The Sound Of Music

Good morning, dear students. I am so happy to see you all today. Today, we are going to study a very inspiring chapter from your English textbook, Chapter 2, titled "The Sound of Music." Now, before we begin, let me tell you something. This chapter is not just about music. It is about two extraordinary individuals who overcame tremendous challenges to achieve greatness. One of them could not hear at all, and the other brought an instrument from the streets to the grand classical stage of the world. So students, get ready to be inspired.

Let us begin with the first part of the chapter, which tells us the story of Evelyn Glennie, a musician who listens to sound without hearing it. Now, that might sound strange to you. How can someone listen to music without hearing? Well, let me take you through her incredible journey.

The chapter begins with a beautiful quote. It says, "God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels — far more deeply than any of us. That is why she expresses music so beautifully." Students, just think about this for a moment. This is what people say about Evelyn Glennie. She is profoundly deaf, yet she is one of the greatest musicians in the world. How does she do it? We will find out as we read through the passage.

Now, let us look at the first paragraph. It describes a scene at an underground train platform in London. There is a slight, thin girl who looks younger than her seventeen years. She is nervous and excited because it is her first day at the prestigious Royal Academy of Music in London. Can you imagine, students? This girl has come from a Scottish farm to study at one of the most famous music schools in the world. But here is the remarkable thing — she is profoundly deaf. Yes, you heard me right. She cannot hear at all, yet she wants to become a musician. That takes immense courage, doesn't it?

Now, let us move to the second paragraph. Here we learn about how Evelyn's deafness was discovered. It happened gradually. Her mother, Isabel Glennie, noticed something was wrong when Evelyn was eight years old. They called her name to play the piano, but she didn't move. Her mother suddenly realised that Evelyn hadn't heard. For a while, Evelyn managed to hide her growing deafness from her friends and teachers. But by the time she was eleven, her marks in school had deteriorated. Her headmistress advised her parents to take her to a specialist. That is when they discovered that her hearing was severely damaged due to gradual nerve damage. The doctors advised her to use hearing aids and go to a school for the deaf. Can you imagine how Evelyn must have felt, students? She says, "Everything suddenly looked black." That is exactly how it feels when your dreams seem to be shattered, isn't it?

But here is the most important part, students. Evelyn did not give up. She was determined to lead a normal life and pursue her interest in music. One day, she saw a girl playing a xylophone. A xylophone, as you know, is a musical instrument with a row of wooden bars of different lengths. When you strike them with small hammers, they produce different sounds. Evelyn decided she wanted to play it too. Most of her teachers discouraged her. They probably thought, how can a deaf girl play a musical instrument? But then came a percussionist named Ron Forbes who saw her potential. He began by tuning two large drums to different notes. And here is what he told her — he said, "Don't listen through your ears, try to sense it some other way." Students, this is such an important lesson for all of us. Sometimes, when one door closes, we need to find another way to achieve our dreams. Ron Forbes helped Evelyn discover that she could feel the higher drum from the waist up and the lower one from the waist down. She realised that she could sense certain notes in different parts of her body. She had learnt to open her mind and body to sounds and vibrations. The rest, as they say, was sheer determination and hard work.

Now, let us see what happened next. From that point onwards, Evelyn never looked back. She toured the United Kingdom with a youth orchestra. By the time she was sixteen, she had decided to make music her life. She auditioned for the Royal Academy of Music and scored one of the highest marks in the history of the academy. That is incredible, isn't it? She gradually moved from orchestral work to solo performances. At the end of her three-year course, she had captured most of the top awards. Students, just think about this. A girl who was told to go to a school for the deaf because she couldn't hear ended up getting the highest marks at one of the most prestigious music academies in the world. That is the power of determination and hard work.

Now, the next paragraph tells us about Evelyn's attitude. She doesn't accept any hint of heroic achievement. She says, "If you work hard and know where you are going, you'll get there." And she certainly got to the top. She became the world's most sought-after multi-percussionist. Do you know what that means, students? A percussionist is someone who plays musical instruments like drums, tabla, xylophone, and so on. Multi-percussionist means she can play many different percussion instruments. In fact, she has mastery over some thousand instruments. She has a very busy international schedule, performing all over the world.

