Indian music 1010
Some of the basics of Indian music were put together in a workshop Tuesday as part of International Education Week.
Two Utah State University students taught the workshop on vocals and percussion of their native Indian music.
Vishwanath Iyer, a graduate student studying electrical engineering, helped teach the workshop and shared with the audience Indian percussion.
Each country has representation for the week, he said. Iyer represents India.
The workshops were split into two sessions, morning and afternoon. The afternoon session was arranged for those who couldn’t make the morning, he said.
Iyer said he has been playing Tabla and Byan (the two different percussion instruments) for four years and feels there is a lot more to learn.
“There are people who’ve studied this all their lives and still feel incomplete,” he said.
Shyam Kumar, a graduate student mastering in electrical engineering, was also an instructor for the workshop. He did his presentation on Indian vocals.
Kumar used PowerPoint and audio effects for his presentation.
It wasn’t difficult for him to teach the vocals, he said.
“Everyone has a different way to learn,” he said. “This music [uses] more individual teaching.”
Kumar said everyone learns at a different level.
“What may be hard for one person is not hard for another,” he said.
Kumar even had two volunteers from the audience sing. He has studied the southern Indian classical music for 20 years. He said when he was in India, he gave lessons there.
Iyer said the two have performed together before but it is hard for them because they come from different parts of India.
Iyer’s music study is focused more on drums with “vocals following the percussion,” he said. While Kumar’s studies are focused on vocals with percussion following.
Both
styles of music are about human emotion, Iyer said.
“It’s linked to scripture,” he said. “It’s an aspect of all knowledge, linked to self-religion.”
Margaret Smith, a Logan resident, took her five children to the workshop. She said she teaches her children at home and thought it was great exposure for them.
“We love to learn,” she said. “It’s [important] to be exposed to all sorts of culture.”
Smith said there are similarities to every culture and she enjoys learning how each one uses it in their lives.
Liz Allred, administrative assistant in biology and adviser for the ISC, was in charge of putting the program together.
She said she loves Indian music, and that is one reason why she asked them to participate in the workshop, she said. Another reason was because many people only think of culture as “political things,” she said.
“When people understand [other cultures], it’s more enjoyable,” Allred said. “These two were really good resources.”
Allred said the International Education Week is national and in its fifth year. Many educational venues and other programs support the week, she said.
Iyer said he would teach the workshop again and would be willing to answer any questions someone had for him about the project.
“Bringing out the little things I know is communicating to the community,” Iyer said.
He said it is important for everyone to learn from different cultures.
“Every day when we step outside, we are learning,” Iyer said.
-srkrebs@cc.usu.edu
(Photo by Michael Sharp)