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Darbar’s 'VR360' Festival brings Indian classical music into the realm of virtual reality

VR360 Festival | Darbar brings Indian classical music into the realm of virtual reality. We see VR as a way of bringing global listeners closer to the roots of these great art forms - in nature, and...

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12 Sep 2019

Living Traditions: 21 articles for 21st-century Indian classical music

Welcome to Living Traditions - a new written collection by Darbar's George Howlett, exploring how music with ancient roots is adapting to a fast-paced, interconnected modern world. Expand your appreciation through 21 different perspectives!

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9 Sep 2019

Dr. Trichy Sankaran interview: ‘For every rhythm there is a counter-rhythm’

The Mridangam maestro discusses cross-cultural teaching, the rhythms of the ocean, and the future of Carnatic percussion. By George Howlett | Part of Living Traditions: 21 articles for 21st-century Indian classical music

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9 Sep 2019

How your favourite genres chime with Indian classical music

Discover Indian classical music via styles you like - this article builds sonic bridges to rock, jazz, jungle, hip-hop, house, and more. By George Howlett | Part of Living Traditions: 21 articles for 21st-century Indian classical music

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9 Sep 2019

Singing sculptures: India’s curious musical instruments

Exploring ten strange, beautiful instruments from India's classical traditions. By George Howlett | Part of Living Traditions: 21 articles for 21st-century Indian classical music

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9 Sep 2019

In-depth Carnatic Primer: South India’s mellifluous, mathematical music

Carnatic music's wealth of powerful, highly developed ideas deserves far more global attention. Here's an in-depth South Indian primer. By George Howlett | Part of Living Traditions: 21 articles for 21st-century Indian classical music

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11 May 2019

North and South: One country, one music, two classical traditions

There are two kinds of Indian classical music, Hindustani (North Indian) and Carnatic (South Indian), descended from the same parent tradition which had its roots in ancient worship rituals.

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11 May 2019

An Introduction to Carnatic music: South India's classical tradition

Like North Indian music, Carnatic or South Indian music is also underwritten by raga (melodic structure) and tala (rhythmic cycle).

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11 May 2019

Performance format for Carnatic concerts: sections of a kutcheri

The present-day format of Carnatic music performance is thought to have grown out of the tremendous flowering, especially of music and dance, in the district of Thanjavar during the reign of King Ragunath Nayak..

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11 May 2019

The Violin: a Western instrument takes centre stage in Carnatic classical

The violin is one of the most important instruments in Western classical music, owing not only to a unique strength of tone that stands out among other instruments...

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11 May 2019

The Saraswati Veena: the ancient lute of goddesses

The veena is a large plucked lute and one of India's oldest instruments with a recorded history going back to about 1500 BC.

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11 May 2019

The Pakhawaj: resonations of Dhrupad

The mother of all North Indian drums, the pakhawaj is also known as the mridang, the generic word for any barrel-shaped drum.

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11 May 2019

The Mridangam: an ancient, divine drum

One of the most ancient drums of India, the mridangam, which literally means 'body of clay', originated in South India. To this day it remains the leading percussion accompaniment for Carnatic music

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11 May 2019

The Ghatam, Kanjira, and Thavil: South Indian folk drums

The ghatam is a South Indian drum resembling a porous earthenware or clay pot, a common household object in North and South India used for cooling drinking water.

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11 May 2019

The Pecking Order: Why is vocal music considered the highest form of music?

Indian classical music has a built-in pecking order, not only based on the seniority or ability of musicians but also by drawing a clear distinction between vocal and instrumental music.

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Wellbeing

The Namaste Mindset

This new year, a new you comes from accepting the old one read more

Musical Musing by Sandeep Virdee, OBE

Indian classical music and wellbeing read more

How classical music impacts your body's energy centres

Classical music can uplift your mind, body and spirit—Indians believe it constitutes the ascent... read more

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New to Indian Music

Guru-Shishya Parampara: Master and disciple, knowledge through surrender

Indian classical music is largely a hereditary tradition, generally taught in a pedagogical fashion... read more

What is Rasa? The 'essence' or 'juice' - a flowing nectar of emotional experience

Rasa (also spelt ras) is the word for 'juice' in many Indian languages. In a musical sense its meaning... read more

Why do Indian musicians tune their instruments in front of the audience?

One famous story of an Indian musician tuning before his audience has now taken a permanent place in... read more

New to indian Classical Music?

The beginner's guide to Indian classical music. Whether you’re completely new to raga music or just need a refresher, we’ve put together this brief overview of all things raga music to help you feel at ease when visiting one of our concerts or watch our videos on our YouTube or our Darbar Concert Hall.

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