Tiffin Girls' School (TGS) - Sept. 2015 starters

[ToadMum]

I have to say the only thing that makes me very cross is the Indian orchestra. I don't particularly like the music (and that's a personal and subjective viewpoint) but that's not what makes me cross. It's the fact that there are boys in it. Huh? How did that happen? Why are there schoolboys playing the tabla when I bet there are talented girls at the school who could do it? How did the school allow that to happen? Not impressed.

What's an Indian orchestra?

Sitar, tabla (drums), harmonium, violin players (violins held vertically) and singers all sitting cross-legged on the floor and playing Indian music.

Are they boys from the boys' school, or just random musical boys (so to speak) from the local community? Does the boys' school also have an Indian orchestra with girls playing certain instruments?

I have to say, we would have any question of the 'wrong gender' in our grammar school musical ensembles, as all of our sixth forms are mixed.

[Peridot]

I don't know where the boys are from, and there is no Indian orchestra at the boys' school. I'm not objecting to the "wrong" gender being present at the girls' school per se - far from it - I welcome the many areas such as drama and rowing where the schools work together. I just think that places in the orchestra should be taken by girls from TGS first and foremost - there are certainly many talented musicians there!

[J50]

I have to say the only thing that makes me very cross is the Indian orchestra. I don't particularly like the music (and that's a personal and subjective viewpoint) but that's not what makes me cross. It's the fact that there are boys in it. Huh? How did that happen? Why are there schoolboys playing the tabla when I bet there are talented girls at the school who could do it? How did the school allow that to happen? Not impressed.

What's an Indian orchestra?

Sitar, tabla (drums), harmonium, violin players (violins held vertically) and singers all sitting cross-legged on the floor and playing Indian music.

K thanks. Guess it makes sense to have that at Tiffin.

[hina]

Actually boys were present last year for a Music concert and it wasn't an Indian orchestra, two concerts a year mixed with boys and teachers...it is called the summer concert

Summer Concert Thursday 9 July 7pm in the School Hall

The programme will include:

Whole of Year 7, Junior Choir and soloists from year 8: The Wayward Princess – a cantata for girls voices by Simon Ferris, Musician in Residence.
Symphony Orchestra: Grieg Norwegian Dances; Coates Dambusters March
Sinfonia: Vivaldi Violin Concerto in A minor
Choir: Music by Palestrina, Mendelssohn & Gibbons
Junior Choir: Music by Mendelssohn, Purcell & Abba
Wind Band: Vaughan Williams 1st Movement English Folk Song Suite
Brass Group: Sabre Dance
A Cappella Choir
String Orchestra

[Peridot]

You are right hina: there were definitely some male music teachers and quite possibly older Tiffin boys drafted in to help in the summer concert where they were a bit short of (specifically) brass instrumentalists. This is why the school has an initiative to increase the number of girls playing the trumpet, trombone etc. With the Indian orchestra though I'm still perplexed as to why there are no girls playing the tabla or, I think, harmonium. Are these instruments usually only played by boys in traditional Indian music - does anyone know?

[Stroller]

With the Indian orchestra though I'm still perplexed as to why there are no girls playing the tabla or, I think, harmonium. Are these instruments usually only played by boys in traditional Indian music - does anyone know?

Now I'm curious too. Women played the tabla historically; it's depicted in ancient carvings. There's a photo here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabla" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ToadMum]

With the Indian orchestra though I'm still perplexed as to why there are no girls playing the tabla or, I think, harmonium. Are these instruments usually only played by boys in traditional Indian music - does anyone know?

Now I'm curious too. Women played the tabla historically; it's depicted in ancient carvings. There's a photo here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabla" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is it possible that none of the available girls could play / wanted to learn those instruments? It would seem odd to set up an ensemble in an all-girls school which includes instruments that girls 'aren't allowed' to play (this doesn't appear to be the case anyway) or to refuse pupils of the school a chance to play if they were available and bring in outsiders instead.

[quasimodo]

https://www.quora.com/Indian-Music/Why- ... like-veena" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One of the blooming stars of the Sitar is Anoushka Shankir following in the footsteps of her father the great Ravi Shankar.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anoushka_Shankar" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Stroller]

Thanks, quasimodo. I enjoyed the article at the first link. Very informative.

[Peridot]

Thanks also from me, quasimodo. So there are historical and cultural reasons for the paucity of female tabla players. Now it makes more sense to me.

I actually really enjoyed the Indian orchestra's performance at Tiffin Girls' this time. The numbers of girls singing has increased and they far outnumbered the male tabla players! Some fab sitar playing too.

The whole concert was really excellent, if a little long.