditional Guru-Disciple method of learning is brilliant, however it is not for everyone – especially non-Indians. I really believe that our new ‘read and play’ system will open up new and unimaginable possibilities for musicians and composers, regardless of their background or culture.”
See the new notation in action here:
For more information please see www.keda.co.uk twitter @KedaMusicLtd and Facebook KedaMusicLtd and join the network: @Soundandmusic /soundandmusic
● Keda Music – Bringing the unique playing experience and beautiful sounds of Indian drums to a wider world www.keda.co.uk
● Sound and Music is the national charity for new music. Our mission is to maximise the opportunities for people to create and enjoy new music. Join the network: @Soundandmusic // /soundandmusic
● Sound and Music’s Portfolio scheme provides a key development opportunity for composers to create new work with and for some of the UK’s leading ensembles and presenters of new music. Portfolio enables them to develop their portfolio of work and gain vital artistic and practical insight and experience in working with professional ensembles and presenting organisations, and delivering new work to public audiences.
Selected composers are invited to develop a small-scale, short new work for a leading UK organisation, performers, or performer. These are developed through a series of workshops during which the composer will work in close collaboration with the performers supported by an experienced composer mentor. The process culminates in a public performance of the new work within the performer’s performance schedule.
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