Bhai Avtar Singh (1925-2006) was a renowned exponent of Gurmat Sangeet who preserved and documented the traditional raags of Gurbani Kirtan.
Courses
Introduction to Gurmat Sangeet
A beginner-friendly survey of Gurmat Sangeet, the classical tradition of Sikh sacred music. This course explores the practice of Kirtan and its central place in Sikh worship, the system of Raags that organizes Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, an overview of the thirty-one main Raags, the traditional instruments and the…
Raag in Gurbani
An introduction to the role of Raag, the classical melodic framework of South Asian music, within Gurbani and the worship tradition of the Sikhs. This course explains what a Raag is, how Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is organized by Raag, the emotional character associated with the principal Raags, and how melody is…
The Raagi's Craft: Kirtan Maryada and the Discipline of Singing Gurbani
A graduate-level study of the discipline and etiquette of ਕੀਰਤਨ (kirtan), the sung devotion at the heart of Sikh worship. The course explains, in plain English, why the Sikh Rehat Maryada limits kirtan in the congregation to Gurbani and a short list of approved compositions, what this means for the
The Raags of Sri Guru Granth Sahib: How the Scripture Sings
The Raags of Sri Guru Granth Sahib: How the Scripture Sings
The Craft of Taal: Rhythm in Gurmat Sangeet
A graduate-level study of rhythm in Sikh devotional music. This course explains taal, the rhythmic cycle that gives kirtan its time and shape, in plain English. It covers the role of the percussion instruments the jori, the tabla, and the pakhawaj, the taals most commonly used to sing Gurbani, and t
Shabad Reet: The Traditional Kirtan Compositions
A graduate-level study of ਸ਼ਬਦ ਰੀਤ (shabad reet): the traditional, set musical compositions used to sing particular shabads, handed down through teacher-to-student lineages. The course explains what a reet actually is, how the old compositions (pracheen reets) were documented and preserved, and how
Tanti Saaj: The Stringed Instruments of Gurmat Sangeet
A graduate-level but plain-English study of the ਤੰਤੀ ਸਾਜ਼ (tanti saaj) — the traditional stringed instruments of Gurmat Sangeet. We trace the rabab linked to Bhai Mardana, the bowed saranda, taus and dilruba, and the percussive jori, asking why the tradition prizes these instruments, how they were n