Innovations
In Music Teaching
Innovation occurs
when teaching is corroborated with new ideas and with a novel approach before
the inquisitive minds of the students. A topic chosen for instruction may or
may not be a new one, but what matters is the way of imparting it. Being a
music teacher I have always thought of demonstrating the basic Swaras before
the students with some new colour. The basic notes do not vary, they are same
and as old as the Vedic rhyms that were sung in the hermitages. They are there
for thousands of years. Every nook and corner of this wide country has been
singing “SaReGaMa....” and no part of it has changed for centuries. The
question here is how one ‘dares to teach’ these Swaras when they are there in
every person, whether it is a child or a grown up person.
I believe every
person sings in his or her routine life. Some sing loud enough for others to
enjoy and some do not! The person sings for self calls him/herself a bathroom
singer. Such persons also have music in them. Given an opportunity, they come
out of their shell and demonstrate their hidden talent with more enthusiasm.
Here no one, including an aficionado expects quality of good music from them.
The sole purpose of it is to come out and just sing. Believing in this natural
behaviour I always begin with a direct approach. I just start a “Sargam Geet”
(a song with only Swaras in it, there are no words in such songs) and ask the
students to sing along after listening to it for four to five times. This
composition does not belong to any particular Raga. These are just the basic
“Shudh Swaras” (pure notes that begin on the white keys of a harmonium
keyboard). The result is always positive. Every one sings perfectly! No
off-keys! No off-beats! A student who is a complete novice plays this
composition on a key board without any single mistake within two or three days
of regular practice and encouragement. Most students play rhythmic instruments
perfectly along with singing of such compositions within a short period.
How this happens?
A person may be
tone deaf but no one ever misses a beat. Rhythm is built in. It is in blood
circulation in every nerve of the body. It matches the heart beats of all
living persons. Singing along in a group is never a challenge for anyone. Even
a person sitting in the auditorium too matches the beats of the performers on
the stage with tapping of his/her feet on the ground. This action is natural,
not pre-determined. Music is present in every soul. It is of numerous colours.
Each one’s music is unique in its own way. It lasts forever. It helps the man
to live happily. Every person is well connected with each other through the
heartfelt musical pieces. Music merges hearts.
It is seen that
the persons attending a music concert have their own groups. As far as possible
they do not abandon their company while listening. It is mainly due to a common
point of interest among them. A keen observer can see such groups and overhear
their comments. They are always truthful, subjective and constructive. They are
open to criticism, a healthy criticism. One among them is an accredited writer
on music. He openly expresses the views and reviews about the performances.
These writings are well accepted by the artistes, organisers and by other
common listeners and readers too!
Coming back to
innovative way of ‘teaching’ music, I as a conscious teacher just go on singing
to be keenly observed by my students. The result is always encouraging.
Everyone enjoys and sings. To make my point more clear, I wish to present here
a very simple composition of mine. This can be sung with a very simple drum
beat of marching, suiting the left-right-left-right.
सा रे ग म ग रे ग म
ध – प प प - - -
सा रे ग म ग रे ग म
ध – प – सं - - -
प – ध प म – म –
म – प म ग – ग –
प – ध प म – प म
ग – रे – सा - - -
प – ध नि सं - - -
नि – ध प म - - -
रे – ग म ध - - -
प म ग रे सा - - -
As
and when this composition is completely and perfectly sung by all, I sing a
song based on this ‘tune’. The song is as given below –
First stanza
Very happy we are happy
Let’s celebrate
In the morning everyone is
Feeling great!
Second stanza
Welcome dear guests
Welcome everyone
Very happy moments
You will get!
Third stanza
Cheers and smiles
Dancing steps around
Celebrations and greetings
Everything is set!
Any
music teacher can learn and teach this Sargam and the song quickly. I am sure
the students would love this to sing and enjoy and learn the basics without
much difficulty or prejudice. I have seen hundreds of them enjoyed this ‘song’
and learnt it with enthusiasm. Adding some appropriate actions, it becomes
wonderful.
Necessity
is the mother of invention
Most
of the inventions are born out of necessity to achieve something. Innovative
way of teaching of any subject is nothing but a way to make the students
understand a fact by going the other way round.
When
I was given a class of III on my very first day of job, I was stunned to see a
lot of noisy, uncontrollable but very smart children in an Air Force campus. I
was not at all trained to handle such a bunch since I was a traditional
‘Gavayya’ of Gwalior Gharana. Suddenly I was feeling myself to be an Arjun
standing face to face before the warriors on Kurukshetra. For some minutes I
was nervous and was thinking to run away from this ‘lucrative’ job (yes, I was
promised Rs. 330+...). The moment I was dreaming to be on the outer side of the
massive gate of the campus, a boy asked, “Sir, why are you so silent? Are you
not going to teach us something?” Suddenly I was aware of myself and instantly
started to sing a song meant for children. In between each line I went out of
the way to sing meaningless syllables in tune with the song. Sometimes I made
the imitations of the tune with “Tara Rara Tara Rara”. Thoughtfully I sang the
Sargam of each line.......
Wow!
The children smiled, clapped and copied my tune. They danced, sang my
‘meaningless’ words with gusto. Out of nowhere I got my nerve and I was in
seven heavens.
It
was like a century on the first test ever.
Since then I had the feeling that I chose this job with correct mind and had made a right decision. After that first nightmare, I thought before on every class, age group and searched for talent among
children. The talent was amazing and response was overwhelming. I planned my
lessons for each age group and class. Even after nearly thirty years of
‘experience’, each day was new
for me. Every child was a challenge before me. Each day was a learning day. So
let us smile and learn.
Nandan
G Herlekar
