Chorus/Voice

Teacher: Matthew Zachary Johnson

Matthew Zachary Johnson Piano, Voice

Matthew has taught piano, singing, music theory, ear training, and songwriting for nearly two decades. His students have ranged in age from 3 years, through K-12 and college age students, through adult learners including senior citizens. For young children, Johnson uses the Suzuki method which emphasizes hearing and playing coordination first, and music note reading later. For singing, he looks to the traditional Italian "bel canto" ("beautiful singing") method, which cultivates a clear and relaxed, natural voice.

Matthew serves on the faculty of the College of Performing Arts at The New School University, and is the music program director of the Montessori-based T.E.C. Schools, “Think, Explore, Create”. He is the composer of The Boston Tea Party Opera, which premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival, and which Curtainup.com dubbed “opera with a conscience”. Johnson's book "Emotion in Life & Music," about the mystery of what it means for music to be emotional, debuted as Amazon's #1 hot new release in aesthetics and has a 5-star customer rating.

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Chorus (Ages 7-18): A choir singing beautiful songs from the Western Classical and folk traditions, including music for holidays at different times of year. The choir discusses the history and meaning of the songs, and prepares for local performances.

Group Music Class for the Young (ages 3-7): A group introduction to music using songs and movement. Students learn basics on a variety of instruments including piano, xylophone, and drums. The course uses the Suzuki principle of listening and playing before reading music, but mixes in notation over time.

Individual Singing Lessons (Ages 9+): Development of the singing voice according to the 'bel canto' ('beautiful singing') tradition emphasizing naturalness of the voice. Solo songs are selected from the Western Classical and folk traditions according to what suits the student's voice and develops the performance ability. For songs in Italian, German and French, lessons include study of language, translation, and pronunciation. Lessons are geared to preparation for recital performances.

Note: Please email for additional class times and for an informational meeting with the teacher.

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Flute

Teacher: Sujeet P.

Sujeet P. Flute (Hindustani)

Sujeet received his initial musical training in Bansuri (Indian flute) and Tabla from distinguished musician and guru, Late Pandit Malharrao Kulkarni in Mumbai. After moving to the United States, he continued his musical education under Shri Pritam Bhattacharjee, disciple of Pandit Jasraj, in Atlanta. While in India, he performed and won awards for his musical performances in several programs and competitions including silver medal at Maharashtra state level music competition in Sangli, 1997. Since moving to the Boston area, Sujeet has performed with several artists and musicians in local events

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Students will begin their lessons by learning the basics of Bansuri (Indian Bamboo flute) playing including blowing techniques, fingering techniques combined with the fundamental elements of Hindustani classical music. With time and practice, they will advance to playing classical compositions (gats or bandishes), dhuns & bhajans (light music / songs) in various raags and learn how to develop a raag and embellish their presentation with alaaps, taans, and advanced bansuri playing techniques.

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Guitar

Teacher: Phil Kaplan

Phil Kaplan Guitar (Western and Hindustani Classical)

Phil Kaplan has been composing, performing, recording, and teaching, locally and internationally, since he graduated from the New England Conservatory in 1979. He has many full-length music albums of original material to his credit, as well as scores for film and theater.

While at the Conservatory he was introduced to the musical world of South Asia by master Sitarist and Educator Dr. Peter Row, from whom he took many lessons while pursuing his B.M. at the Conservatory and after graduating.

He is currently under the tutelage of Sr. Puspen Dey of Calcutta, himself a senior disciple of Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, and who has guided and encouraged him in his endeavor to translate Hindustani classical music to his first and most beloved instrument, the electric guitar. Phil has, after several years’ worth of trial, error, and experimentation, has arrived at a customization of his instrument which emulates the sarod and the sarangi, his two favorite Indian stringed instruments.

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Guitar Fundamentals I: Learn and practice the basics of tone and sound production on the guitar, and how to play melodies, chords, and songs. Building from week to week, we'll cover the fundamentals of proper posture and hand positioning, tuning, picking, and strumming. Practical exercises will be provided to develop finger strength, dexterity, and muscle memory. We will also focus on developing solid time-keeping and being able to play a legato melodic line. Students will be introduced to reading scores and song charts along with the basics of standard notation. This course will help you build the skills for playing on your own or with others.

