Sangeet Academy

Sangeet (Music) Academy organised and run by S K S Swaminarayan Community Centre.

Music is not only an essential part of Indian heritage and culture but also an important aspect of devotional activities. With this in mind, the Temple, through its S K S Swaminarayan Community Centre division, encourages the nurturing of musical talent by running classes for classical music in Tabla, Hindustani vocal & harmonium and bhajans.

Instructor: Shree Satwinder Singh

Young children to grown adults and both boys and girls benefit from the Monday night classes for Tabla. Although emphasis remains on classical styles of play, the ultimate objective is to enable to students to perform with all styles of bhajans and kirtans in front of God.

Many students have excelled enough to give impressive performances in front of large audiences. The classes remain open for beginners and learned tabla artists alike.

Instructor: Ustad Fida Hussein Khan

Rather than simply learning the sequence of keys on the harmonium, Khan Sahab- a renowned artist and performer in professional musician circles - focuses on developing the vocal techniques that accompany the playing of a harmonium. Students are encouraged to appreciate the Hindustani school of music which holds 10 thaats (base melodies) and involves particular emphasis on bhaav (mood), taal (rhythm), lay (tempo) and soor (note).

Training in Hindustani classical vocal and harmonium greatly compliments the art of devotion through music i.e. bhajan kirtans.

Instructor: Shree Swaminarayan Yuvak Mandal

Training is given for bhajans and kirtans (devotional songs) of the Sampraday for younger children and youths alike. There are literally thousands of kirtans written by Premanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami, Muktanand Swami, Nishkulanand Swami and other sants in ragas such as Bhairavi, Darbari, Des, Khamaj etc that express the glory of God, the beauty of His image and the necessity to lead a virtuous life. These bhajans and kirtans should be remembered and performed in front of God with an attempt to reflect its mood e.g. a kirtan remembering separation from Shreeji Maharajshould have a tone of sadness of the distance between Bhagwan and Bhakta, God and devotee.

These sessions focus on teaching a wide variety of such bhajans and kirtans with particular attention given vocal performance and musical accompaniments

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