Today we’d like to introduce you to Geeta Shreedar.
Geeta, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and brought up in the colorful, bustling city of Mumbai, in India. My parents, having an intuitive foresight perhaps, named me “Geeta”, meaning a song, and I literally sang my way through the strict admission test to one of the best schools in Mumbai at that time, Queen Mary School. I started learning Carnatic music at the age of six and was in the school choir for ten years, where I was exposed to classical western music and traditional hymns. Both genres of music and my wonderful teachers initiated my love for classical music, and my parents supported me completely. Carnatic music is an ancient classical music genre from South India, it is complex and tedious to learn, mastering 16 notes in permutations and combinations and working with microtones through songs, note patterns, and improvisation. I was fortunate to live right next to the Arabian Sea, and that itself had a great influence on my creativity. It seemed like the water flowed right through me, nourishing me with creative ideas!
I wrote poems, acted in dramas, indulged in art and painting, sang, and performed in competitions and at social occasions. After I completed my B. A. in Economics and Diploma in Office Management, I started working for The Times of India, a publication where I was on the advertising and event management team and helped organized megascale events like Miss India and Filmfare Awards. I worked for several years here as well as in advertising agencies moving up the corporate ladder quickly. I got married in 1995, after “dating” for a whopping five days (my kids still think we are crazy!) and moved to New Jersey. That first year was really challenging, getting accustomed to the social and cultural differences, and it was really hard not working, and it drove me up the wall! The advertising agencies were not willing to sponsor my work permit and said I was overqualified for their job positions. Hence, I joined community college for two years to do my pre-requisites and then completed my master’s degree in Management Information Systems. I got a job at Liz Claiborne Inc. as a software professional and worked for several years in IT.
Meanwhile, I had moved my music aside, just singing for occasions. Our two sweet daughters were born in 1999 and 2002, and I sang to them several times a day. My husband is an outdoors enthusiast, and we often went on hikes and camping trips with friends, singing campfire songs. In 2004, we moved to San Diego due to my husband’s job transfer. We did not know anyone and I wanted to maximize my time with our children. I quit my IT job and did small odd jobs and freelanced for San Diego Family Magazine, publishing several articles. One day, I was singing a song at the Hindu temple and was approached by a Mom who requested me to teach her child Carnatic music. I was very unsure, as I had never taught music, only performed it. I enrolled her daughter as my first student and joined Carnatic music classes from my new, fantastic teacher in India, who patiently guided and prepped me so I could regain and continue learning this genre of music. My daughters joined next and before I knew it there were recommendations and children wanting to learn Carnatic music from me. Over time, I established my school of music, and realized that I loved teaching music more than anything else! My little pup, Milo is my steadfast companion and loves our singing!
Today, I have over 80 students and we have monthly concerts as well as a monthly newsletter connecting us as a musical community. I have come full circle in my profession – from event manager to IT professional, freelancer, to music teacher! I believe when you are passionate about your work, it does not become a chore, and you don’t fret the long hours or effort that goes into it; it flows in naturally! I also believe that in life, one must give and take to complete the circle. Over the past 21 years, I have volunteered in my daughter’s schools, Girl Scouts, been a board member for the San Diego Art Institute (Balboa Park), President of the Mt. Carmel High School Choir, and performed with my students in a number of fundraisers to help the underprivileged. I love to support and encourage mothers who are starting their first business ventures or jobs. I have always been surrounded by music – Carnatic music that I teach, to music from all over the world. Learning is a continuous process for me; I completed my diploma in Music Therapy from Nada Centre for Music Therapy in India last year and am very involved in understanding the impact of music on human health. This year I was awarded a Certificate of Excellence from them for my continued support and contribution to the enhancement of Indian Music Therapy. I regularly volunteer for the organization as well as for the Indian Music Therapy Association. My vision is to see music not only for enjoyment and entertainment but a powerful way to help one heal and bring us as a community closer together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I believe challenges are important in life. They inadvertently make us realize our full potential, our innate talents, strengths, and limitations. In my teaching, I have had to re-learn Carnatic music with an intent to teach after a gap of over 20 years! It was very tedious at first, but with practice and mindfulness, I inched my way into mastering the notes and singing more complex songs, and learning to improvise. For those unaware of Carnatic music, a genre of classical music from South India, it is made up of 16 notes and unlike western music that works with perfect pitches with each note, Carnatic music notes are infused with oscillations, microtones that can be really difficult to sing. The beat or tala is as important – laden with mathematical precision that you do use one of your hands, simultaneously singing.