Now, the next part is really interesting. The author talks about how Evelyn functions so effortlessly without hearing. During their two-hour discussion, she never missed a word. She explained that men with bushy beards give her trouble because she cannot see their lips clearly. She says, "It is not just watching the lips, it's the whole face, especially the eyes." She speaks flawlessly with a Scottish lilt. A lilt is a way of speaking that has a rhythmic, musical quality. She says her speech is clear because she could hear till she was eleven. But that doesn't explain how she managed to learn French and master basic Japanese. Students, this shows us that even without hearing, she has developed other senses to such an extent that she can learn new languages.

Now, here is the most fascinating part — how does she hear music? She explains, "It pours in through every part of my body. It tingles in the skin, my cheekbones and even in my hair." When she plays the xylophone, she can sense the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. By leaning against the drums, she can feel the resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs. Students, this is absolutely remarkable. She has trained her body to feel music in a way that most of us cannot even imagine. This is what the quote at the beginning meant — what we hear, she feels, far more deeply than any of us.

Now, it is no surprise that Evelyn delights her audiences. In 1991, she was presented with the Royal Philharmonic Society's prestigious Soloist of the Year Award. The master percussionist James Blades said, "God may have taken her hearing but he has given her back something extraordinary. What we hear, she feels — far more deeply than any of us. That is why she expresses music so beautifully."

Evelyn also confesses that she is something of a workaholic. She says, "I've just got to work, often harder than classical musicians. But the rewards are enormous." Apart from regular concerts, she also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She gives high priority to classes for young musicians. Ann Richlin of the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children says, "She is a shining inspiration for deaf children. They see that there is nowhere that they cannot go."

Students, let me pause here and summarise what we have learned so far. Evelyn Glennie lost her hearing at a young age, but she did not let this disability stop her. With the help of a teacher who believed in her, she learned to feel music through vibrations in her body. She worked hard and became one of the most celebrated musicians in the world. She uses her success to inspire others, especially deaf children. This is truly inspiring, isn't it?

Now, let us look at the questions given after Part I. These are called "Thinking about the Text." Let me guide you through each question.

Question I asks us to answer in a few words or a couple of sentences each. Let me answer them one by one.

Question 1: How old was Evelyn when she went to the Royal Academy of Music? Students, from the first paragraph, we know that she was seventeen years old when she went to the Royal Academy of Music. So the answer is seventeen years old.

Question 2: When was her deafness first noticed? When was it confirmed? Her deafness was first noticed when she was eight years old, as mentioned in the second paragraph. It was confirmed when she was eleven years old, when her parents took her to a specialist.

Now, Question II asks us to answer each question in a short paragraph of thirty to forty words.

Question 1: Who helped her to continue with music? What did he do and say? The answer is — Ron Forbes, a percussionist, helped her continue with music. He tuned two large drums to different notes and told her not to listen through her ears but to sense the sound in other ways. He helped her discover that she could feel different notes in different parts of her body.

Question 2: Name the various places and causes for which Evelyn performs. Students, from the text, we can see that Evelyn performs at regular concerts, but she also gives free concerts in prisons and hospitals. She also gives high priority to classes for young musicians. So the various places and causes are concerts, prisons, hospitals, and teaching young musicians.

Now, Question III asks us to answer in two or three paragraphs, approximately one hundred to fifty words. The question is: How does Evelyn hear music? Let me explain this in detail. Evelyn hears music through vibrations that she feels throughout her body. She explains that music pours in through every part of her body. It tingles in her skin, her cheekbones, and even in her hair. When she plays the xylophone, she can feel the sound passing up the stick into her fingertips. When she leans against the drums, she feels the resonances flowing into her body. On a wooden platform, she removes her shoes so that the vibrations pass through her bare feet and up her legs. She has trained herself to sense music through her entire body, not just through her ears. This is how she is able to hear and create beautiful music despite being profoundly deaf.

