Lessons are scheduled at your convenience and can take place online from the comfort of your home, at Mohamed’s Burnaby music studio, or in downtown Vancouver at the VSO School of Music. Open to anyone from complete beginner to advanced musician. All ages welcome. No musical experience required.
“Through Mohamed’s calm and clear way of teaching, I gained the confidence in believing that I can learn to play indian music properly, as complicated as it first seems. Mohamed showed me how beautiful it can be to play Hindustani music, that there lies a whole new musical world for me, a western classical violinist, to discover.” — Brigitte Mallon
“Mohamed was the perfect teacher: clear, sympathetic, patient, yet intense and focused in musical terms.” — Richard Wrigley, Sitar Student
A typical one-day residency starts with an inspiring 30-minute assembly for the whole school, where Mohamed introduces students to the instruments and music, performs on sitar and tabla (hand drums), and engages in Q & A. This is followed by 3-4 interactive workshops with smaller groups (up to 30 students), resulting in a performance outcome at the end of the day. The workshops give students a hands-on music-making experience using South Asian melodies and rhythms.
Workshops:
- promote a general knowledge of South Asian music, including instruments, oral culture of music-making, geography and sounds
- introduce students to the basics of rhythm, including pulse, tempo, etc.
- introduce students to the basics of South Asian melody, including notes and scales
- develop coordination through clapping, chanting, body drumming, etc.
- increase math skills through a rhythmic experience (counting, dividing, fractions, etc.)
- instil personal confidence and group bonding, through a final group performance
- instil an appreciation for South Asian arts and culture
Longer residencies can include composition work, advanced performance practices and more. These are tailored for each school based on your objectives.
“The entire school enjoyed this presentation and Mohamed Assani presented himself very professionally, displaying a passion and excellent musicianship which brought a depth to the day. Students were amazed at how well he could play.” — MEI Middle School, Abbotsford, BC
