Following our initial fundraising round in November 2021, the SPK Academy was able to hit the ground running in 2022 with its charitable work. The first event was a sitar workshop held in Kolkata in March 2022. SPK students Alpa Shah and Kelly Johnson sat down with Seema Gulati, SPK Academy’s director after the event to learn more.
What were the goals of the event?
Now that the SPK Academy has become a non-profit organization, we are better positioned to pursue one of our major goals for the future, namely to increase awareness of Indian Classical Music across the globe, through the teachings of Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan.
Making Ustadji and the unique resources of the Academy accessible to sitar lovers in India is a very big part of this. Starting in Ustadji’s beloved Kolkata, this first workshop provided music students in India the chance to learn music directly from him and to get acquainted with the work and teaching methods of the SPK Academy. The Academy covered Ustadji’s teaching fee in its entirety, while the students were only charged a nominal Rs 500 (US$6) registration fee to attend.
Twenty-five students of all levels came, and for many, it was truly the experience of a lifetime. Their excitement hung palpably in the air… with the music!
“Thank you so much to SPK Academy of Music for this life-changing experience of getting to learn from Ustadji! Truly grateful for this opportunity ”
Why Kolkata?
For everyone at the SPK Academy, it is very special to be able to repay in some small way the inestimable debt owed to India for sharing with us its rich classical heritage so wonderfully “packaged” in the music of Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan.
It is also important to mention that Ustadji expressly chose Kolkata for the first SPK India workshop as a city that holds a special place in his heart. Kolkata helped raise Ustadji musically in his youth and remains a major hub of Indian culture, art, and music.
What did the workshop involve?
The workshop took place over 6 hours, with students divided into groups according to their ability. Each group was in for a real musical treat, with a selection of beautiful material to learn and practice. Ustadji taught compositions and taans in three different ragas - Khamaj, Hansadhwani, and Abhogi - giving the students a feel for how teaching is conducted at the Academy.
While most students came to learn on the sitar, others came with a variety of other instruments, including guitar, sarod, and tabla. The tabla players accompanied the instrumentalists while Ustadji taught.
As he often does, Ustadji took the time to provide the tabla students with rare rhythmic compositions that are not only precious but also extremely exciting. These helped keep the energy at peak level throughout the event. Ustadji also answered student questions on musical concepts and often provided demonstrations on his sitar.
The careful attention paid to his every word showed what a rare treat it was to hear the maestro play and discuss music in such close proximity! Hopefully, it will be much less rare in the years ahead.
Students came away from the workshop excited, energized, and profoundly grateful to Ustadji, and to the Academy for helping to provide the opportunity to learn. At the workshop’s conclusion, many participants said that it was a huge blessing for them to attend and that they would not have been able to afford access to such musical training without the SPK Academy’s sponsorship.
Seema Gulati, as the Director of the Academy, expressed to us how gratifying it was to be able to make this event possible, especially after seeing just how much it meant to the students. She also felt there was a wonderful reciprocity underpinning the event. SPK Academy succeeded in sowing the seeds of musical inspiration in Kolkata, while at the same time Kolkata inspired and energized the music in a way unique to the “City of Joy.”
With one India workshop complete, what happens next?
Since the workshop, a number of students have enquired about how they can continue to learn with the Academy. In response, the Academy is now offering virtual lessons with Ustadji and US-based senior instructors at country-adjusted rates for Indian students.
The Academy will also be conducting several more workshops in other Indian cities, after which students will be able to apply for financial assistance to undertake training through the Academy. Scholarships will be awarded to promising students who can demonstrate their commitment and dedication to the music.
Where will the next workshop be?
This year’s fundraising round began with the SPK Academy’s 10-year anniversary. By February we had already received pledges of close to US$60,000!
Our goal this year is to raise US$110,000.
These funds will allow us to proceed with hosting a number of new workshops, currently planned to take place in Chandigarh, Varanasi, and Delhi. Stay tuned!