Now, students, let us move on to Part II of the chapter, which is about The Shehnai of Bismillah Khan. This is another inspiring story about how a musical instrument was transformed and how a legendary musician brought it to the world stage.

The chapter begins by telling us about the origin of the shehnai. Long ago, Emperor Aurangzeb banned the playing of a musical instrument called pungi in the royal residence because it had a shrill, unpleasant sound. Pungi became the generic name for reeded noisemakers. Few had thought that it would one day be revived, which means brought back to life. A barber from a family of professional musicians, who had access to the royal palace, decided to improve the tonal quality of the pungi. He chose a pipe with a natural hollow stem that was longer and broader than the pungi and made seven holes on the body of the pipe. When he played on it, closing and opening some of these holes, soft and melodious sounds were produced. He played the instrument before royalty and everyone was impressed. The instrument was so different from the pungi that it needed a new name. As the story goes, since it was first played in the Shah's chambers and was played by a nai, which means a barber, the instrument was named the "shehnai."

Now, students, the sound of the shehnai began to be considered auspicious. This means it was believed to bring good fortune. For this reason, it is still played in temples and is an indispensable component of any North Indian wedding. Indispensable means absolutely necessary. In the past, the shehnai was part of the naubat, which is a traditional ensemble of nine instruments found at royal courts. Till recently, it was used only in temples and weddings. The credit for bringing this instrument onto the classical stage goes to Ustad Bismillah Khan.

Now, let us learn about Bismillah Khan's early life. As a five-year-old, Bismillah Khan played gilli-danda near a pond in the ancient estate of Dumraon in Bihar. Gilli-danda is a traditional Indian game similar to cricket. He would regularly go to the nearby Bihariji temple to sing the Bhojpuri "Chaita," at the end of which he would earn a big laddu weighing 1.25 kilograms, a prize given by the local Maharaja. This happened eighty years ago, and the little boy has travelled far to earn the highest civilian award in India — the Bharat Ratna.

Bismillah Khan was born on 21st March 1916. He belongs to a well-known family of musicians from Bihar. His grandfather, Rasool Bux Khan, was the shehnai-nawaz of the Bhojpur king's court. His father, Paigambar Bux, and other paternal ancestors were also great shehnai players. So, students, music was in his blood. He came from a family of musicians.

Now, the next paragraph tells us about how Bismillah Khan learned to play the shehnai. At the age of three, when his mother took him to his maternal uncle's house in Benaras, now known as Varanasi, Bismillah was fascinated watching his uncles practise the shehnai. Soon, Bismillah started accompanying his uncle, Ali Bux, to the Vishnu temple of Benaras where Bux was employed to play the shehnai. Ali Bux would play the shehnai, and Bismillah would sit captivated for hours on end. Slowly, he started getting lessons in playing the instrument and would sit practising throughout the day. For years to come, the temple of Balaji and Mangala Maiya and the banks of the Ganga became the young apprentice's favourite haunts where he could practise in solitude. The flowing waters of the Ganga inspired him to improvise and invent raagas that were earlier considered to be beyond the range of the shehnai. Students, just think about this. A young boy, barely three years old, was so fascinated by the shehnai that he would sit for hours watching his uncles practise. He Practised so much that he became one of the greatest shehnai players in the world. This shows us the importance of practice and dedication.

Now, at the age of fourteen, Bismillah accompanied his uncle to the Allahabad Music Conference. At the end of his recital, Ustad Faiyaz Khan patted the young boy's back and said, "Work hard and you shall make it." With the opening of All India Radio in Lucknow in 1938 came Bismillah's big break. He soon became an often-heard shehnai player on radio. This was his first big opportunity to showcase his talent to a wider audience.

Now, here is a historic moment. When India gained independence on 15th August 1947, Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to greet the nation with his shehnai. He played Raag Kafi from the Red Fort to an audience which included Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who later gave his famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech. Students, just imagine being the first person to greet the nation on Independence Day with your music. That is an honour like no other.

