IDENTITY IN DIVERSITY: ESSENCE OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
International Gallerie|Vol. 22, No. 2, 2019, 'IDENTITY'
Music in India has had an all-pervasive existence permeating every walk of life. We have a bewildering variety of musical categories, systems, and forms, many of which are specific to region, community, age, gender and occasion. In fact, while these musical streams have had a parallel existence, there have been several instances of them having drawn from each other and having moved across these boundaries. This musical plurality is hardly surprising given the fact that the arts reflect the immense cultural diversity that we live amidst.
Aneesh Pradhan
IDENTITY IN DIVERSITY: ESSENCE OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC

Music-makers in India come from a variety of social strata. However, the original custodians of certain kinds of traditional music that require extended specialised training, have been professionals from hereditary musician families. In the case of folk music, these musicians have belonged to specific communities of musicians, while those involved in the practice of systems of art music like Hindustani and Carnatic have belonged to family lineages which have evolved diverse styles that have been passed down through generations.

Over the past several decades, many radical changes have transformed the nature of music-making and the demographics of those pursuing music as an occupation. Through this period, there has been a rising number of first-generation professional musicians, who are pursuing not just different kinds of Indian music, but have also taken to western art music, rock, pop, jazz, electronic music and film and non-film popular music. In a sense, these changing demographics can be seen as a form of democratising the act of music-making, and yet, there is no doubt that the role of the original custodians of traditional knowledge has been vital.

This story is from the Vol. 22, No. 2, 2019, 'IDENTITY' edition of International Gallerie.

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This story is from the Vol. 22, No. 2, 2019, 'IDENTITY' edition of International Gallerie.

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