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Indian music expands horizons

SPIC-MACAY, the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth, has been active within the University for a few years now. In that time, the organization has brought to campus several truly amazing performers. Most recent among these great performers was Shrimati Aruna Narayan Kalle, who gave a concert on the solo sarangi on Tuesday evening. The turnout for the concert was low, but those who were in attendance were lucky enough to experience this very beautiful performance. Though scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m., the concert ran on Indian Standard Time, and didn't begin until nearly 8, lasting approximately an hour and a half.

The sarangi, a predecessor to the veena (a common classical Indian instrument) is a 36-string, carved wooden instrument. It is only recently gaining acclaim as a solo instrument, even though its sound is most often associated with the songs of folklore. Shrimati Aruna is the only female player of this instrument, having studied with perhaps the most respected sarangi player in the world, her father, Sri Pandit Ram Narayan, who made significant contributions in the playing technique of the sarangi, establishing the modern standard playing method.

Though she started her studies of this instrument relatively late in her life, at the age of 18, Shrimati Aruna is one of the most gifted players of this very difficult bowed instrument. She now plays concerts all over India, as well as in several other countries, including Festival of India concerts in Sweden, the United States and the former USSR, plus the Parampara Festival in the former West Germany.

Shrimati Aruna played three songs that evening, all of them very difficult, and all of them from memory. Though the sound of the sarangi vaguely resembled that of a cello, it was more ethereal and melancholy. Also, it was tuned to various ragas, scales unfamiliar to Western ears, which accounted for a somewhat dissonant and almost scratchy sound to the songs. However, the songs did also sound very typically Indian, just what one would expect of Hindu music, regardless of whether or not one has ever been to India.

The songs were beautiful, but long, approximately 25 minutes each. Although the music was heavily applauded, the songs were difficult to stay focused on for the entirety, because they had no meter, typical of Hindu music. Because of this, several members of the audience became tired, and left after the second piece. But the majority who stayed were able to hear the third piece, perhaps the best piece of the evening.

Though the majority of each piece was performed solo, a set of tabalas (Indian drums) provided an ethnic and pleasing accompaniment. Both Shrimati Aruna and her accompanists were cordial, and were well received by the audience.

SPIC-MACAY's main goal, of course, is to promote the music and culture of India. Given that a surprising percentage of Tuesday's audience was not of Indian descent, it seems that the group is operating with success. Michigan Student Assembly-elect Vice President Probir Mehta expressed his excitement for this. "I'm really excited that Indian culture is being promoted among all of society. It's great for Indians to make some noise, and it's even better that they are being heard."