Istanbul Technical University Graduate School of Arts
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ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES THE SINGING BODY: THE EMBODIMENT PROCESSES IN THE TRANSMISSION OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE – A CASE STUDY OF PROF. DR. V. BALAJI M.A. THESIS Aslı BÜYÜKKÖKSAL Dr. Erol Üçer Center for Advanced Studies in Music Music Program JUNE 2018 ISTANBUL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES THE SINGING BODY: THE EMBODIMENT PROCESSES IN THE TRANSMISSION OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE – A CASE STUDY OF PROF. DR. V. BALAJI M.A. THESIS Aslı BÜYÜKKÖKSAL (409131111) Dr. Erol Üçer Center for Advanced Studies in Music Music Program Thesis Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. E. Şirin ÖZGÜN TANIR Thesis Co-Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Robert F. REIGLE JUNE 2018 İSTANBUL TEKNİK ÜNİVERSİTESİ SOSYAL BİLİMLER ENSTİTÜSÜ TINLAYAN BEDEN: MÜZİK BİLGİSİNİN AKTARIMINDA BEDENSELLEŞME SÜREÇLERİ – PROF. DR. V. BALAJI ÜZERİNE VAKA İNCELEMESİ YÜKSEK LİSANS TEZİ Aslı BÜYÜKKÖKSAL (409131111) Dr. Erol Üçer Müzik İleri Araştırmalar Merkezi Müzik Yüksek Lisans Programı Tez Danışmanı: Doç. Dr. E. Şirin ÖZGÜN TANIR Eş Danışman: Doç. Dr. Robert F. REIGLE HAZİRAN 2018 Aslı Büyükköksal, a M.A. student of ITU Graduate School of.Arts and Social Sciences, student ID 409131111, successfully defended the thesis entitled “THE SINGING BODY: THE EMBODIMENT PROCESSES IN MUSICAL TRANSMISSION OF MUSICAL KNOWLEDGE – A CASE STUDY OF PROF. DR. V. BALAJI”, which she prepared after fulfilling the requirements specified in the associated legislations, before the jury whose signatures are below. Thesis Advisor : Assoc. Prof. E. Şirin Özgün .............................. İstanbul Technical University Thesis Co-Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Robert Reigle .............................. İstanbul Technical University Jury Members : Assoc. Prof. Jerfi Aji ............................. İstanbul Technical University Asst. Prof. U. Ulaş Özdemir .............................. İstanbul University Assoc. Prof. Dr. Belma Kurtişoğlu .............................. İstanbul Technical University Date of Submission : 4 May 2018 Date of Defense : 7 June 2018 v vi FOREWORD My gratitude goes to all who helped me during the course of preparation, conducting, and writing phases of this thesis by their active contribution, material and psychological help, and/or just by their supportive presence. First of all, without my guru, Prof. Dr. V. Balaji, this work would not be possible. His mastery in music and teaching gave me endless inspiration in music and his generosity, understanding, and offerings made this work to come alive. I thank to mataji, Dr. V. Balaji’s wife, Shanti Balaji, for having my husband and me in the intimacy of their house and taking care of us sincerely. I owe special thanks to their daughter Bhairavi Balaji, who kindly read my thesis and suggested the necessary corrections in a very short time. I present my best wishes for all the family of Prof. Dr. V. Balaji. I would like to give a special thanks to my husband Ertuğrul Küçükbayraktar, for being the strong supporter under hardest conditions both in India and in Turkey, enduring the changes and intensity in our shared daily life, and acting out with love. Throughout our journey in India, so many knowledgeable, wise and nice people helped us to find our way. I must say that I’m impressed by the open-heartedness of the people we encountered. Dear Sheetal Sanghvi, Drupad and Neeraj Mistry, Derya Albayrak, Roy Novick, Syed Salman Chisty, Aparajita Tomer and her husband, Akshay Chadha and Güldeste Mamaç opened our way. I thank to Sukhdev Prasad Mishra who introduced the style of Indian violin to me and treated us with dearest hospitality. I owe a special thanks to Shubha Chaudhuri who was generously spending time with me discussing my thesis, trying to connect me to key people. Additionally, the warm-hearted crew in AIIS Archives and Research Center in Gurugram, Haryana did their best to provide me the material for my thesis. My advisor, Şirin Özgün Tanır, guided me through the intricate paths of social science research with her keen understanding, clear suggestions, and calm presence. I’m happy that I had the chance to work with her. My co-advisor Robert Reigle supported me all through my graduate years and has always been kind, generous, and encouraging regardless of the conditions. I especially thank him for asking me repeatedly the important question of what is my genuine interest in research. I owe special thanks to the jury members Belma Kurtişoğlu, Ulaş Özdemir, and Jerfi