The Many Routes to Bhav in Thumri                                                                                                                         
An illustrated lecture presented by Vidya Rao

If there is one thing that clearly marks thumri as different from other musical forms, it is its emphasis on bhav, on the creation of the emotional universe(s) of the sung text. What is less clear is how exactly this magical affect is to be created.

This presentation will devote to thumri and dadra in the voices of some singers to understand the many ways that they use sound and silence, voice modulations and rhythmic play to create bhav--the many meanings in what becomes the multiple narratives within a single text.

Vidya Rao is a performer of thumri-dadra and ghazal. For many years the disciple of the legendary singer, the late Vidushi Naina Devi, she continued her study of this form under the late Vidushi Shanti Hiranand and the late Vidushi Girija Devi. In addition to her work as a performer, she has also researched and written extensively on music and the performing arts.