Indian (baul fakir) instrument workshops with Katalin Burns

The Baul fakirs often perform their sung poems and mystical verses standing upright, strumming a single-stringed instrument (ektara) in their right hand, with a drum (dugi) with a guttural sound attached to their left hand, and with a rattle (ghungru) on their ankles, moving in space with a strong emotional intensity. This 'one-man band' represents spirituality, divine revelation and detachment from everyday life in village communities, the baul singer connects the earth with the sky in the eyes of the community. The other essential instrument of Bengali folk music is the dotara, which provides a more melodic accompaniment than the instruments mentioned above.

Kati Burns has been studying Baul music for seven years as a regular participant in artist-in-residence programmes, and has collected Baul music and performed with Baul performers in Calcutta, Gorbhanga, Joydeb and Santiniketan.

The special feature of ektara is that it can accompany singing with a single musical note on a single string, yet in a colourful, versatile and trance-inducing way. Two types of accompaniment - plucking and "wavy" - are available, and of course you can try your hand at the ektara, or the more adventurous can try the accompaniment.

Participation fee: 2500 HUF / person
No discounts apply.
Max. number of participants: 20