Guitar Fundamentals II: For intermediate to advanced guitar students, this course covers both the fundamentals of rhythm-guitar playing and soloing, as well as how to understand and follow song arrangements, and how to accompany oneself, or as a member of an ensemble, while practicing and performing songs and instrumental compositions. Specific tunes will be used to explore different styles and genres of songs, and what will be appropriate and musical for each one.

Guitar'od: The Gui'tarode is a customized guitar designed to emulate the Indian string instrument, the Sarod. The fundamentals of technique and expression on this instrument will be offered within the context of the Hindustani (North Indian) classical Raga repertoire, in its practice and performance. Thus, all instruments are welcome in this class! In particular, prospective slide guitarists and string (violin, viola, 'cello, bass, fretless bass) players, wind and brass players, even keyboardists (especially if they have a pitch bender!). Note: With respect to the guitar, as this course requires a customized instrument, it is recommended that prospective students get in touch with the teacher regarding how to obtain the instrument.

Class times other than the ones listed below are also available. Please email for additional times and for an informational meeting with the teacher.

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Hindustani Vocal

Teacher: Vandana Rao

Vandana Rao Hindustani Vocal

Vandana Rao has been a music enthusiast from a very young age and started her music training at the age of 8. She trained in Mumbai for over 8 years in the khayal style of Hindustani music under the tutelage of several gurus. After moving to the US, she renewed her training in music under Smt Sadhana Upadhyay at the LearnQuest Academy of Music in Waltham, Massachusetts, learning various styles of Hindustani music including khayal, and light folk. More recently, she has also started training in dhrupad style of Hindustani music from Pt. Ramakant Gundecha, and also trains under Warren Senders, a vocalist and composer in Indian and Western music.

In 2014 Vandana started the Sur Samvaad School of Music in Westborough where she teaches classical music to both young children and adults alike and currently has over a thirty students. She performs at local events and enjoys composing music in her free time.

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Learn one of the oldest forms of Indian classical music. Hindustani classical music, or the North Indian style of music has a rich tradition of raga based expression of songs and notes. This class is open for students at all levels and will take music enthusiasts through a journey of both classical, light classical and film music. The classes are designed to give the students an insight into classical music as well as classical based film songs, bhakti geet (devotional songs), and patriotic songs. The raags will be taught in the typical sequence that is taught in a formalized music program and will follow the curriculum as outlined by the Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya. Classes will draw upon popularly used bandishes (songs), as well as those created and composed by my guru, Smt. Sadhana Upadhyay. The classes will be held once a week for between 45-60 minutes.

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Mridangam

Teacher: Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar

Gaurishankar Chandrashekhar

Gaurish Chandrashekhar is a student of Sri. K. Kalyanakrishnan, from the Tanjore Upendran school of mridangam. He had the opportunity to advance his mridangam skills under the able guidance of late Sri. Trichy Raghava Iyer, of the Bharathiya School of Music and Arts - Mumbai, India, and Kalaimamani Sri.Tiruvavur Bhaktavatsalam. He has over two decades of concert playing experience and has accompanied many leading visiting and local artists.

He has conducted lecture demonstrations at various music schools in the Boston area including the Berklee School of Music. He regularly provides percussion support for various Indian classical dance ensembles and arangetrams in the New England region. Gaurish has been teaching students, this fine art of percussion for over 15 years. His students have won awards for mridangam at the Cleveland Aradhana and CMANA competitions.

He plays other percussion instruments such as the dholak, congos, kanjira, morsing. He has collaborated and performed with various Jazz and Bluegrass artists in the Boston area. In 2009, he recorded mridangam and kanjira for the Boston Symphony Orchestra's Classical Companion web project to encourage young composers. In 2014, he was awarded a grant through Massachusetts Cultural Councils' - 'Keepers of Tradition' program as a Master artist.

