All for the love of music: Skpye bridges the gap between this US student and his teacher

For Harshvardhan Sanaka, a bright 15-year-old, it is a special day. Twice every month, he has classes with classical flautist Pandit Ronu Majumdar. The two begin with a few preliminary pleasantries before serious practice ensues. Classical music demands much discipline, and Sanaka cannot afford to waste the precious time he spends with his guru. Pandit Majumdar listens gravely and asks Sanaka to replay some notes. Once he is satisfied, he asks Sanaka to move on. Soon after, the guru tells the young lad to be diligent in his riyaaz, and the cheerful face emblazoned with a vermillion tilak fades from the computer screen. The teenager, who lives in Chicago in the US logs off, as does his guru in Varanasi in India.

Steeped in tradition, the classists have been weaned away from the rigid teacher-disciple regimen by today's persuasive youth, who, like modern-day Eklavyas, have yoked technology to make up for the physical absence of their gurus. “Around 18 months ago, Guruji suggested we could have classes on Skype even when he is in India, “says Sanaka brightly of this technology-enabled version of the guru-sishya parampara. “It is a great way to maintain my progress and it provides excellent follow-up to the physical classes.''

Perhaps tradition could not have resisted the bridging powers of technology. As Pandit Deobrat Mishra of the Banaras Gharana recalls, “It started with a single American student in 2007 who was so insistent that he taught me how to download Skype and use it. “Today Mishra teaches around 25 students on Skype, while another 35 learn in classrooms.

The internet and the innumerable apps on it have given music teachers a new reach that spans the oceans. “There are talented students across the world and in the absence of live class rooms of a senior guru near by , online classes certainly make for the best option,“ says Savita Narasimhan, the Carnatic vocalist, who went online in 2004.

Many gurus are pleased with this modern flexibility. “I feel good after spending an hour with people sitting so far away , seeing their dedication and hard work,“says sarangi maestro Kamal Sabri. And while many may uncharitably say all this is the result of gurus hankering after money , vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty points out that his students pay just Rs 400 to learn from him. “I do it to try and pass on to as many students as I can the value of our Indian humanity.“

But then, there are many who are culture-bound regarding the responsibilities of a guru. Pandit Deobrat Mishra's father, Pandit Shivnath Mishra, for one, teaches only in person. “He continues to firmly believe in the traditional guru-sishya paramapara,“ the son ex plains. Manjari Sinha, a senior art critic, also explains the belief of many when she says, “You might be able to transmit technique via Skype but not the ethos.“


The idea was suggested by Majumdar around 18 months ago. (Image:BCCL)

Kiran Seth, founder of SPIC MACAY, an organisation that promotes Indian classical art forms among the youth, balances such views by saying that technology can only take art just so far. “To reach the pinnacle, the Skype learners will have to go to the guru,“ he reasons.

Pandit Majumdar, who has been teaching students in Chi cago over Skype for 13 years now, himself believes that technology cannot replace the physical proximity of his guru.

He, therefore, makes it a point to visit his overseas students at least twice a year, explaining that “certain mystical moments occur and inexplicable vibes are shared during one-to-one learning sessions“.

Online guru-sishya interaction isn't as easy as it sounds.

Rani Thompson, for instance, found out that she had to get up at 4 am for her tutorials in classical vocals with Pandit Chakraborty . Then, the on screen lessons weren't easy to follow. But that was three years ago. Now, she says, “The lessons are clear and the emphasis is on every minute thing in using the voice.“

And technology does bite back. The magic of mystical moments between teacher and disciple relies on good net connectivity. A dodgy bitrate can bring the session to an annoying halt. As Sanaka points out, “Compared to a physical class, my online tuition falls short because of Internet issues and, at times, my Guruji's inability to see my ragas clearly on the screen. I would advise those interested in Skype classes to check the lighting in the room, the focus and the camera angles before the class starts. And make sure the Internet connection is good.“

Online pursuit of the arts perhaps isn't a futile exercise. A 2010 study in the Journal of Distance Education concluded that online music lessons were far more focused, productive and 36 per cent less distracting for pupils. But as another study, by Inkeri Ruokonen published this year in Procedia --Social and Behavioral Sciences, reiterated, e-learning models benefitted students if they already possessed basic knowledge of a discipline. This means that sishyas who log in to Skype for lessons are best served if they begin at the feet of the guru.