Sattriya on the Contemporary Stage
Sattriya grew up in the Vaishnava monasteries of Assam as part of worship and drama. In the twentieth century it also became a stage form, and in 2000 it was recognized as classical.
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Manipuri: Music, Movement and Performance Context
Manipuri covers several related traditions from Manipur, from the Lai Haraoba festival to Sankirtana and the Ras Lila. Each has its own music, movement and setting.
An Improvised Passage Is Not a Free-for-All
Improvisation in Carnatic music is made up on the spot, but not from nothing. Raga, tala and the composition set limits, and long training prepares the choices made inside them.
Reading a Kathakali Performance
In Kathakali the actors do not speak their lines. Singers carry the text, gesture and the face interpret it, and make-up tells you who each character is before a hand moves.
One Way to Follow a Hindustani Recital
Hindustani vocal and instrumental performances often unfold a raga from slow and open to fast and dense, but they take different routes and use different names along the way.
Mohiniyattam Beyond the Usual Adjectives
Mohiniyattam is often summed up in a few soft adjectives. This guide looks instead at its torso and footwork, its two musical streams, its recital order and a history that needs careful telling.
Listening for Gamaka
Gamaka is the movement around and between pitches that shapes many Carnatic notes. Here are a few kinds of movement, and some ways to start hearing them apart.
Before the First Note: Arriving at an AFA Concert
Arriving a little early gives you time to find a seat, read the program if there is one, and hear the musicians tune. A short guide to the start of an AFA concert.
Mridangam and Tabla: Different Rhythmic Languages
The mridangam and the tabla lead the rhythm in much Carnatic and Hindustani music. This guide looks at how each is built and tuned, how its strokes are spoken, and what it does.
Neraval and Kalpana Swaras: Two Kinds of Improvisation
Partway through a Carnatic composition, a musician may stop and improvise on a single line. Neraval keeps the words; kalpana swaras replace them with the names of the notes.