Online Sitar Classes for Senior Students

This comprehensive course will elevate your understanding and execution of Indian classical music, combining advanced technical exercises with deep theoretical knowledge and artistic expression.

The highlights of this course includes -

1. Skill Development Practices

The course begins with a focus on advancing your technical abilities through bols (rhythmic syllables), strokes, and finger exercises. You’ll work with intricate patterns such as DRD, DR, and other difficult bols. These exercises are complemented by the practice of scales and arpeggios, designed to develop finger strength, dexterity, and precision, critical for both instrumental and vocal music. Mastery of these techniques lays the groundwork for executing more complex compositions.

2. Eight Variations of Sapat

Sapat refers to scale practice in a linear, ascending, and descending pattern, which helps in building fluency. In this course, you’ll delve into eight distinct variations of sapat, each with different accents and dynamic shifts. This enables you to explore subtle nuances in expression and control, honing your ability to switch seamlessly between soft and forceful playing, while maintaining rhythmic accuracy.

3. Taal Mastery: Teental, Jhaaptal, Roopak, Ektaal, Chaartal ki Sawari, Matta Taal, and Pancham Sawari Taal

You will be introduced to a wide range of taals (rhythmic cycles) including Teental, Jhaaptal, Roopak, Ektaal, and more complex cycles like Chaartal ki Sawari, Matta Taal, and Pancham Sawari Taal. The course emphasizes clapping and reciting these taals as foundational exercises before playing them. These taals will be practiced with traditional compositions, allowing you to develop a deeper understanding of their rhythmic structure and to build versatility in your performance.

4. Complex Combinations of Paltas in Single and Double Tempo

This section focuses on paltas, or rhythmic patterns, with particular attention to combinations played in both single and double tempo. You’ll also explore unusual syncopations in 16-beat cycles, challenging your ability to maintain precision while shifting rhythmic accents. This practice will sharpen your sense of timing and improve your versatility in executing complex rhythmic structures.

5. Alankars: Correct Technical Practice and Application

Alankars, or musical ornaments, are critical to embellishing and enhancing your performance. This course ensures that you not only learn the correct technical practice for alankars but also understand their apt application in various ragas. Through repetitive practice, you will refine your execution of alankars, ensuring they become a natural part of your musical expression, adding depth and color to your renditions.

6. Layakari and Rhythmic Mastery

Layakari, the manipulation of rhythm, is an advanced technique that involves playing with the timing of notes. In this course, you’ll practice reciting rhythmic patterns in double, triple, and quadruple speeds, all while maintaining the beat of the taal. You'll also work on measuring notes against the taal cycle, mastering the ability to shift rhythms without losing the sense of timing or structure. This skill is crucial for improvisation and brings a higher level of sophistication to your music.

7. Raag Bhairav: Detailed Study

Raag Bhairav, a morning raga, will be studied in depth with a focus on the exact shruti (microtonal nuances) of komal rishav (flat second) and dhaivat (flat sixth). You will explore its alap (slow improvisation), jod (intermediate rhythmic phase), and gats (compositions) in vilambit (slow) and drut teental (fast) tempos. This will develop your ability to express the solemn and meditative mood of Bhairav with precision.

8. Critical and Comparative Studies of Related Ragas

The course also includes a comparative study between Raag Bhairav and other early morning ragas such as Kalingra, Ramkali, Jogiya, and Gauri. By analyzing the vadi (dominant note), samvadi (subdominant note), and characteristic movements of these ragas, you will develop a more nuanced understanding of their similarities and differences, enhancing your ability to switch between ragas and adapt your style according to their unique demands.

9. Raag Alhaiya Bilawal: Traditional and Advanced Studies

In-depth exploration of Raag Alhaiya Bilawal includes traditional bandishes (compositions) from different gharanas (schools of music). You will practice chalan (movement of notes), and perform vilambit, madhyalaya, and drut gats (slow, medium, and fast compositions). This raga’s bright and uplifting nature will be explored across a variety of tempos, sharpening your expressive range.

10. Monsoon Ragas: Raag Desh, Tilak Kamod, and Surdasi Malhar

You will study monsoon ragas such as Raag Desh, Tilak Kamod, and Surdasi Malhar, focusing on their traditional bandishes and taan movements (fast melodic patterns). These ragas, often associated with the rainy season, have a rich, emotive quality, and your practice will delve into their intricacies to capture their essence in your performances.

11. Raag Miyan Malhar: Advanced Study

Raag Miyan Malhar, a powerful monsoon raga, is covered comprehensively with attention to its Malhar ang (characteristic phrases), raag movements, alap, jod, and traditional gats in both vilambit and drut teental. Mastering this raga will add a significant depth to your repertoire, given its grandeur and complexity.

12. Raag Jaunpuri, Asavari, Darbari, and Adana

The final part of the course involves a detailed study of Raag Jaunpuri, Asavari, Darbari, and Adana. You will learn their introduction, key phrases, aroha-avroha (ascending and descending scales), and gats. Comparative study across vilambit, madhyalaya, and drut tempos will help you understand the unique characteristics and moods of these ragas, equipping you with the tools to render them with authenticity and confidence.

About the Teacher

Smarajit Sen has been an acclaimed sitarist, music composer, and teacher for the last 23 years. His teaching experience extends to 14 years. A traditional artiste and torchbearer of "Senia - Shahjahanpur" Gharana, Smarajit is a disciple of Padma Bhushan Pt.Buddhadev Dasgupta Ji.

Smarajit holds the prestigious "A-GRADE" status from All India Radio and TV, and Prasar Bharati. He received the National Award "Akhil Bharatiya Sangeet Pratibha Puraskar" in December 2017. He is an empaneled artist with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and SPICMACAY. 

His commitment to music education was recognized with the "Best Educator Award" by Scl Academy, Mumbai, in November 2020. Academically, he has been awarded a National Scholarship from the Government of India and served as a scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata. 

His contributions to Indian classical music are further highlighted by awards such as the Pt. Gyan Prakash Ghosh Memorial Award and the West Bengal State Govt Music Academy Champion Award in 2007. 

Smarajit collaborated with revered figures like Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, Haimanti Shukla, Ustad Rashid Khan, and Pt. Subhankar Banerjee in albums like "Transformations" and "Ensemble". He has also performed with legendary artists such as Smt. Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Ghulam Ali, Pandit Birju Maharaj, and Kaushiki Chakraborty. 

Currently, Smarajit is teaching as a Guest Faculty in Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.