Sadhana School of Indian Music: Connecting Indian-Americans to the rich traditions of Indian Classical music  

By NewsGram Staff Writer

If you want peace in society and happiness in life, then bring music in your life. As we take sports for physical well being, music is a must for inner happiness. – Pandit Ronu Majumdar

Sadhana School of Indian Music (Chicago, USA) held its Visharad (graduation) ceremony on July 5, 2015 at Orland Park, Illinois. About fifteen students graduated from the school after successful completion of their courses.

Sadhana School of Indian Music is one of the key institutes that help Indians residing in Illinois stay connected with their roots while learning more and promoting the Indian classical music. The school has been recognized by the prestigious Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and the Sangeet Prasarak of Pune, India.

Under the tutelage of Pt. Ronu Majumdar (Principal-Acharya), Pt. Durga Prasad Majumdar, Ms. Nirmita Dholakia and other expert faculty members, the children receive sound training in the fields of classical vocal music, flute and percussion.

The institute offers a 7 year course. 15 students graduated today and got certificates from the chief guest. Overall, 30 students from KG to secondary school are present in the school now.

Giving further details, Ms. Nirmita Dholakia, the co-founder and director of school, said that approximately 100 people attended the ceremony and around 20 students from the school gave performances of music; both as solo performers and in groups. The school, which started in 2003 is visited by Pandit Majumdar every year.

When one grows up in a different country, it is natural that certain ostensible differences in pronunciations arise.

On being asked how the children growing up in US deal with the seemingly hard to pronounce words they encounter in the lyrics of classical songs, Pt Majumdar said that Indian-American students in the music school have a different pronunciation than Indian kids learning in India and since the kids in USA have to deal with two cultures simultaneously, it is harder for them to cope and excel.

Nonetheless, they work hard and they achieve victory over this conflicting duality and render themselves well versed in their respective art forms.

The performances ended with the recital of Ramayana Chaupai by Pandit Ronu Majumdar and a bhajan by Ms. Nirmita Dholakia. The ceremony concluded with dinner and fireworks.