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Beginner Level: Students at the Beginner level will first get introduced to mridangam. Theoretical concepts will cover the history, construction and sounds of the instrument, concept of mathras, talas, and rhythm. Students will start learning and playing the basic strokes and konakkol (verbal rendition of percussion strokes) values. Focus will be more on stroke clarity than volume of material covered as the intent is for the students to have a strong foundation. Once the students master the basic strokes, lessons will be customized (based on student’s progress) to play in Adi and Rupaka Talam.
Given the volume of material (basic strokes patterns) to cover, it is estimated that the Beginner level will take anywhere between 8-12 months assuming students will practice at least 30 minutes every day.
What is expected from Students & Parents: Students are expected to memorize, recollect and play the basic strokes during the first few months. Parent’s presence during classes will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Recommend parents to sit through the class every third week (or a mutually agreed upon time) to see their kid’s progress.

Intermediate Level: Students, both new and those graduating from Beginner level, will be evaluated to see if they are ready for the Intermediate level. At the Intermediate level, students will learn the format of a solo performance piece (Thani Avarthanam). Advanced Theermanam, Korvai, and Nadai (in Adi and Rupaka Talam) will be taught. Based on individual student’s progress, students will be introduced to Misra Chapu and Kanda Chapu concepts. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform in solo (Thani Avarthanam) and also accompany simple songs in Adi and Rupaka Talam.
What is expected from Students & Parents: Commitment to practice at least an hour every day; Ability to recite complex konakkal in Adi and Rupaka Talam and basic konakkol in Misra Chapu and Kanda Chapu Talam.

Please contact the Center for additional class times

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Piano

Teacher: Matthew Zakhary Johnson/Grace Soonjoo Moon

Matthew Zakhary Johnson/Grace Soonjoo Moon

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Group Music Workshop (Ages 7-10, 11-18): A small group workshop on singing and basic piano playing, which includes reading and notating music, understanding harmony and counterpoint, counting rhythm, and the history of music. Students learn basics on a variety of instruments including piano, xylophone, and drums. The level of the material will adapt to the students in the class and their background and interests.

Individual Piano Lessons (Ages 4-7, 8+): Lessons for beginners originate in the Suzuki method of listening and playing first, with music notation mixing in later. For students with prior experience, lessons begin with whichever method the student had worked with in the past (such as Bastien method or Faber & Faber), and expand from there to meet the student's needs. Music is drawn from the Western Classical and folk traditions, and prepares for recital performances.

Class times other than the ones listed below are also available. Please email for additional times and for an informational meeting with the teacher.

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Tabla

Teacher: Ajit Acharya

Ajit Acharya

New England-based tabla artist Ajit Acharya began his training under the tutelage of Sri Sheshagiri Rao of Bangalore, India. He also studied extensively with Dr. Rajan Sachdeva, one of the most respected and prolific Indian music teachers in the midwest. His tabla apprenticeship continues today under the guidance of Pandit Samar Saha of the Benares gharana (or style) of tabla.

Ajit has performed all over the country as a soloist and accompanist with various genres including fusion, jazz and experimental music. As a passionate educator and proponent of Indian classical music, Ajit has given lecture-demonstrations and workshops at multiple colleges and universities. He continues to teach dedicated students of all ages throughout New England, the midwest and the west coast.

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The class will cover information about the history of Indian percussion, the structure and sounds of the instrument, basic hand movements and fingering, and rhythmic patterns. Students of all ages will learn correct techniques of playing the instruments, learn basic taals (beats) and laya (rhythm), kaidas (composition or variation), improvisations and expression.

Students will gain knowledge of basic musical concepts (e.g. time and rhythm) through activities such as playing recorded music or playing an instrument in class accompanied by Center for Arts and Wellness students, designing creative activities to allow students to experience different musical styles, interpret musical scores and compose their own music. Classes will cover music theory, history, harmony, counterpoint, form and analysis. The class will also provide aural training through the performance of music, talks, discussion, use of audiovisual equipment, practical music and written assignments.

Note: additional private class times available

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