LECTURES AND DEMONSTRATIONS
Sheema Mukherjee has presented lecture demonstrations on Indian classical music for many schools and universities, including the Guildhall School of Music, and worldwide for the British Council and Womad.
She started by originally working for Redbridge and Greenwich Music services, starting up the Indian Music Programme in 14 different schools, including 2 special needs schools. She initiated contact and interest via demonstrations in assemblies etc. The children were aged between 3-17yrs and were taught predominantly sitar, but also basic tabla and dhol, vocals and harmonium. More advanced tabla and dhol players were trained in improvisation and accompaniment. Ideas were encouraged around music being an international language and the flexibility and use of Indian music within other forms e.g. dance, jazz, African, Irish and Arabic. Traditional Indian classical music teaching methods were always used.
Since then she has been a consultant for Thames Valley University in setting up their Indian music courses and continues to do presentations on Indian classical music in the UK and worldwide. The workshops include ‘hands-on’ Indian music practice techniques for improvement and improvisation, and also Raag theory.