Dance And Music School Of India

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About Dance And Music School Of India

Veena chandra is an internationally renowned sitarist, composer, teacher and choreographer. She is the founder and director of the Dance and Music School of India in Latham, NY (celebrating 27 years) where she teaches Indian classical music. She has been a faculty member at Skidmore College since 1990, teaching sitar in the Music Department. She has been teaching Kathak- Indian Classical dance in dance Dept since 2009. Born in Dehra Doon, Valley of the Himalaya Mountain Range, Veena was inspired to play music by her Father, her first Guru. He loved sitar so much that he named her Veena, after the precursor to the sitar, in hopes that she would learn music. He was 95 years old when he passed away in 2010 and his hopes have validated themselves many times over as evident by the international acclaim & respect given to Veena Chandra. She continued learning sitar with Shri Satish Chandra, a disciple of Ravi Shankar. Being invited by Pt Ravi Shankar to his concerts she was inspired by his music. She earned master's degrees in music (stood third all over India in MMUS.) and sociology and a bachelor's degree in teaching. She has been in the international Who's Who since 1997. Mrs. Chandra has taught at Agra, Dayalbagh universities and colleges in India teaching sitar and sociology. She has been performing and teaching sitar for the last 56 years. She continued her advance training under the late Ustad Vilayat Khan Saheb. Ustad Vilayat Khan Saheb very much enjoyed listening to her Sitar and grew very close to Veena and her son Devesh. Founded by Veena Chandra in 1986 the Dance & Music School of India helps educate the community about all aspects of Indian Classical Music and culture. The Dance & Music School of India spreads awareness of this music and culture to find commonality, bridge differences and foster understanding. The Dance & Music School of India conducts multidisciplinary workshops on Indian Classical Music explaining all aspects of the music from music