And to top it all, everything must be rendered with bhava or flavor/emotion, similar to a rich, spiced-up meal! A lesson involves sitting criss-cross on the floor with the spine erect, breathing correctly, ears tuned to listen carefully, abdominal singing, perfectly in tune with the drone or shruti, doing tala or the beats with one hand, reading/memorizing the notation, and singing with the appropriate emotion that the song or raga (melody set by the prescribed scale) calls for. To add to the complexity, one must learn songs in 4-5 different languages composed by the great musical founders and stalwarts. There are thousands of ragas or scales in Carnatic music and it is limitless. The biggest challenge in teaching this genre of music is inspiring and motivating youngsters to practice as well as correcting an imperfect pitch. Over time I realized that children respond to two things reasonably well: a goal-oriented program and a reward system.
In order for the students not to forget their old songs and lessons, I began a monthly concert inviting anyone to perform. The pre-requisite is that they had to sing the song perfectly in class, which meant they had to practice. I also started a rating system in class from 1-5 star, the 5-star singing was with no mistakes, and the 1 star was not very good singing. The class team heard each other and rated one another. This also promoted listening skills and focus. I also gave out small rewards like stickers, pencils, etc. for active participation in class. Each child was given a homework book to record what they did in the class and what they have to practice. I also gave out practical projects with the improvisation of music and creating original musical videos. Since the covid situation, classes have been online. It has been tougher to keep the spirits up. Apart from the regular curriculum, I add humor to the class to de-stress everyone, and we play musical games that are quite challenging. I also began a monthly newsletter called “Creative Soul” to connect us all together through creativity. It has been a great success and several students and even parents participate and send articles and submissions for the same.
We have also participated in online fundraisers where we raised money for different causes. The students feel great when they realize that they can use their musical talent to help someone else. We have an annual recital that includes singing, dance, art, drama, and movies about composers and music, all done in-house with a dedicated set of parent volunteers. Every student, irrespective of age or experience, gets to be on stage and showcase what they know in music. We do special musical projects, and recently played a Carnatic music competitive game which was so loved that the parents want one for themselves!
Looking back, I think my biggest achievement is passing some of my passion for Carnatic music to my students, a bit of our Indian heritage, a music that has been around for centuries. I feel like I have achieved something when my students return after taking a break for college and say they want to continue to learn or when past students reach out and say hello! It feels wonderful when students try out other genres of music and say how much their Carnatic music training came to use. It makes my heart jump with joy when a parent says how much the music lessons are being enjoyed by the whole family! The most rewarding of all is when a child with special needs is able to do something they could not do before – like pronounce words better, focus, respond, have visual contact, this has happened to a few children I have taught, and music certainly makes a difference.
For me all those countless hours of teaching and learning, hosting concerts, penning the newsletter every month, doing projects with the students, answering hundreds of emails and texts, it is all worth it if the students have learned Carnatic music through classes and enjoy and appreciate this great art.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success in one’s life involves both personal and career goals. The intersection of both I feel is a success. If we draw a Venn diagram, then the intersection would be a passion for what you do, happiness, satisfaction, effort, and the reward (money or non money goals) that leads to achieving or surpassing one’s goals and desires. In my life, I am very fortunate to have a win-win situation where I could balance family and career well. I absolutely love teaching music, so the long hours don’t feel like a chore. I work from home, so I divide my day into my “home” work and “teaching” work. My family respects my time and never disturbs me. My goals for each student are based on their age, ability, practice and interest. Hence I adopt a very flexible class structure where students can move laterally or vertically or both. I develop lesson plans based on this criterion. I believe this method, which I initialized by myself, has worked, and students respond and absorb music well.
Looking back at the 12 plus years I have been teaching. I have grown from having one student to over 80 just by recommendation/word of mouth. To me, that indicates that I am doing something right and making a difference. Students and past students keep in touch and tell me stories of college and work, and that they sing occasionally, long after they have left the classes. That is precious to me. My vision for my music school is to inspire and promote Carnatic music in students and a hope that music will help us heal from inside out! I believe over the years, this has been my success.
Contact Info:
- Email: geetashreedar@gmail.com
Image Credits:
Photography by Shreedar Viswanathan