Aji for showing their sincere interests in my research and giving valuable suggestions to make it complete. vii Özlem Gürkan, being the most positive and smiling librarian on earth, helped me all through my graduate years, too. Robert O. Beahrs shared kindly his knowledge about the embodiment literature and about the research process with me. I thank all of the interviewees, namely, Perrine Vincent, Gabriele Politi, Arnaud Bourdonnay, and Mari-Line Aubry, for giving their valuable time. Especially, Perrine Vincent inspired me about the focus on embodiment in my thesis. I would like to thank the scholars in the SEM list for sharing generously their knowledge, including Martin Clayton, Byron Dueck, Richard K. Wolf, Matthew Rahaim, Tomie Hahn, Bruno Deschênes, Caroline Bithell, Rolf Groesbeck, Bernd Brabec de Mori, Jerome Camal, Colin P. McGuire, Melanie Pinkert, Davindar Singh, CedarBough T. Saeji, Lisa Gold, Kim Carter Munoz, Sydney Hutchinson, Esther Kurtz, Justin Scarimbolo, Lois Ann M. Anderson and Grace Toland. Aslı Bala Aşkan and Merve Aykaç Sönmez were present in the key moments when I felt desperate and kindly helped me out in technical and intangible issues. My dear friends in the department inspired me to continue with my studies. Oğul Köker has been a big help about my jury members and many other details. My dear soul sisters, Seda Seyrek, Yarden Cohen, Ezgi İçöz, Zainab Lax, Hande Başaran, Melike Doğan, Alaleh Sayedahmadi, and Burcu Kındır generously gave me strength, logistic and psychological support to finalize this project. Sine Boran Art and Olcayto Art helped me out when I was caught in a “writer’s block”. I owe special thanks to Sinan Erdemsel, a master in playing and teaching of Turkish maqam music, who supported me throughout my music life. In addition, Prof. Dr. Sibel Kalaycıoğlu from METU and Sinan Erdemsel had given their references so that I was able to be in the music program. Finally, I would like to express my everlasting gratitude to my parents, Gülden and Nejat Büyükköksal. With their beautiful presence, they have been giving me the support, opportunity and love to be who I am ever since we have been together. May 2018 Aslı BÜYÜKKÖKSAL Musician viii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS.......................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................. xi LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................. xiii SUMMARY .............................................................................................................. xv ÖZET....................................................................................................................... xvii 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose of the Thesis ......................................................................................... 1 1.2 Motivation .......................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Methodology ...................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 Doing ethnography as a disciple ................................................................. 4 1.3.2 The autoethnographical approach ............................................................... 6 1.3.3 Interviews .................................................................................................... 7 1.4 Literature Review ............................................................................................... 9 1.4.1 Embodiment .............................................................................................. 10 1.4.2 Spiritual/religious setting .......................................................................... 21 1.5 Overview .......................................................................................................... 23 2. THE GURU-SHISHYA RELATIONSHIP ....................................................... 25 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 25 2.2 The ‘Lesson’ ..................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1 The setting ................................................................................................. 26 2.2.2 First part .................................................................................................... 29 2.2.3 Second part................................................................................................33 3. TEACHING METHODOLOGY ........................................................................ 35 3.1 The Technical Transmission ............................................................................ 36 3.1.1 Technical exercises ..................................................................................