An update on Rohan's pursuit

[RKrishnamurthy]

As some of you know Rohan is pursuing a PhD in Musicology at the famous Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester) as a Provost Fellow. I am happy to share the news that he has successfully cleared the PhD Qualifying examination. These were some tense moments since this exam is a major hurdle for the students. Lasting for three full days, the exam covers the entire cannon of Western Classical Music and Ethnomusicology and essays have to be written on the topics that appear on the exam, providing new and original interpretation and not just quote some papers already written. The most challenging part was the score analysis where one has to identify several scores accurately as to the composer, the time period and then write something new on it. No audio is provided but the students can try to plat them on a piano that is accessible in the exam hall. It is difficult to provide an example from the Carnatic genre since there is no notation involved. But assuming that a notation did exist and one was provided with the notation of any composer, not necessarily the well known ones, how easy is it to identify the composer, the composer’s time period and in what language it was composed! Quite mindboggling and personally some what absurd. But then that is the territory one has to play on and there is no choice. The worst part is despite passing the exam the department can still ask you to leave the program saying the you are not ready for a PhD! This does happen since the exam is corrected by every faculty in the department and then decisions made by collective discussion. The other hurdles were passing two foreign languages. He was allowed to be tested in Tamil given his interest in South Indian percussion and the other one was German, again a tough call. The best compliment was when the committee told him “you have learned the nuisances of Western Classical music in three years what many other students have taken fifteen years”.
Now Rohan’s status is known as All But Dissertation (ABD) and the main task is to work with the Dissertation Committee. In principle he can be considered for faculty positions although his immediate plans are to spend an extended period of time in India next year to complete the research and also revive performance engagements in India that had by necessity experienced a hiatus for the past three years. In the US also he had been forced to be selective in accepting concerts in view of the work load so far. I am posting this also to alert the many gifted children out there seriously thinking of pursuing music as a career path in the US, as Rohan has done. Rohan and I will be happy to share our experience with those interested at an appropriate time. Thanks.
Rama Krishnamurthy

[rshankar]

Sri Krishnamurthy - my best wishes to Rohan! I have been a fan since he played in Indianapolis as a high-school student.
On a purely lighter vein, it is very nice to note that one can progress from an 'ABCD' to an 'ABD'!

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Rama: Congratulations to Rohan!!! Heartening to hear!! Just a question in the last line of the first paragraph of your posting,"you have learned the nuisances of Western Classical Music --" --it should be NUANCES of Western Classic Music, I presume!!

Importantly your message for gifted children to pursue their dreams is well-timed at a time when kids are ambivalent about the careers,economy etc. When I came into the US almost 42 years ago, I was floored by the interest in Liberal Arts and Humanities,interest in oriental cultures--art,music dance etc amidst mounds of economic prosperity that permitted such "indulgences". We have come a full circle with the economic doom and gloom. At this juncture for someone to embark upon such a mission shows commendable passion and unflinching commitment!!
Best of luck to Rohan.

[RKrishnamurthy]

Rama: Congratulations to Rohan!!! Heartening to hear!! Just a question in the last line of the first paragraph of your posting,"you have learned the nuisances of Western Classical Music --" --it should be NUANCES of Western Classic Music, I presume!!

Importantly your message for gifted children to pursue their dreams is well-timed at a time when kids are ambivalent about the careers,economy etc. When I came into the US almost 42 years ago, I was floored by the interest in Liberal Arts and Humanities,interest in oriental cultures--art,music dance etc amidst mounds of economic prosperity that permitted such "indulgences". We have come a full circle with the economic doom and gloom. At this juncture for someone to embark upon such a mission shows commendable passion and unflinching commitment!!
Best of luck to Rohan.

Sorry about the inadvertent spelling error! Yes, the topic is quite timely given the talent we see these days. I remember and old Russian saying " geniuses are created when you let a person do what he does best". Of course there will be challenges and road blocks. But it will certainly bring happiness to the person concerned albeit at the cost of some material comfort.

[uday_shankar]

Congrats and more power to young Rohan! It is heartening to note that kids can blossom in a natural way and successfully pursue the career of one's heart.

[mohan]

Congrats to Rohan and good luck with his doctorate studies. Has he decided on a thesis topic yet?
Does Eastman have a strength in Indian music, World music or ethnomusicology?

