July Student of the Month - Aparnaa Muthaiah

Congratulations to our July 2014 Student of the Month – Guitar Student Aparnaa Muthaiah! Aparnaa Muthaiah is a 11 year old who has been taking guitar classes at our South Brunswick, New Jersey location with Mike Lukshis for 2 years.  Her interest in guitar began at the age of 5 when she heard a friend play for her. When she was 9, she starting learning and has grown to love guitar very much. When she has a full school day she practices for 30 minutes, but most other days she practices at least one hour a day! What's more amazing is that she Read More

3 Reasons to Attend a Sitar / Tabla Concert in New York City

In New York City, the options are endless - be it in restaurants, museums, concerts, or gatherings.  There can always be something to do or see, especially when it comes to entertainment.  On any given day, you'll find dozens of options in live music, theatre, comedy, and dance! Add the summer sun and weekends, and the number of options goes through the roof!  With great programming at the Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Bandshell, Central Park, and more, it's can be a task to select what to do. To make the choice a little more difficult (or easier?), here are 3 reasons why you Read More

Know your Indian Maestro Round #5

Here is a round five of our Indian maestro edition of Guess Who (or as we renamed it - WHO AM I?).  Scroll down for the right answer. Don't cheat! Share your memories or favorite songs by the maestro in the comments. If you haven't already, play all the other rounds here!     Gangubai Hangal Gangubai Hangal was a Indian singer of the khyal genre of Hindustani classical music, belonging to the Kirana gharana. Rising above societal prejudice, she established herself as a foremost vocalist, known for her deep and powerful voice. The daughter and grand-daughter of Carnatic vocalists, Gangubai did not take to Carnatic music Read More

How Vegetables Helped 400 Students Learn Tabla

While the First Lady Michelle Obama was harvesting vegetables from the White House garden with school children, last week, 400 students at Eisenhower Middle School learned learn about tabla (Indian hand drums) using vegetables in an assembly on Indian music by Taalim School. As the main drum of north Indian music, tabla occupies a large space in the musical landscape of India, thus serving as the perfect gateway through which to understand Indian music, and the basis of Taalim’s school outreach program. Over the course of the assembly, students learned about the role of tabla, how it is constructed, and Read More

June Student of the Month - Devyani Mishra

Congratulations to our June 2014 Student of the Month – Female Tabla Player Devyani Mishra! Devyani Mishra is a 10th grade student who has been taking tabla classes at our Piscataway and Edison locations with Jin Won since 2012.  Devyani was inspired to take tabla lessons after seeing a concert by Talavya and has been dedicated to the instrument since then.  Her love for tabla is such that she has decided to give her primary focus to tabla and her practice, reducing all of her other extra-curricular activities. In the Taalim community, Devyani is known for her extensive knowledge of tabla and Read More