Past Activities

 Research | Education | Documentation

Research on the musicology embedded in

Guru Granth Sahib

1. “Vajai anhad mera mun leena" - Sound, Sense and Sensibility in Sikhi
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur
at Conference on First Parkash Day of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, San Jose Gurdwara, August 25th 2012

2. "Patāl Form in Sikh Shabad Kīrtan (Sacred Music)"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
Conference on Sikh and Punjabi Studies: Achievements and New Directions
November 10-12, 2011
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California (http://ihr.ucsc.edu/sikhstudiesconference)

Organized by Prof. Nirvikar Singh and Dr. Inderjit Kaur

 

3. "Shabad Kirtan in the 21st Century: Aesthetics and Affect"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
Conference on Transnational Punjabis in the 21st Century
May 5-7, 2011
University of the Fraser Valley
British Columbia, Canada

4. "Musical aesthetic and form in the Ādi Granth, and implications for Gurmat Sangīt as a distinct musical idiom,"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
Conference on Hermeneutics of Sikh Music and Word
May 22, 2010
Hofstra University
Hempstead, Long Island, New York

5. "Beyond the contemporary format of North Indian Classical music: Deciphering the musical knowledge embedded in Sikh scripture"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
Annual Meeting of the British Forum for Ethnomusicology
April 10, 2010
Oxford University
Oxford, England

6. "Sikh Music: Tuning to Deep Consciousness,"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
Department of Music Seminar
October 16, 2009
Hofstra University
Hempstead, Long Island, New York

7. "The meaning of ghar in shabad headings of Guru Granth Sahib,"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
UC Riverside International Seminar on Sikhism in Global Context
Saturday, December 6, 2008, 1-2:30 pm, San Diego Room, Mission Inn Riverside, California

8. "Research Issues in Sikh Music," by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
UCSC Graduate Colloquium on Current Issues in Music
Tuesday May 8, 2007, 4-5:45 pm, Room 128, UCSC Music Center, Santa Cruz, California

9. "Partaal and Guru Arjan Dev ji's contribution to Gurbani Keertan,"
by Dr. Inderjit Kaur,
at International Conference on Guru Arjan Dev ji,
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, Saturday, July 29, 2006.


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Educational programs on heritage keertan,

especially for the youth

1. Presentation by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur
From raag to rock: shabad kirtan genres, their musical attributes, and affect on listeners
May 28, 2011, 10 am - noon
LynuxWorks Inc., 855 Embedded Way
San Jose, CA 95138

2. Guest Lecture by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur
Sikh Sacred Music
May 26th, 2011
Stanford University, Department of Music

3. Presentation by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur
Seeking To Recover Our Guru's Music Heritage
September 25, 2010, 10 am - noon
LynuxWorks Inc., 855 Embedded Way
San Jose, CA 95138

4. Farid Bani Shabad Keertan
(Sikh Classical Devotional Music Performance)
by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur
Research Associate, Music Department, UC Santa Cruz
Founding Director, Sikh Music Heritage Institute, Santa Cruz, California
Sponsored by the Center for South Asia Studies, UC Berkeley
Saturday, April 19, 2008

The performance followed after the
2008 Amrit Kaur Ahluwalia Memorial Lecture on Sikhism
"Sikh & Muslim Understandings of Baba Farid"
by Professor Christopher Shackle
School of Oriental and African Studies and Centre of South Asian Studies, University of London

 

5. Collaboration with the Sri Hemkunt Foundation

 Keertan Competition

19th International Hemkunt Symposium
Orlando, Florida, United States, August 2-5, 2007

This program was founded, designed and implemented by
Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur, President of SMHI

6. Lecture and presentation on Sikh Music to Professor Gurinder Singh Mann's Sikhism class,

University of California, Santa Barbara,
by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur,
Monday, March 5th, 2007

7. "Chauki, Aasa ki" - commentary on Sikh Musicology,
by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur,
followed by keertan according to Sikh maryada,
by SMHI youth jattha.
Fremont gurdwara, Fremont, CA
Saturday, August 5th, 2006

8. Puraatan Ramkali Keertan and presentation by SMHI women's jattha
at International Conference on Guru Arjan Dev ji,
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA, Friday, July 28, 2006.

9. Keynote speech at 2nd annual Gurbani Keertan Sammelan, Guru Nanak Foundation of America, Silver Spring, MD, Sunday, May 28, 2006.
SMHI Director Dr. Inderjit Kaur also served as a judge for the GNFA youth keertan competition

10. "Sikh Musical Instruments from the 16th and 17th Century,"
by Bhai Baldeep Singh, January 8, 2006


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11.  "Puraatan Reetan" (16th and 17th century shabad compositions),
by Bhai Sahib Bhai Avtar Singh Ragi, July 30, 2005


To purchase a DVD of this program click here.


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Documentation of heritage keertan,

especially by accomplished musicians

1. DOCUMENTARY FOOTAGE OF 11TH GENERATION SIKH MUSICIAN
   · Two-hour interview of Bhai Gurcharan Singh Ragi
   · Conducted by Dr. Inderjit N. Kaur, Fremont, May 2009
    · Covers his life and his views on Gurmat sangeet
    · Raw footage to be used for future documentary project

2. DVD, PURAATAN REETAAN IN EVENING RAAGS 
   · Keertan program of compositions from the Sikh Guru period
   · Live, at the Sikh Gurdwara San Jose, July 30, 2005
By Bhai Sahib Bhai Avtar Singh Ragi and Jattha
    · 11th generation ragi sahib
    · Recognized by Punjabi University, Patiala, as master of old compositions

Heritage Documentation Features
   · Medieval melody - Moosay ki vaar ki dhooni
   · Traditional way of starting Sikh music session - shaan, manglacharan
   · Traditional Sikh instruments - taus and jori
   · Raags distinct to the Sikh tradition - Maajh, Aasa
   · Raags preserved in the Sikh tradition - Kaanra (pre-darbari), Vadhans
   · Taals not prevalent any more in other vocal traditions - punjtaal

Presentation and release of Puraatan Reetaan DVD
at the Gurdwara Sahib San Jose, CA, USA, March 5, 2006



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