The Benefits of Learning Carnatic Music
Benefit #1. Carnatic Music is a Stress buster
Benefit #2. Carnatic Music Hones your brain function
Carnatic music learners tend to possess improved and sharp brain functions, such as hearing, memory, etc. the effects of which are enduring and protect the brain from the depredations of aging. The learning helps dedicated students develop a keen sense of listening, internalize, introspect, and execute tasks with utmost precision.
Memory plays an extremely important role in learning parts of pre-composed and improvised Carnatic music. Around 1000 compositions are expected to be committed to memory especially if you are a good or professional musician. An intrinsic knowledge of more than 200 ragas along with their movements and scales is imperative to anyone learning Carnatic music. Good memory is a prerequisite to learning Carnatic music.
Benefit #3. Carnatic music improves Math skills
Melody and rhythm play an equanimous role in Carnatic music. The integrity of these two elements is extremely important for performance. These must be well-nurtured and developed to progress in the skill.
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When learning compositions, you should also be able to visualize and internalize the notes and their positions across a rhythmic structure. The same applies if you are trying to improvise on an existing plate, which is known as Kalpana swaras where solfa syllables are used for improvisation. These modifications could be simple or advanced in concepts often erupting in the form of mathematical patterns, thus giving the whole presentation a cerebral tone. It should come as no surprise when a Carnatic musician cooks up formulae in the mind instantly and may even score well in mathematics.
Benefit #4. Carnatic Music improves concentration
Improving kelvi gyanam or your reasoning abilities, the practice of learning from your Guru or master involves keen listening, for a serious Carnatic learner. Nuances across pitch, melody, gamakas or oscillations and tempo, must be differentiated with precision.
Furthermore, the musician should also be able to distinguish between Ragas, which is the crux of Carnatic music. This means the learner must develop a perception of calibrating the aesthetics and identify tiny shades of variations between sounds. Carnatic music practiced over several years, develops the learners’ auditory skills are highly developed and even benefits when hearing difficulties arise in old age.
Benefit #5. Carnatic Music improves Cultural Understanding
Benefit #6. Carnatic Music improves Perseverance
Benefit #8. Carnatic Music improves Self-expression
Providing abundant scope for self-expression and creativity, Carnatic music intrinsically allows the vocalist (and even the instrumentalist) to express themselves fully in a piece that might have been rendered a thousand times before. Creativity makes room for different accents and styles thus providing learners avenues to produce unique pieces of their own. As a result, the singer develops a personality that is vibrant, and dynamic and possesses intense knowledge accumulated across years of dedicated learning. Carnatic music provides learners innumerable opportunities to express themselves.
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At the Raaga School of Music, our students learn through in-person and live online with highly respected teachers with a very rich musical lineage.

it is an absolute joy to see my daughter perform on such a big stage. I am proud of her. thank you raaga school of organizing such an amazing student concert
~ Sreevidhya Balasubramanian, Proud Parent
A parent's perspective
- Cultural exposure: First and foremost, parents want to expose children born and brought up here in the US to get exposure to a rich cultural tradition with a deep history and heritage. By exposing toddlers to this type of music, we are helping to instill a love and appreciation for culture in them at a very early age.
- Enhanced speech: Most children that grow up in western societies are not able to pronounce quite a few of our syllables – especially rolling the ‘r’s, etc. Learning Carnatic and Hindustani music requires children at an early age to practice these producing these sounds that are unique to our Indian languages.
- Improved cognitive development: Studies have shown that early exposure to music can help improve a child’s cognitive development. This includes areas such as memory, language, and spatial reasoning — irrespective of the type of music — Western, Chinese or Classical Indian music.
- Increased creativity: Both Carnatic and Hindustani music are art forms that encourage creativity and self-expression. By exposing toddlers to this type of music, we are helping to develop their creative minds and encouraging them to think outside the box.
- Improved focus and concentration: Most importantly, learning Carnatic and Hindustani music requires focus and concentration. As toddlers practice and perform, they will develop the ability to focus and concentrate, which are helpful in all areas of their lives.
Why Learn at Raaga School
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Tiny Tots Performance
We are very proud of all our Tiny Tots that prepared and performed at our Annual Student Concert
Come try a lesson with us. See if we are the right school for you.
Most of our students that attend a trial class are inspired to learn Classical Indian Music.Â