VIRGINIA NICOLI

FEEDBACKS FROM STUDENTS:

Sequoia

"I am so grateful to have Virginia as my teacher! Taking classes with her has made me love playing the silver flute again. As a child, I learned to play in the Western classical music tradition, which gave me a lot, but it’s through Indian classical music that I truly feel connected with myself, my instrument, and the sounds that emerge when I play.”

Virginia is a great teacher. I really appreciate her dedication and the way she pays attention to detail. Patiently, kindly, and gently, she encourages me to be precise in order to capture the essence and beauty of the music, class after class. She inspires and shows the way through her own playing and compositions. And at the same time, she guides the process of exploring and expressing my own ‘musical voice’."

Merel M.

"Virginia is a special teacher I was able to appreciate during her wonderful seminars that always take place in enchanting places around the world. Not only she is  professional and prepared, but she knows how to involve and excite you. Participating in her Retreats means not only learning the art of classical Indian singing, but also meeting special people with whom to have new nourishing experiences of personal growth."

Sarah M.

"Experience could not be more complete: musically and personally. I've been brought to a new understanding of the sound such as of my inner self in the true meaning of Nada Yoga. Virginia  kindly carried me a step further in my path, offering new instruments and tools to open up my vision. “

Emilio D.

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What is Dhrupad?

Dhrupad is the oldest form of North Indian Classical Music.

Some date its origin back to the Sama Veda, however there is no actual proof of a connection so far back in time. 

What we can assume though, is that the idea of the power of sound and its actions over the material and mental world, that were present at the times of the Vedas have remained throughout the centuries, until today.  Those concepts are very deeply rooted in Indian Classical Music and characterize its structure and philosophy.

There are many great books on the history of Indian Classical Music and Dhrupad, and its history is as complex and long as history itself. 

However, here I would like to briefly explain Dhrupad not from a historical perspective but more on what it is all about, and describe it with my own words to give you an insight on what it is and the benefits it can bring to our life.

What our teachers have transmitted to us, is that Dhrupad is not only a musical genre, but rather a philosophy of sound. It is a way to use sound and music as personal research and development, which we call Sadhana.

Dhrupad is known also as Marga Sangeet which literally means music as path, in contrast to music as entertainment. 

This does not mean that Dhrupad can not be entertaining, fundamentally it means that it is not designed to excite the mind but rather to calm it and to bring it to a contemplative and peaceful state. 

In order to be able to transmit such qualities, the musician itself has to work on his/her own personal state of mind and being. Sound becomes the subject of one's personal journey of inner reflections and the lens through which we perceive sound and music. 

The musician becomes a scientist of Svar (note) and Taal (rhythm).

Like in other arts as well, the training requires lot of riyaz (practice), the day starts and ends with music. The student immerses him or herself in a deep research which lies in repeating and listening to the master and practicing by oneself following the guidelines of the teacher. 

The research lies in the practice of long notes, and in practicing many exercises in order to perfection the techniques to be able to acquire the perfection of Sur (tuning) and the perfection in rendering the Raga (Indian melodic form)

The wonderful thing is, the ear is like a muscle, and with proper training it will get refined. Little by little one starts to understand, hear and navigate the incredible universe of microtonal music.

When we want to learn this artwork seriously, we realize that a whole lifetime is not enough. 

This doesn’t mean we need to be discouraged to undertake this journey. On the contrary, it should make us eager to practice more and to do everything in our power to master this intricate artform.

At the same time I find that Indian Classical Music in general, and especially Dhrupad, gives us the means to learn music in a more universal way. It gives us tools to understand music theory, to recognize melodies and rhythms, to understand the wonderful world of tuning and intervals, of consonance and musical dialogue. 

Moreover, what is truly exceptional about Dhrupad is that on one hand it is a highly sophisticated art form, a classical music, that can become one’s life quest, and at the same time has deeply valuable qualities, practical exercises, that can be an amazing part of one’s personal daily Sadhana. 

Not only if you wish to become a professional musician but also for those that want to open up their voice and to sing without struggle, deepening they’re listening abilities, learning how to improvise and so much more. 

Indian Classical Music is often approached first with the voice before learning an instrument or instruments do follow the voice to learn from. Because the voice is considered to be the instrument par excellence and therefore the best way to learn. 

Since this music is taught through oral transmission, automatically one has to learn how to follow by ear. This learning approach gives us many qualities that are essential to a musician, no matter what music you make. 

I remember myself when I was learning at the conservatory, feeling so unable to actually make music once I was looking away from my music score. It was this feeling that led me towards improvised music. This urge to close my eyes and start to feel the music and the melodies from within. However there is no freedom without structure, and this is where I understood that there is a system in improvisation, a way that is similar in every improvised music.

  This music can be learnt on a large variety of instruments and I have spent a large portion of my study time following my teachers on the silver flute. 

In fact my teachers have encouraged me to undertake this journey and it has been and still is a wonderful quest.

If we look at the history of North Indian Classical Music , since North India has been invaded by many different cultures, we see instruments coming from Persia that have been adapted to this music, and the sitar itself came into existence in this way. Instruments such as the violin, mandolin, saxophone, cello and so many more are being used nowadays on a regular basis in Indian Classical Music.

As my teacher Ramakant Gundecha used to say, “limits are only in the mind”

Virginia Nicoli