CROSS-CULTURAL
WORLD MUSIC
Brhaddhvani’s cross-cultural program aims to open the doors of various musical traditions to each other, fostering a unified and progressive world music culture with mutual respect. The program aims to embrace the interconnectedness of various musical skills and styles, recognizing their complementary nature.
In making cultures cross, we embody the spirit of the cultures in its movement. The strength of the program lies in the Indian musical tradition itself. COMET brings a perspective rooted in tradition while embracing contemporary approaches, enhancing our understanding of world music.
Our students come from diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique experiences and learning requirements. Through COMET, they quickly grasp the profound essence of Indian music as a whole.
Improvisatory Music
IMPROVISATORY MUSIC
Improvisatory music is characterized by spontaneity in performance, without a preplanned structure. It has been a significant element in music cultures worldwide. With repeated performances, the individual aesthetics become more pronounced and eventually may evolve into compositional forms.
While Western classical music is often regarded as compositional, with fixed structures and precise notations guiding the performance of melodies supported by harmony, the tradition has also passed through the improvisatory stages.
The American jazz idiom comes close to Indian music, primarily due to its improvisatory nature. Many Karnatak musicians have collaborated with jazz musicians, drawn together by this commonality. In most cases, jazz musicians tend to borrow ideas from rhythmic and scalar-based improvisations, incorporating elements that echo the unique characteristics of Indian raga and tala concepts. COMET introduces Indian musical concepts in a manner that opens up new avenues for improvisation, benefiting both jazz musicians and Karnatak musicians. This approach paves the way for a more unified and enriched improvisatory procedure.
COMET is the ideal framework for the meeting of like minds across artistic, cultural, and intellectual boundaries.
Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw III
I have been struck by the great emphasis that the system places on the re-integration of all these skills into a unified, comprehensive musicianship.
Prof. Eero Hämeenniemi
WESTERN CLASSICAL
The vision of Brhaddhvani is to create a platform that facilitates the study of various musical traditions, including Western classical music. Western classical music is a global phenomenon, and its study is also prevalent in Indian institutions. Brhaddhvani's distinctive approach aims to integrate the study of Western music into traditional Indian music education, offering Indian music students access to authentic Western classical practices.
By facilitating interactions between practitioners of different musical traditions, Brhaddhvani promotes a deeper understanding and appreciation of Western classical music among Indian classical musicians. This inclusive approach encourages cross-cultural exchange, allowing traditional performers to benefit from the expertise and perspectives of Western classical musicians. These interactions serve as opportunities for musicians to delve into new techniques, styles, and artistic expressions, thereby enhancing their own musical endeavors.
Experimental music often receives limited attention within traditional cultures like India. Music as a social phenomenon needs acceptance by society for its survival. As a principle, we believe the importance of creating space for musical experimentation. While creative musicians do explore new avenues to enhance their practice, they often remain within familiar boundaries.
The conception of music within traditional cultures must evolve to align with societal acceptance. However, breaking away from established norms can be challenging, and experimental music may initially attract only a niche audience. Yet, the idea of creating compositions or productions using unconventional materials, including those not traditionally recognized as musical instruments, represents a relatively novel concept.
Brhaddhvani, guided by its World music vision, actively encourages experimentation in music. By fostering an environment that embraces innovation and exploration, we seek to broaden the horizons of musical expression and challenge existing paradigms within traditional cultures.
COMET, as I see it, is based on modern insights into the psychology of creative processes and music making.
Prof. Hans Neuhoff
EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC
Finnish composer Eero Hämeenniemi shares his perspective on Brhaddhvani’s work.