Management and Music

Can Management be learnt through Music? How can a better understanding and appreciation of different genre of music help one to become a better manager? What are the analogies between management and music? Can the future managers consider music as a career option?

These were some of the questions which I tried to address during a session on 'Management and Music' with students of a management institute in Ahmedabad, India.


This interactive session drew parallels between Management and Music, by illustrating managerial attributes expressed by musicians across different genre of music. Students were exposed to short musical pieces from different genre of music to identify the managerial attributes within those musical pieces. The discussions were blended by various research findings which show that music can help in enhancing various critical abilities which are desirable in a good manager. The session concluded with a short Tabla demonstration.

Exploring Tabla - An interactive demo at Prayaas (IIM-A)

The children at Prayaas (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Prayaas/228852570021), an IIM-Ahmedabad initiative, were quite excited to have a first-hand exposure to Tabla. They could listen, touch and also play the Tabla! It was fascinating to see their keen interest in exploring this instrument, which today is one of the foremost percussion instrument in the world.

Soham giving a demonstration

Children at Prayaas exploring Tabla

Indian Music and Tabla Lecture-Demonstration at SGVP, Gurukul, Ahmedabad

In order to promote Indian Music and Tabla amongst youth and kids, I have intiated voluntary lecture-demos at educational institutes.

We were indeed privileged to have been invited at SGVP, Gurukul, Ahmedabad to give a lecture-demonstration on Indian Music and Tabla. This gave us an opportunity to interact with an enlightened auidience, and to share several research findings on music which show that music has a positive impact on the holistic development of our brain, and on the development of a child.

Rupak (19th Dec 09)

It was an honor to render a Tabla Solo in Rupak Taal (7 beats) in front of Guruji, Pandit Nakul Mishraji, on 19th Dec 2009. While there are shortcomings in the recital, solely attributable to me, it was a wonderful learning experience! Here are some excerpts....

About Rupak:

Rupak is a popular taal played on the Tabla. It comprises of 7 beats divided into sections (vibhags) of 3-2-2. It is widely played in Solo recitals. Many compositions (Gats) played on classical instruments (like santoor, sarod, sitar, guitar, flute)are set in Rupak taal. The taal is also popularly played in Gazals and film songs. The counterpart of Rupak in Pakhwaj is taal Tivra set in 7 beats,but which is much bolder and lounder than Rupak.

Rupak is a unique taal in a sense that the first beat of the taal is a Khali (wave of the hand),and not a Clap. Rupak consists of two talis (claps), on the 4th and the 6th beats respectively. The taal goes like this:

Tin Tin Na| Dhi Na|Dhi Na




Rupak Peshkar Qaida



Rupak Compositions



Rupak finale

Jugalbandi

Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain







One very interesting facet of a Tabla performance is a 'Jugalbandi', i.e. a duet of Tabla players. Generally, both the Tabla players are for the same gharana, but on some rare occassions a jugalbandi could also be done between players from different gharana. The father-son duo of Punjab gharana, Late Ustad Alla Rakh and Ustad Zakir Hussain, can be credited for making Tabla jugalbandi's world famous. When listening to their jugalbandi, one would realize that they mostly play compositions from their Punjab Gharana. However, when Ustad Zakir Hussain is performing a solo, he would play compositions from various gharanas. Another prominant father-son duo is of Pandit Sharda Sahai and his nephew Shri Vishnu Sahai of Benaras Gharana.



While the progression of a jugalbandi follows the general rules of Tabla playing for each gharana, the beauty lies in the manner in which the two players co-ordinate i.e. distribute paltas, play chakradars, engage into musical question-answers (sawal-jawab), and reach the crescendo.



It is indeed a treat to listen to a great Tabla Jugalbandhi.

For more info on Tabla, please visit: www.northindiandrums.blogspot.com





Father-son duo: Rajiv and Soham

Origin of Tabla

While the origin of the tradition of Indian music can be traced back nearly two thousand years in the Vedic hymns of the Hindu temples, the Tabla is a relatively new percussion instrument. It is considered to have been invented in the 16th or 17th century. Historically, the pakhawaj was used to accompany the old Dhruvpad style of music. It is believed that the need for a new percussion instrument was felt to accompany newer styles of North Indian vocal music (i.e. Khayal gayaki) which evolved around the 16th century, as well as new North Indian instruments such as Sitar and Sarood during the Mughal era in India. Thus, the Tabla was invented. Tabla, with its rich and varied tonal qualities, is an extremely versatile percussion instrument. Today, it is the most recognized North Indian percussion instument both for solo performances as well as an accompanyments in vocal (essentially Khayal, bhajans, thumris, folk), instumental and kathak dance.

Tabla as an Accompanying and Solo Instrument

Accompaniment and Solo are the two main formats in which Tabla is played. The role and performance of a tabla player is distinct in each of the format. Hence, in order to be a good accompanist or soloist, it is pertinent for a tabla player to understand the fundamental characteristics of each of the two format.

Tabla: Role in Accompaniment

Tabla is widely used as an accompanying instrument in vocal, dance, and instrumental music. The key role of a Tabla player in an accompaniment is to keep time for the main artist and to enhance the aesthetic value of the raag (melody). The challenge for him is to show his virtuosity while being restraint. He should follow, and not overshadow, the main artist. During the performance, the main artist intermittently gives opportunities to the tabla player to demonstrate his virtuosity. The challenging aspect for the tabla player is to play compositions or improvisations that blend with the mood & raasa of the raga and the rhythmic patterns played by the main artist.

Out of the various facets of accompaniment viz. Instrumental, Classical Vocal, Semi-Classical Vocal, Dance etc, the fundamental progression of an instrumental accompaniment is shown here:



In an instrumental accompaniment, Tabla enters the recital in the ‘Gat’ phase after the Aalap, Jod & Jhala phases. The ‘Gat’ phase comprises of an alternation between the main theme and melodic variations.The Tabla player gets a chance to show his virtuosity when the main theme is being played. However, when the main artist is playing melodic variations, the Tabla player should constrain his playing to the basic Theka or its Prakars and clearly bring out the ‘Sam’ and ‘Khali’ to enable the main artist to judge where he is within the context of the Taal.

Tabla Solo Performance

A Solo rendition provides the Tabla player an opportunity to demonstrate his virtuosity and mastery over the various facets of Tabla playing such as different gharanas,rhythm cycles, tempos, traditional compositions, improvisations etc. Solo performances are typically accompanied by a repeating background melody called 'Lehra'. Lehra is fit to a rhythmic cycle. Besides providing a background melody, the Lehara essentially keeps time for the soloist and provides a baseline that guides the performance of the soloist within the framework of the Taal. Typically, Lehra is played on Harmonium or Saarangi.

For example: a Tabla solo set in Teentaal would be accompanied by a Lehara set to 16 beat cycle.

The progression and format of a Tabla solo largely depends upon the gharana, artistry & mood of the Tabla player and also on the quality of audience. For instance, two solo performances of an artist set to Teentaal could greatly vary in terms of progression and format, depending on the variables mentioned above.

However, a typical progression of a Tabla Solo could be depicted as under:

Uthan >Peshkar > Kaida > Gat > Tukada > Chakradar > Rela

Ustaad Zakir Hussain on Indian Music

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=987243975

Scottish Networks International

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Sangeet Baithak - Dec 07

Gujarati Sugam Sangeet


Santoor & Tabla Jugalbandi