�AV

Teaching artist Kiran Ahluwalia demonstrates the different elements involved in singing the classical North Indian music known as raag, and teaches how to sing an original raag song. 

Vocabulary You Will Learn

• Raag—A set of notes or scale in Indian classical music that provides a melodic framework for improvisation. Different raags express different emotions. 
• Raag Bhoopali—A classical raag in pentatonic scale (using five notes in an ascending and descending scale).
• Raag Puriya Dhanashree—A classical raag which corresponds, in Western terms, to the double harmonic scale with an augmented fourth. 
• Meend—The performative practice in classical Indian music of gliding from one note to another. 
• Microtones—Miniature notes or tines, smaller than a semitone, that fall in between two full notes. 
• Rabba Ru—A nickname for God, invented by Kiran Ahluwalia

Materials You Will Need:

• Nothing—just yourself!

In this video, Kiran teaches us the basic components of the North Indian musical style raag, and then guides us in singing an original raag song. If you want to go even further, think about these questions:

• What emotions did the song Rabba Ru make you feel? Why do you think the melodies used in the song made you feel this way?
• Kiran talks about raag Bhoopali making us feel peaceful, and raag Puriya Dhanashree making us feel sad. Is this how these melodies made you feel, or did you have a different experience?
• How do you notice the use of meend, or sliding between notes, contributing to the way the melodies feel? If you separate the notes rather than sliding between them, how does that affect the song and the emotions it evokes?
• Can you create a new line or phrase for the song Rabba Ru using what you have learned about raag? What emotions do you hope to evoke with the line that you create?

Accessibility

Don’t forget that you can turn on “Closed Captioning” to view the YouTube video with English captions.

More about the Teaching Artist

Kiran Ahluwalia (she/her) is an Indian singer and composer. She was born in India, grew up in Canada, and is currently based in New York City. Over the course of seven albums, she has recieved two JUNO awards (Canadian Grammys), two Canadian Folk Awards, and the UK's Songlines Award. Kiran's open-hearted vocals have established her as one of global music's most compelling cross-pollinators, bringing together the disparate traditions of Indian Music, West African blues, and jazz. She tours regularly and teaches Indian music workshops for children and music students of all levels. With her five-piece group, including tabla, guitar, accordian, and drum kit, she carries out week-long residencies for students that culminate in a public performance of her own group. For more information, visit: https:/www.kiranmusic.com 

Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

Eric Friedman 
Director, Digital Learning

Kenny Neal 
Manager, Digital Education Resources

Tiffany A. Bryant 
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement

JoDee Scissors 
Content Specialist, Digital Learning

Connect with us!

Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;

Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; Wells Fargo; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..

The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.