Jun 14, 2014 - Highlights of the afternoon sessions were evidence of 'IndoPersian Musical ... musical presentations in Iran with Nai (Iranian flute), the soul of ...
6/14/2014
SHORT REPORT ON THE SEMINAR ON "IMPROVISATION IN MUSIC"
SHORT REPORT ON THE SEMINAR ON "IndiaIran: Confluence of Musical Cultures" Persian and Indian cultural links date back many centuries. Both countries have contributed significantly to each other's cultural history, be it music, painting, literature or architecture. At NCPA, Mumbai, from January 14 to 16, 2005, there was a complete recall of this centuriesold legacy of both countries. This seminar was organised under the aegis of the ITCSangeet Research Academy (Western Region), Music Forum and The National Centre for Performing Arts. It was supported by the International Music Council, UNESCO, Paris, the Board of the University of Amsterdam, the Department of Musicology, University of Amsterdam and Culture House of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The deliberations were attended by expert musicians which included Ustad Zakir Hussain, historians, linguists, heads of different academies of Iran and India and ethnomusicologists from all over the world. Members of the diplomatic corps were also present. Inaugurated by H. E. Mohammad Shokrani, Consul General, of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mumbai, the sessions were divided into six parts and provided deeper insights into the inherent influences of both countries. 'The Necessity and Relevance' of such a seminar was well brought out by Dr Joep Bor, Director Research, Rotterdam Conservatory. Dr Ashok Ranade, eminent Indian ethnomusicologist, dealt at length on 'Performing Exchanges' between these two countries. Dr Mohsen Mohammadi, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran spoke on 'Persian Musical texts of India', providing deeper meaning to the fact that the Persian language did enjoy regal patronage in India. Highlights of the afternoon sessions were evidence of 'IndoPersian Musical Synthesis' brilliantly put forth by Dr Katherine ButlerBrown (in absentia), Research Fellow, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge and 'Musical Terminology in Iran and India' by Dr Wim Van der Meer, Assistant Professor of World Music, Department of Musicology, University of Amsterdam. Ms Dilorom Faizullah Karomat, presently based in Lucknow, is a musicologist and music critic from Uzbekistan. An ICCR scholar, she chose to speak on '12th Maquam System and their similarity with Indian Ragas' and Professor Hooman Asadi, Lecturer in Ethonomusicology, Music Department, Faculty of Fine Arts from the University of Tehran, added to what Ms Diloram Karomat had said with a scintillating 'Raga and Dastgah Phenomena: A Comparative Study on Modal Systems'. Ustad Zakir Hussain enthralled the audience during the afternoon session by sharing his thoughts about various drums and drumming techniques of IndoPersian origin. Dr Richard Widdess, Reader in Ethnomusicology with reference to South Asia, Department of Music, SOAS University of London presented a thoughtprovoking paper on 'Improvisation in Iranian and Indian Music'. This paper was coauthored by Dr Laudan Nooshin, Senior Lecturer in Ethnomusicology, Music Department, City University, London. The highlight of the next day was the short lecturedemonstration by scholars from Iran, Professor Hooman Asadi and Dr Mohsen Mohammadi. There was also a musical presentation by Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan highlighting compositions of Hazrat Amir Khusro. Earlier Dr Shafi Shaikh, Head, Department of Arabic, University of Mumbai presented a brilliant paper on 'Sufism and Vedanta' and as expected, handled the queries raised with aplomb. Professor Dr Rokus de Groot, Department of Musicology, University of Amsterdam spoke at length with the help of cineclippings on 'The Story of LailaMajnu and its reception in Indian Arts including Film'. Dr Regula Birkhardt Qureshi, Director, Canadian Centre for Ethnomusicology University of Alberta, spoke on 'The role of Persian in Indian Musical Disclosure: A modern perspective'. Film clippings of musical presentations in Iran with Nai (Iranian flute), the soul of Iranian music, were also interesting and absorbing. The concluding session brought together all the participating scholars to address issues of mutual interest. Professor Frans de Ruiter, ExPresident, International Music Council and ExPresident, Association Europeene Des Festivals, summarised the proceedings in a succinct manner. Dr Richard Widdess conducted the discussions. The seminar helped to clear some of the misgivings relating to the IndoPersian cultural interactions and also exerted pressure on the peer group to plan further actions in this IndianIranian heritage. Close
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