Now, Bismillah Khan gave many memorable performances both in India and abroad. His first trip abroad was to Afghanistan, where King Zahir Shah was so impressed by the maestro that he gifted him priceless Persian carpets and other souvenirs. The King of Afghanistan was not the only one to be fascinated with Bismillah's music. Film director Vijay Bhatt was so impressed after hearing Bismillah play at a festival that he named a film after the instrument called "Gunj Uthi Shehnai." The film was a hit, and one of Bismillah Khan's compositions, "Dil ka khilona hai toot gaya...," turned out to be a nationwide chartbuster. Despite this huge success in the celluloid world, Bismillah Khan's ventures in film music were limited to two — Vijay Bhatt's "Gunj Uthi Shehnai" and Vikram Srinivas's Kannada venture, "Sanadhi Apanna." He says, "I just can't come to terms with the artificiality and glamour of the film world."

Now, awards and recognition came thick and fast. Bismillah Khan became the first Indian to be invited to perform at the prestigious Lincoln Centre Hall in the United States of America. He also took part in the World Exposition in Montreal, in the Cannes Art Festival, and in the Osaka Trade Fair. So well known did he become internationally that an auditorium in Tehran was named after him — Tahar Mosiquee Ustaad Bismillah Khan.

National awards like the Padmashri, the Padma Bhushan, and the Padma Vibhushan were conferred on him. In 2001, Ustad Bismillah Khan was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. With the coveted award resting on his chest and his eyes glinting with rare happiness, he said, "All I would like to say is: Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition; even the West is now coming to learn our music."

Now, in spite of having travelled all over the world, Bismillah Khan was exceedingly fond of Benaras and Dumraon, and they remained for him the most wonderful towns in the world. A student of his once wanted him to head a shehnai school in the U.S.A., and the student promised to recreate the atmosphere of Benaras by replicating the temples there. But Bismillah Khan asked him if he would be able to transport River Ganga as well. Later, he is remembered to have said, "That is why whenever I am in a foreign country, I keep yearning to see Hindustan. While in Mumbai, I think of only Benaras and the holy Ganga. And while in Benaras, I miss the unique mattha of Dumraon."

Students, there is also an interview section in the chapter. Shekhar Gupta asks Bismillah Khan about Partition. He asks, "When Partition happened, didn't you and your family think of moving to Pakistan?" Bismillah Khan replies, "God forbid! Me, leave Benaras? Never! I went to Pakistan once — I crossed the border just to say I have been to Pakistan. I was there for about an hour. I said namaskar to the Pakistanis and salaam alaikum to the Indians! I had a good laugh."

The chapter ends by saying that Ustad Bismillah Khan's life is a perfect example of the rich, cultural heritage of India, one that effortlessly accepts that a devout Muslim like him can very naturally play the shehnai every morning at the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Bismillah Khan passed away on 21st August 2006 at the age of ninety after a prolonged illness. He was given a state funeral, and the Government of India declared one day of national mourning.

Now, students, let me summarise what we have learned about Bismillah Khan. He was born into a family of musicians, learned to play the shehnai at a very young age, and dedicated his life to mastering this instrument. He brought the shehnai from temples and weddings to the classical stage of the world. He received many awards, including the Bharat Ratna, and he always remained humble and connected to his roots in Benaras and Dumraon.

Now, let us look at the questions after Part II. First, we have Question I, which asks us to tick the right answer.

Question 1: The shehnai, pungi was a 'reeded noisemaker.' The correct answer is pungi, as mentioned in the first paragraph.

Question 2: Bismillah Khan, A barber, Ali Bux transformed the pungi into a shehnai. The correct answer is a barber, as mentioned in the first paragraph.

Question 3: Bismillah Khan's paternal ancestors were barbers, professional musicians. The correct answer is professional musicians, as mentioned in the fourth paragraph.

Question 4: Bismillah Khan learnt to play the shehnai from Ali Bux, Paigambar Bux, Ustad Faiyaaz Khan. The correct answer is Ali Bux, as mentioned in the fifth paragraph.

Question 5: Bismillah Khan's first trip abroad was to Afghanistan, U.S.A., Canada. The correct answer is Afghanistan, as mentioned in the eighth paragraph.

