Graduate Colloquium Series

Each semester the Music Department presents a series of colloquia featuring scholars, composers, and performers who are leaders in their fields.

All colloquia are held on Fridays at 4 p.m. in Room 132 of the Music Building (unless otherwise noted), and are followed by receptions. For more information, call 412-624-4125.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Tabla Virtuoso Pandit Samir Chatterjee
Theory and Practice of Rhythm in North Indian Classical Music

The tabla, a set of two drums, is responsible for maintaining and elaborating the rhythmic structure of a composition in North Indian classical music. Tabla is used in classical, popular, and religious music of North India, as well as modern dance music including ambient and electronica.
In this lecture-demonstration, percussion virtuoso and Pitt faculty member Pandit Samir Chatterjee will explain the theory of rhythm in North Indian classical music. Using a unique pedagogical approach, as developed in his book A Study of Tabla, Chatterjee will demonstrate how compositions are organized around cycles of beats called tala (for example, 7, 10, 12, and 16 beats). He will also demonstrate the sonic language of tabla, which consists of drum syllables (bols) arranged into complex rhythmic patterns (theka).

Pandit Samir Chatterjee is a virtuoso tabla player of India. He travels widely across the world performing in festivals as a soloist or with other outstanding musicians from both Indian and western traditions. He can be heard on numerous recordings as soloist, as accompanist to many of India’s greatest musicians, and in collaboration with western musicians of outstanding caliber. Pandit Samir Chatterjee lives in New York, where he has become a catalyst in the fusion of Indian and Western music.

For information about all our upcoming lectures and events visit our
Event Calendar.

Browse

Colloquia

The department sponsors a Colloquium Series each semester, bringing in outstanding speakers in a wide variety of fields to supplement and enrich the curriculum.

Graduate Handbook

Students may find detailed information on course requirements, department regulations, degree requirements, and related material in the Graduate Handbook (PDF).