Indian Classical Music Appreciation Course

A one-day immersion into the raga and tala systems that have shaped the world’s oldest evolved musical tradition 

This interactive workshop strips back the layers of Indian classical music and shows you how it actually works. You’ll learn to hear the architecture inside a raga, follow the rhythmic cycles of tala, and discover how improvisation — the beating heart of this tradition — allows two musicians to compose in the moment, responding to each other and the room in real time. You’ll understand why a live Hindustani concert unfolds the way it does, from the slow, searching alaap to the exhilarating climax, and why no two performances of the same raga are ever alike. 

Sitarist Harmeet Singh Virdee and tabla player Sukhdeep Dhanjal walk you through North Indian notation, concert structure, and the listening skills that turn a good audience member into a deeply engaged one. This the session sharpens your ear and deepens every concert at Darbar Festival. 

Speakers:

Harmeet Singh Virdee – sitar 

Sukhdeep Dhanjal – tabla 

Schedule 

09:45 – 10:00      Doors open 

10:00 – 10:30      Registration and course overview  

10:30 – 11:30      What Is a Raga? A Live Exploration on Sitar 

11:30 – 11:50        Tea/Coffee break 

11:50 – 13:00      How Rhythm Works: Taal and the Tabla 

13:00 – 14:00      Lunch break 

14:00 – 15:00      Inside a Live Performance: How a Concert Unfolds 

15:00 – 15:30      Your Questions, the Instruments, and the Musicians