Tabla Exam Success for Forest Lake Boys

A copy of the article on my tabla students' recent PRSSV tabla exam results, to be published in May 2012 Brisbane Indian Times:

Tabla students from Forest Lake, The Gap and Bundaberg have achieved distinctions in a London-based tabla exam. Bhavik Barot (12, tabla grade 5), Neel Chandra (15, grade 4), Krishan Chandra (13, grade 3), Sivamsan Senthilvasan (9, grade 3) and Abraham Birkelund (10, grade 1) earned top results among 14 Queensland tabla students who took the exams held by Pandit Ram Sahai Sangeet Vidyalaya (PRSSV).

Of the other students of the Ashutosh Bhattacharya Memorial Tabla School who took the exams, 6 received merits and 3 passes. The exams are available in 8 grades equivalent to AMEB or Trinity music examinations. The students have to study a range of practical and theoretical material including classical tabla repertoire, Hindustani classical music theory, music writing system, biographies of famous musicians, and the history of tabla gharanas.

Bhavik, Neel and Krishan have weekly tabla classes together in Forest Lake with tabla teacher Shen Flindell, who also gives group and private lessons at other locations around Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Abraham and his father, Swedish-born Tor Birkelund travel to Brisbane all the way from Bundaberg for their tabla lessons, and have plans for Abraham to take more intensive tabla studies in an ashram in India next year.

The top Brisbane tabla students, Tito Basu (16, Springfield) and Sanjey Sivaananthan (16, Westlake) successfully completed grade 7 and will attempt grade 8 when the exams are next held in Brisbane next January. As well as completing requirements on tabla, Tito and Sanjey had to present compositions and demonstrate theoretical knowledge in two ragas. PRSSV are currently applying for recognition by the Qld Studies Authority, so that from next year exam results will be included in the students' school certificates.

For enquiries about PRSSV tabla exams, tabla lessons, repairs and instrument sales, please contact Shen Flindell on 0415106428 (after June 9) or email shen@ethnosuperlounge.com

Brisbane Family Success in Tabla Exam

Rhea Ravi (7) and Ritvik Ravi (13) achieved distinctions in PRSSV tabla exam

A brother and sister in Parkinson have achieved distinctions in a London-based tabla exam. Ritvik Ravi (13) and Rhea Ravi (7) received top marks among 12 tabla students from Brisbane and Gold Coast who took the exams held by Pandit Ram Sahai Sangeet Vidyalaya (PRSSV). Rhea Ravi also studies Carnatic vocals under her mother, well-known vocalist Susmitha Ravi, as well as Bharat Natyam dance. Ritvik Ravi has also taken his mother's singing lessons and currently also plays drumkit.

All the other students of the Ashutosh Bhattacharya Memorial Tabla School who took the exams achieved merits. The exams are available in 8 grades equivalent to AMEB or Trinity music examinations. The students have to study a range of practical and theoretical material including classical tabla repertoire, Hindustani classical music theory, music writing system, biographies of famous musicians, and the history of tabla gharanas. 

The top Brisbane tabla students, Tito Basu (15) and Sanjey Sivaananthan (15) successfully completed grade 6 and will attempt grade 7 when the exams are next held in Brisbane next February. PRSSV are currently applying for recognition by the Qld Studies Authority, so that from next year exam results will be included in the students' school certificates.

For enquiries about PRSSV tabla exams, tabla lessons, repairs and instrument sales, please contact Shen Flindell on 0415106428 or email shen@ethnosuperlounge.com



CONCERT DATE
Sunday October 16: Queensland Multicultural Festival, Roma St Parklands.  Tabla Tarrango will perform on the Children's Stage from 1245 to 1pm.

   (to be printed in Brisbane Indian Times Oct 2011 edition)