North Indian Classical Music II: Raga Composition and Development

Beyond the basic structure

This second course in the series moves past the physical construction of raga and tala. It turns to the aesthetic principles that performers draw on when they develop a raga during a concert.

Focus areas

• How raga and tala are built beyond their basic elements.
• The aesthetic ideas that shape melodic development in performance.
• How these principles connect the theory of raga to live playing.

Who should take it

Learners who have completed the fundamentals course will find this a natural next step. Because the description focuses on principles rather than exercises, it suits listeners and students who want to understand why a performance unfolds as it does.