Description

This course is the study of Kamanche Lessons. All students are taught basic instrumental technique, posture, technical exercises, radif and playing Persian repertoires.

The kamancheh is a four-stringed bowed instrument used in Persia, Azerbaijan, Turkish, Armenian and Kurdish music. The word “kamancheh” means “little bow” in Persian. It has a resonance box made of hardwood, such as walnut, on one end, which is covered with a skinny young goat’s skin or sheepskin. Nowadays, all kamanchehs have four strings; therefore, four pegs are on top of the instrument for tuning. Its wooden bridge is curved to allow for the bowing of separate strings, and it is placed in a slanted manner upon the membrane. Some resonance boxes are made of a whole piece, and some are made of several strips bound together. The resonance box may be closed or open at the back. At the bottom end is a spike, which is used to hold the instrument upright as it is played. The kamancheh is suitable for both solo performances and accompaniments. The kamancheh can “sing” melodies without words and instill discipline in the player that goes beyond music and into everyday life.