Hello. I haven't been on this site for more than a few years, and it's refreshing that it has continued and grown. Anyhow. . .
My undergrad audition date for the Ethnomusicology department at UCLA is in two weeks. I asked if my judges would know about tabla, and I got a reply that sounded like they would have a basic concept, and possibly some instruction, but no strong foundation ( I inquired about Abhiman Kaushal; he teaches there but would not be present for the audition).
Any suggestions about what I should play are greatly appreciated. My strengths are in Delhi gharana kaidas, and in Jaipur gharana dance bols. How many kaidas I should play, should I play in taals that I'm not as comfortable in, but generally perform well at, or what? Again, any suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated.
Thank You!
Ravi
Oh. .I may as well let you know that I have been learning under Ramesh Kumar for about 12 years now. .
Well, you could demonstrate the two main uses of tabla - as a solo instrument, and as an accompanist.
If you have a Nagma (or maybe you can ask a friend to accompany you on harmonium - even better), perhaps you could perform a short tabla solo in tintal, explaining each section as you go along. . That would demonstrate your knowledge and understanding, as well as your performance skills. I'm actually surprised that you have to audition for an ethnomusicology degree. .
For the accompaniment part, you could demonstrate a few tals. Or, bring along a sitar player to perform a short piece.
It depends on how long the audition is to be, and what the requirements are. Try to find out what they are looking for. .what sort of thing they want you to demonstrate.