[cmlover]

Nice to hear about the success of Rohan in his progress towards becoming a specialist in Music. The grounding in Western Music will reinforce his knowledge of CM. We can expect significant contribution from him to CM blending the best from from WM. What are his future goals?
He should become a teacher motivating others to pursue musical career enriching CM and modernising CM for the 21st century! Congratulations and all the best!

[suma]

revive performance engagements in India that had by necessity experienced a hiatus for the past years. Rama Krishnamurthy

Congratulations Rohan.

I agree with the statement above. One has to set priorities and can always come back at any time in their life to revive music and get back into the field.

[VK RAMAN]

Congrats Rohan

[RKrishnamurthy]

Congrats to Rohan and good luck with his doctorate studies. Has he decided on a thesis topic yet?
Does Eastman have a strength in Indian music, World music or ethnomusicology?

Good question. Eastman is considered the best graduate school in the country for Musicology with a music library collection arguably the largest in the world. They do have an MA in Ethnnomusicology which Rohan received last year. At the PhD level, they have an Ethnotrack which is what he plans to pursue focusing on aspects of South Indian percussion. In the performance area Eastman and Julliard College are considered the very best. As far as CM is concerned, they have arranged concerts by L Subramaniam, Mali, PMI etc in the past and Ravikiran most recently. Incidentally Rohan had played with Ravikiran who also collaborates with Prof Bob Morris who is very knowledgeable about CM. Ravikiran will attest to that.
In terms of South Indian percussion, Rohan has introduced a one credit ensemble each semester for the past three years. Eastman paid to get mridangams from India and also pays Rohan for the ensemble. In turn they get student fees. One of the American students who was in his ensemble was really good and now demonstrates it in Interlochen. In addition he also conducts a Summer Institute on South Indian percussion that draws teachers and students from all over the country. This year he had three Indian kids, two from Dallas and one from Rochester. So one might say that during the past three years Eastman has received a good taste of South Indian percussion and have accepted it as part of their offerings.
A clarification. He is still not a PhD. The dissertation is still there. But the progress in three years has been excellent considering he joined the PhD program after his bachelors and not masters.

[Sam Swaminathan]

Well done, Rohan and best wishes for the dissertation. Keep us posted as to the subject you intend to persue for this....cheers

[mohan]

Prof Bob Morris who is very knowledgeable about CM.

Yes I am familiar with Robert Morris's journal articles on Carnatic music topics. His latest one is available at http://aawmjournal.com/articles/2011a/M ... ol_1_1.htm

They do have an MA in Ethnnomusicology which Rohan received last year ...

But the progress in three years has been excellent considering he joined the PhD program after his bachelors and not masters.

These two statements are confusing.

[RKrishnamurthy]

They do have an MA in Ethnnomusicology which Rohan received last year ...

But the progress in three years has been excellent considering he joined the PhD program after his bachelors and not masters.

These two statements are confusing.[/quote]

What I meant was Rohan was selected directly for the PhD Program after his double Bachelors in Chemistry and Music,unlike his other student colleagues who came with MAs in Musicology. After two years he had enough credits and a thesis in EthnoMusicology that they awarded him an MA in that area. In that respect the general impression is that within three years after a bachelors he has reached a stage of All But Dissertation. There may be other examples in other disciplines of course in as much as some students take five to six years to reach this goal.
Rama

[cacm]

Dear R'K,
You are right. Things vary all over the place. C.N.Yang's PH.D Thesis was apparently only 90 words long! He was not only a Nobel Laurate- was one of S.Chandrasekhar's star students & actually got the Nobel well before S.C.- and these things do not matter if your level is well above such mundane considerations. VKV

[vasanthakokilam]

Yes I am familiar with Robert Morris's journal articles on Carnatic music topics. His latest one is available at http://aawmjournal.com/articles/2011a/M ... ol_1_1.htm

This is good stuff. Thanks Mohan for the link. Prof. Morris will fit right in here at rasikas.org

[VK RAMAN]

I like to know Rohan's phone, if available. You can send it through rasikas message

[RKrishnamurthy]

I like to know Rohan's phone, if available. You can send it through rasikas message

The number is 269-352-2021.

[VK RAMAN]

A friend of mine was trying to reach Rohan and they are in touch. He is getting a mrindangam from Rohan. Thank you.

[sridharrajagopal]

Thanks for the update! This is fantastic news! Good luck to Rohan!

Regards,
Sridhar