UMS in the Classroom: Zakir Hussain & Dave Holland

By UMS

Interested in using a UMS performance in your university classroom? For each performance on the season, we provide suggested curricular connections, links to contextual material online, citations for scholarly material, and prompts for classroom discussion. For additional resources and individualized curricular support, please contact Shannon Fitzsimons Moen, UMS Campus Engagement Specialist, at skfitz@umich.edu or (734) 764-3903.

UMS is also committed to making our performances an affordable part of the academic experience. Our Classroom Ticket Program provides $15 tickets to students and faculty for performances that are a course requirement. Please email umsclasstickets@umich.edu to set up a group order.

Connect:

This performance may connect meaningfully with courses in the following schools and disciplines:

Afroamerican and African Studies
American Culture
Asian Languages and Literatures
Comparative Literature
English Language and Literature
Middle Eastern and North African Studies
Philosophy
Political Science
Sociology
World Performance Studies
Composition
Jazz and Contemporary Improvisation
Music Education
Musicology
Voice
Winds and Percussion
Art and Design
Public Policy

Explore:

Learn about virtuoso tabla player Zakir Hussain on his official website.
The Indian tabla is a set of two kettle drums of different sizes that can produce a wide range of sounds and colors. Tabla players string these sounds together to create taal, the rhythmic component of Hindustani music. Learn more about the complex rhythms involved in this music here.
Explore how American jazz shaped 20th century Indian music and other entertainment forms in Taj Mahal Foxtrot: The Story of Bombay’s Jazz Age by Naresh Fernandes (2012, Roli Books).

Reflect:

This collaboration between Hussain and Holland explores the relationships between jazz and Indian classical music. How do the differences and similarities between these musical styles complement each other?
How did the musicians interact onstage? What kind of atmosphere did they create in the performance venue?