Now, Question II asks us to find the words in the text which show Ustad Bismillah Khan's feelings about the items listed below. Then we need to mark a tick in the correct column. Let me go through each one.

For teaching children music, the text shows a positive feeling because Bismillah Khan said, "Teach your children music, this is Hindustan's richest tradition."

For the film world, the text shows a negative feeling because he said, "I just can't come to terms with the artificiality and glamour of the film world."

For migrating to the U.S.A., the text shows a negative feeling because he refused to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A. and expressed his love for India.

For playing at temples, the text shows a positive feeling because he played the shehnai at the Kashi Vishwanath temple every morning.

For getting the Bharat Ratna, the text shows a positive feeling because he said his eyes were glinting with rare happiness when he received the award.

For the banks of the Ganga, the text shows a positive feeling because he often talked about how the banks of the Ganga inspired him and how he yearned to see the holy Ganga.

For leaving Benaras and Dumraon, the text shows a negative feeling because he said he could never leave Benaras and always missed Dumraon when he was away.

Now, Question III asks us to answer these questions in thirty to forty words each.

Question 1: Why did Aurangzeb ban the playing of the pungi? The answer is — Aurangzeb banned the playing of the pungi because it had a shrill, unpleasant sound, and he did not want it played in the royal residence.

Question 2: How is a shehnai different from a pungi? The answer is — A shehnai has a longer and broader pipe with seven holes and produces soft and melodious sounds, while a pungi has a shrill, unpleasant sound.

Question 3: Where was the shehnai played traditionally? How did Bismillah Khan change this? The answer is — Traditionally, the shehnai was played only in temples and weddings. Bismillah Khan brought it onto the classical stage and performed in concerts all over the world.

Question 4: When and how did Bismillah Khan get his big break? The answer is — Bismillah Khan got his big break in 1938 when All India Radio opened in Lucknow, and he became an often-heard shehnai player on radio.

Question 5: Where did Bismillah Khan play the shehnai on 15th August 1947? Why was the event historic? The answer is — He played the shehnai at the Red Fort on 15th August 1947. It was historic because it was the first time the nation was greeted with music on Independence Day, and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was in the audience.

Question 6: Why did Bismillah Khan refuse to start a shehnai school in the U.S.A.? The answer is — He refused because he was deeply attached to Benaras and the Ganga. He asked if the student could transport the Ganga as well, implying that he could not leave India.

Question 7: Find at least two instances in the text which tell you that Bismillah Khan loves India and Benaras. The first instance is when he said he could never leave Benaras. The second instance is when he said he yearns to see Hindustan when he is in a foreign country and thinks of Benaras and the Ganga when he is in Mumbai.

Now, students, we have completed the "Thinking about the Text" section. Let us move on to "Thinking about Language."

First, let us look at Exercise I. It asks us to look at these sentences: "Evelyn was determined to live a normal life" and "Evelyn managed to conceal her growing deafness from friends and teachers." The italicised parts answer the questions "What was Evelyn determined to do?" and "What did Evelyn manage to do?" They begin with a to-verb, which is also called an infinitive.

Now, we need to complete the following sentences, beginning with a to-verb.

The first one is: The school sports team hopes _______________ (What does it hope to do?) The answer could be "to win the championship" or "to perform well in the tournament."

The second one: We all want _______________ (What do we all want to do?) The answer could be "to succeed in life" or "to achieve our goals."

The third one: They advised the hearing-impaired child's mother _______________ (What did they advise her to do?) The answer is "to take her child to a specialist" or "to get hearing aids for her child."

The fourth one: The authorities permitted us to _______________ (What did the authorities permit us to do?) The answer could be "to use the hall for the event" or "to organize the concert."

The fifth one: A musician decided to _______________ (What did the musician decide to do?) The answer could be "to learn a new instrument" or "to perform at the concert."

Now, Exercise II asks us to find the words and phrases from the text on Bismillah Khan that match these definitions. The number of the paragraph where we will find the words or phrases has been given in brackets.

The first one: the home of royal people (1). The answer is "royal residence" or "royal courts." Actually, in paragraph 1, it says "the royal residence" when talking about where Aurangzeb banned the pungi.

