20 september 2024 : For the first time in the UK, kirtan has been recognized as part of the graded music examination system, allowing students to access a formal curriculum for “Sikh Sacred Music” starting Friday.
Birmingham-based musician and academic Harjinder Lallie has dedicated years to elevating kirtan alongside Western classical music, ensuring that traditional musical skills are preserved for future generations.
Kirtan, which involves singing shabads or scriptures from the holy ‘Guru Granth Sahib,’ is a key practice of devotion in the Sikh faith.
The London-based Music Teachers’ Board (MTB) will now include Sikh Sacred Music in its globally recognized eight-grade music exams, enabling students to earn Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) points for higher Grades 6-8, which are acknowledged for university admissions.
“Our aim is to preserve our heritage for future generations,” said Dr. Lallie, a teacher at the Gurmat Sangeet Academy in the UK. “After ten years of hard work, it’s deeply humbling and prideful that our efforts have been recognized. A Western audience is now appreciating that Sikh kirtan holds equal value to instruments like the violin or piano.”
The new curriculum also recognizes five Indian string instruments: dilruba, taus, esraj, sarangi, and saranda. Lallie noted that kirtan was traditionally performed with stringed instruments, but over the last 150 years, the harmonium has largely replaced them.
“We lost a significant part of our heritage during that time. However, in the last 25 years, efforts led by organizations like the Gurmat Sangeet Academy have aimed to revive traditional instruments. This examination system requires kirtan to be performed on these instruments, encouraging children to reconnect with their roots,” Lallie explained.
The MTB collaborated with a South Asian Music Committee, consisting of representatives and organizations dedicated to Sikh Sacred Music education worldwide, to develop the new exam.
David Kesel, Managing Director of MTB, remarked, “It’s wonderful that students learning Sikh Sacred Music will now receive recognition and qualifications for their hard work, similar to those learning traditional instruments like the piano or violin.”
This initiative is part of a broader mission by the MTB to culturally diversify music education and celebrate musical traditions across various cultures. Kesel emphasized the importance of expanding beyond Western classical music, mentioning that the MTB has also introduced Bollywood and Indian pop music resources.
Kirtan is a vital aspect of Sikh identity, and the recognition of ‘Sikh Sacred Music’ as an exam subject with UCAS points is a significant milestone, according to Jasvir Singh, Chair of the City Sikhs community group in the UK. He hopes this will inspire British Sikhs to explore their heritage proudly and help them achieve the necessary qualifications for further education.
The launch of this musical qualification marks just the beginning, with plans for an accredited tabla exam by early next year, followed by examinations for the sitar, sarod, and other traditional South Asian instruments.
