Educator
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Kalyan is an active teacher and educator of percussion conducting master classes, clinics, residencies, private lessons, and performances for reputed Universities as well as for inner city public schools. His work with the Rhythmunity Ensemble is recently applauded in the very prestigious national music magazine, "Downbeat". Read the "Downbeat" Article
Kalyan is faculty percussion teacher with Merit School of Music, Project Begin
Kalyan's formal training in the tabla and Indian music, in Western music, and in orchestral and jazz percussion, along with extensive performing experience; all combined make him a very unique and accessible teacher.
Teaching subjects:
 | Hand percussion: tabla, dholak, kanjeera along with the rhythms from India |
| Conga drums and polyrhythmic ensembles in Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and Latin music traditions |
| All styles in drumset, and improv on drumset in jazz |
| Rudimental snare drum, stick control, basic drumset reading |
| Middle Eastern rhythms on various frame drums, dumbek etc. |
| Various approaches to odd time signatures, motivic development and syncopation |
| Spoken rhythms, improvisation using linguistic aspects of rhythm |
Teaching Experience:
| Master classes, Clinics on music of India: Northwestern University, De Paul University, Roosevelt University, College of Du Page, Aurora University, and in Rio de Janeiro, Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil |
| Faculty with Merit Music School since 2000 |
| Teaching outreach program residencies ranging from 8 to 32 week periods in each school year for "Project Begin" of Merit Music School, and for "Youth Jam" for Rock For Kids foundation |
| With the "Rhythmunity" ensemble, performed over 200 shows on World Percussion for inner city schools for International Music Foundation, since 1997 |
| Actively teaching private lessons for over 10 years in Chicago |
| 4 weeks at College of Du Page teaching music of India, as a part of a world music class |
| Led percussion ensembles for shows for large groups of children at the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and for Duncan YMCA |
Residencies:
Kalyan conducts many residencies in a variety of settings of middle schools, high schools, homeless shelters and/or recreational centers for kids and youth, where he teaches world percussion and hand drumming to children of all ages.
The focus of such a residency is not only percussion and playing styles from all over the world such as Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, African, Latin and Middle Eastern styles, but also the key aspects of any percussion ensemble such as team work, listening to each other, learning to lead and to follow as in call and response etc.
Residencies in progress...
Fall 2002- Spring 03
| 32 week residency at Lydia Home, with for Rock for Kids and Merit School of Music |
| 32 week residency at House of the Good Shepherd, for Rock for Kids and Merit School of Music |
| 8 weeks Residency at Greene School, a Chicago Public School, with Doug Brush for International Music Foundation |
| 8 weeks Residency at Perez School, a Chicago Public School, with Doug Brush for International Music Foundation |
| 8 weeks Residency at Prescott School, a Chicago Public School, with Doug Brush for International Music Foundation |
| 8 Week Residency at 4th Presbyterian Church, Downtown Chicago, for Rock For Kids and Merit School of Music, with Elizabeth Basta, teaching songs and drumming from around the World |
REPORT OF CHICAGO HOUSING AUTHORITIES on ABLA PUBLIC HOUSING and DUNCAN YMCA MUISIC CONCERT
Click on to view 2001-02, Spring 2001, Fall 2000 residencies
Private Lessons
In 1986 Kalyan started to impart his knowledge of drums and percussion to students all over India, from the cities of Ahmedabad, Bombay, Poona and Baroda.
| Some of his students in India have gone on to become professional drummers, notably, Hiren Parmar, who has been on 18 successful tours of Africa, Canada, UK and the US with his band from India, and Jignesh Dave, who has performed in the UK, Africa and the US. |
In Chicago, Kalyan has been actively teaching and giving private lessons for past 10 years. As a recognized Master artist in Illinois, Kalyan has received a reputed Illinois Arts Council grant called "Master-Apprentice Program" for three different students.
| Kalyan's student body includes some of the finest drummers and percussionists from Chicago, such as Bruce Carver, Barry Grossman, Doug Brush |
Accepting serious students only for his home studio in Glendale Heights, Illinois for...
| tabla and Indian percussion |
| drumset in all styles including Hindi pop and Garba |
| improv on drumset using vocalization of rhythms and applying Indian rhythm concept to drumset |
| conga, frame-drums and other percussion and rhythms related to Afro-Cuban, African, Brazilian and Middle Eastern music |
Master Classes
Kalyan is called upon regularly to conduct master classes and to give clinics on tabla and Indian music at various universities and colleges around Chicago and through out the state of Illinois.
Kalyan conducts these classes in different formats for general music class students or for dedicated percussion students.
| Starting from the basics of tabla and its construction, Kalyan takes his class in depth through playing technique, vocalization of syllables, tala rhythm cycles, improv on tabla, and many other topics related to Indian music |
Kalyan has given these classes at Northwestern University, De Paul University, Roosevelt University, Aurora University, College of Du Page.
Please Contact Kalyan on email kalyan@kalyanpathak.com for specific inquiries regarding bookings for your school, college or University, or for lesson time availability.
Rhythmunity Ensemble:
The Rhythmunity Ensemble in a performance at Chicago Cultural Center
The Rhythmunity Ensemble is comprised of master percussionists from all over the world, including Haiti, Senegal, Costa Rica, India and the US, who play traditional rhythms from the countries listed above and many more. Founding member, Doug Brush, is a versatile percussionist regularly performing in a variety of settings be they classical, chamber music, jazz, world music, theater and rock. Doug brought together Kalyan, Dominique Louis (Haiti), Samba Ngom (Senegal), Alejo Poveda (Costa Rica), Bob Garrett and Andy Jones (US) to explore and encourage learning of each other's musical traditions. Together, they created an educational show, which comprises a tour of the world through music and stories. Currently, Rhythmunity Ensemble is a pool of 10 such percussionists and it is growing as one of the finest educational groups in the midwest.
Working with organizations such as the International Music Foundation, the ensemble has performed for over 70,000 Chicago public school students, and has worked in the classroom with hundreds more. The ensemble is contracted for over 60 shows in the current school year.
Rhythmunity Press Shot
A typical Rhythmunity show starts from West Africa and travels through the Middle East, to Haiti, to India, to Australia, to Cuba, to Brazil. The percussionists play and demonstrate instruments such as djembe, djun djun, mbira, riq, muzzar, rada drums, tabla, kanjeera, dijeridoo, congas, berimbau, guica, etc. Apart from the basic construction and playing technique, the ensemble shares with its audience unique stories that go with many indigenous instruments.
A typical Rhythmunity Audience...
Philosophy:
| Through workshops, clinics, and other educational programs, The Rhythmunity Ensemble strives to promote cooperation, sharing and teamwork in our society. |
| Drumming is a communal art and inherently requires listening to each other, encourages respect of each other's ideas, and promotes self confidence. |
| In performance, the ensemble seeks to not only entertain, but also to broaden audiences' knowledge of the power of music and drumming. |
| By sharing the knowledge of drumming, Rhythmunity strives to strengthen community and promote multi-cultural understanding. |
To contact Rhythmunity Ensemble for bookings, up-coming show schedule or information, please contact kalyan@kalyanpathak.com or Call Doug Brush at (773)-384-3458
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