Nirdosh Shaunak played sitar for World Music students

Nirdosh Shaunak played sitar for World Music students

Nirdosh Shaunak, long-time resident of Starkville who grew up in India, visited students enrolled in World Music class on October 11th to demonstrate her sitar.  Nirdosh first studied dance as a child. but after a bicycle accident, switched to sitar which she studied for 20 years.  She played her sitar for the students and answered questions about Indian music and culture.  Topics of the day included Hinduism, oral tradition, improvisation, tala (time cycle), raga (melodic system), women in carnatic (classical) music, and gender constructs.  Several students in the class took the opportunity for hands-on experience with the sitar.  Shown in the photo with Nirdosh is senior music major Lauren Barr whose concentration is piano.  The World Music course taught by professor Robert J. Damm includes units on the music-cultures of Native America, Africa, India, and Indonesia.  The course is also required for students earning a minor in music and culture.