Tala
Tabla Lessons
On this page you will find video excerpts from my studies with three important tabla players in the North Indian classical music tradition.
– Don Robertson
Tabla Lessons with Sri Swapan Chaudhuri
“Sri Swapan Chaudhuri is a highly acclaimed Indian tabla player and teacher, known for his virtuosity and contributions to the preservation and propagation of Indian classical music. He is recognized as one of the foremost tabla players in the world and has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Padma Shri award from the Government of India.” (Google AI Overview)
I was his private student during the 1990s, flying to California from Colorado, and later Virginia, for lessons. These are extracts from my lessons with Swapan Chaudhuri, a specialist in the Lucknow style of playing. His Swapan Chaudhuri Digital Library – a repository of his teachings – can be found at: www.ScTablaLibrary.org
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Playing Tintal
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Soloing in Accompanying Pt 1
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Soloing in Accompanying Pt 2
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Peshkar
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Benares Rela
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri
Parans
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Dhagaterekitetaka Kaida
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri DhaRaDha Kaida
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri
Ta-Tunga
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Roopak Tal No. 1
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Roopak Tal No. 2
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Roopak Tal Rela
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri DhaTeKaGeTeka Kaida (Mehesh)
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Mahesh Chakradhar Tehai
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Tun-taTun-ta Tukra in Mahesh Tal
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Asta Mongol Chakradhars
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Asta Mongol Gat No. 1
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Asta Mongol Gat No. 2
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Chulan Chunda Gat (Tintal)
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Dehli Gat Part 1
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Dehli Gat Part 2
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri
Gat
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri
"Gat Day" July 19, 2000
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Lucknow DipaldiTripaldi Gat
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Lucknow Taduni Gat
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri Dhamar Tal
Tabla Lesson with Swapan Siva
“Professor Pandit Swapan Siva is a renowned tabla maestro and educator from Kolkata, deeply rooted in the Farrukhabad gharana. As a disciple of Ustad Karamatullah Khan, he began his musical journey early, immersing himself in complex rhythmic patterns and classical traditions. He later established himself as a respected teacher in Kolkata, where his home became a vibrant hub for talim (tabla training), nurturing numerous students from a young age.” (Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust)
I filmed my lesson with Swapan Siva in 1994 when he was visiting Fort Collins, Colorado, where I lived at the time.
Tabla Lessons with Vishal Nagar
“Soulful musicality along with graceful virtuosity make Vishal Nagar one of the most gifted Tabla musicians of his generation. Born into a family of musicians, Mr. Nagar was fascinated by Tabla and began to play at an early age. He received training from his mother, the renowned Kathak danseuse and vocalist Vidushi Urmila Nagar, as well as the late Ustad Latif Khan and Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan. Mr. Nagar plays in the style of Delhi gharana (school) and draws upon techniques of the other Tabla gharanas such as Ajrara, Farukhabad, etc. He was awarded a Ministry of Culture Scholarship from the Department of Culture.” (92NY.org)
I created the videos below in 2006 in tabla lessons that Vishal gave when he was in Nashville, where I then lived.