About
Music is my passion and life. I am from India, recently migrated to America. Since 1997 I had been teaching Indian Classical Vocal and light music as my second activity. I also teach Tabla, Harmonium & Keyboard in Indian way. Light music includes Bollywood songs, other Hindi songs, Gujarati geet, ghazal, bhajans, etc. I also train the students for Indian reality shows. My lessons include voice exercises too.
I hold a degree in music, viz. Sangeet Visharad (Vocal)/BA - Music, passed in 1992 from Vadodara, Gujarat, India.
Highlights
Reviews
parita b.
Krutvi S.
Brinda B.
Reenq G.
Himanshi G.
Hitarthi r.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First I ask the student to sing any song that he/she knows to enable me decide where does he/she stand. I examine his/her singing from the angle of soor (notes), taal (rhythm) & laya (tempo), which are the 3 most basic points for any kindl of singing. After this, I start various exercises to make the student good in any or all of the aforesaid three most important qualities/basics fundas. This shall be followed by various Alankars (singing swaras/notes in ascending and descending order) in order to achieve swar gyan (realiation of notes). Exercises are repeated in every lessons which shall reflect in singing lesson after lesson. Moreover, for improving the tonal quality, I teach some voice exercises & Swar Gyan (realization of notes) exercises. I spend half of the session for these exercises. Second half is devoted to songs. Student shall sing one or two songs he/she knows which shall be corrected by me. After necessary corrections they will repeat that song several times to get perfection.
The above is for light music students who enrol for singing light/bollywood songs. For classical music students, the first half duration activities shall remain same. But during second half, they shall be tought singing of various combianations of swaras (notes), alankars and also the Swar Gyan (realization of notes) exercises. Thereafter, may be after 3 to 4 sessions they will start learning Raagas. They will also be exposed to light music singing at the end by letting them sing a song of their choice and giving them the tips for making that song better and better.
For instrumental music (Harmonium & Keyboard), the students are tought fo play various Swar Exercises (Alankars) which they will need to repeat every time. In the meantime, they shall be exposed to some easy songs playing. After some sessions, they shall be exponsed to accompaniment.
Tabla students are first tought various bols (e.g. Na, Tin, Ta, Ti, Dha, Dhin, etc.) befoe playing various Taalas. After several sessions, they will be given practice for accompaniment for light and classica music both.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
- Graduated in Indian Classical (Vocal).
- Learned Tabla upto 3 years.
- Learned light vocal music from a retired Music Composor of All India Radio, Vadodara, for 10 years.
- +15 years of teaching experience.
How did you get started teaching?
I enjoy singing and teaching both. Initially, in 1997 just to maintain whatever I had learnt, I started teaching the music. I became more and more interested and started enjoying the teaching thereafter and continued the same till December 2016 in India.
What types of students have you worked with?
The students I worked with included male & female of 6 to 80 years' age.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I am fond of most of the Indian Music reality shows telecast on Indian Television.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
There is no short cut in music. They will need to practice consistenly. Practice (riyaz) is the only key to success.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
They should be clear as to what exactly they want to achieve.