Veena lessons

The Saraswati veena is an Indian string instrument. It is named after the Hindu goddess Saraswati, who is usually depicted holding or playing the instrument. Also known as Raghunatha veena. There are several variations of the veena, which in its South Indian form is a member of the lute family. Keyboard is convienient for small children or for adults.

We offer carnatic music lessons with keyboard/harmonium to children and adults minimum age 5 1/2. Vocal is also taught along with keyboard or harmonium. Students are taught fingering techniques along with raga and tala as in any carnatic instrument. It is a very melodious instrument and light to play for small children as well as adults.

How to buy keyboard?
We recommend Casio 61-Key Full-Sized Keyboard. You are welcome to purchase it in a local store or online.

What else do I need?
You would need a metronome and a three ring binder with sheet protectors to hold music notes. Bring the binder to every class.

What is the structure of the classes?
All students start off as private classes till they are ready to catch up with the group at the discretion of Kalabharati. Priliminary private classes are 30mt. Classes are tailored to the needs and abilities of the student. If you prefer to continue in private lessons they are double the group rate. Group classes are 45mt long.

Location:
Our studio is located near the intersection of New Territory Blvd and Homeward Way behind Sartartia Middle School.

For Registration form please click here

Fees:
At the first lesson of each month you pay for all the lessons in that month (4 lessons). We accept cash or check only. Checks are made payable to Kalabharati. If you join classes later than the first week of the month, tuition will be prorated for the first month. Prorating for family vacations or emergencies may be done once a year per student.

Once a year School program mandatory fee: $25.00 paid at the first class of the year or when you join Kalabharati. This is a great opportunity for students to show off their talents and musical progress. We are proud of every student!

Dress Code:
Comfortable loose fitting long skirt or pants.

Makeup Policy:
If a student does not contact us with their absence beforehand and does not show up for a lesson, that lesson will be forfeited. Tuition credit is not given for missed classes. Please realize our time to teach is limited and you are paying for and reserving our time each week. You may makeup one lesson each month. If you do not show up for a lesson or fail to notify in advance requesting makeup class you will lose that lesson. Notification Text: 713-540-6310 Notification Email: lesssons@kalabharati.org

One make up class is allowed for one month. Makeup classes are the first week of next month. If you cannot make it up you forfeit the makeup class.
Music instruments makeup: Wed 7pm

Contact us:
Often we are teaching lessons and cannot answer the phone. Please leave a message with your question. For a faster response, we encourage you to use email lessons@kalabharati.org.

Other popular types of veena are chitraveena, vichitra veena, mohanaveena and rudra veena. Out of these the rudra and vichitra veenas are used in Hindustani music. People play both traditional and contemporary music on veena.

Veena construction: About four feet in length, its design consists of a large resonator kudam carved and hollowed out of a log usually of jackwood or any other locally available wood, a tapering hollow neck called dandi is topped with 24 brass or bell-metal frets set in scalloped black wax. A tuning box culminating in a downward curve and an ornamental dragons head is called yali.

If the veena is built from a single piece of wood it is called ekandaveena. Else it is called kanda veena or ottu veena, now there are electric veena and veenas with guitar pegs.

A small table-like wooden bridge called kudurai—about 2 x 2½ x 2 inches—is topped by a convex brass plate glued in place with resin. Two rosettes, formerly of ivory, now of plastic or horn, are on the top board palakai of the resonator.

Four main playing strings tuned to the tonic and the fifth in two octaves for example, B flat-E flat below bass clef - B flat- E flat in bass clef stretch from fine tuning connectors attached to the end of the resonator across the bridge and above the fretboard to four large-headed pegs in the tuning box. Three subsidiary drone strings tuned to the tonic, fifth, and upper tonic (E flat - B flat- E flat in the tuning given above) cross a curving side bridge leaning against the main bridge, and stretch on the players side of the neck to three pegs matching those of the main playing strings. All seven strings today are of steel, with the lower strings either solid thick gauge wire or round wound.