The second one: the state of being alone (5). In paragraph 5, we have the word "solitude," which means the state of being alone.

The third one: a part which is absolutely necessary (2). In paragraph 2, we have the word "indispensable," which means absolutely necessary.

The fourth one: to do something not done before (5). In paragraph 5, we have the word "improvise," which means to do something in a new or different way, or to create something not done before.

The fifth one: without much effort (13). In paragraph 13, we have the word "effortlessly," which means without much effort.

The sixth one: quickly and in large quantities (9). In paragraph 9, we have the phrase "thick and fast," which means quickly and in large quantities.

Now, Exercise III asks us to tick the right answer.

Question 1: When something is revived, it remains dead or lives again. The correct answer is "lives again."

Question 2: When a government bans something, it wants it stopped or started. The correct answer is "stopped."

Question 3: When something is considered auspicious, we welcome it or avoid it. The correct answer is "welcome it."

Question 4: When we take to something, we find it boring or interesting. The correct answer is "interesting."

Question 5: When you appreciate something, you find it good and useful or find it of no use. The correct answer is "find it good and useful."

Question 6: When you replicate something, you do it for the first time or for the second time. The correct answer is "for the second time" or more accurately, you copy or imitate something.

Question 7: When we come to terms with something, it is still upsetting or no longer upsetting. The correct answer is "no longer upsetting."

Now, Exercise IV is about dictionary work. It talks about adjectives that can occur after the verb "be" and before a noun. Let me explain this with the examples given.

The word "auspicious" can be used after the verb "be" as in "The sound of the shehnai is auspicious," or before a noun as in "The auspicious sound of the shehnai is usually heard at marriages." But there are some adjectives that can only be used after the verb "be" and not before a noun. For example, "Ustad Faiyaz Khan was overjoyed." We cannot say "the overjoyed man." Similarly, "awake" is an adjective that is not used before a noun. We say "I am awake" but not "the awake man."

Now, the exercise asks us to complete a table with these words: indispensable, impressed, afraid, outdoor, paternal, countless, priceless. We need to mark whether they can be used only before a noun, only after the verb "be," or both.

Let me explain each one:

"Indispensable" can be used both before a noun and after the verb "be." For example, "Water is indispensable for life" and "an indispensable part."

"Impressed" can be used both before a noun and after the verb "be." For example, "She was impressed" and "the impressed audience."

"Afraid" is usually used after the verb "be." We say "I am afraid" but not usually "an afraid person," though it can be used before a noun in some cases.

"Outdoor" is usually used before a noun. We say "outdoor activities" but not "the activities are outdoor."

"Paternal" is used before a noun. We say "paternal ancestors" but not "the ancestors are paternal."

"Countless" is used before a noun. We say "countless opportunities" but not "the opportunities are countless."

"Priceless" is used before a noun. We say "priceless gems" but not "the gems are priceless."

Now, the exercise also asks us to use these words in phrases or sentences of our own. Let me give you some examples:

Indispensable: Water is indispensable for our survival. / Air is an indispensable part of our life.

Impressed: The teacher was impressed with my work. / The impressed students gave a standing ovation.

Afraid: I am afraid of the dark. / The afraid child ran to his mother.

Outdoor: We enjoyed outdoor games. / Camping is an outdoor activity.

Paternal: He inherited his paternal property. / My paternal grandfather was a farmer.

Countless: There are countless stars in the sky. / She has countless books in her library.

Priceless: The painting is priceless. / Her smile is priceless.

Now, students, we have completed the "Thinking about Language" section. Let us move on to the "Speaking" section.

The first speaking activity asks us to imagine that the famous singer Kishori Amonkar is going to visit our school. We have been asked to introduce her to the audience before her performance. We need to read the passage about her and make notes of the main points about her parentage, the school of music she belongs to, her achievements, her inspiration, and her awards.

Let me summarize the information from the passage:

Padma Bhushan Kishori Amonkar is widely considered the finest female vocalist of her generation. She was born in 1931. Her mother was Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, another great artist. In her early years, she absorbed the approach and repertoire of her distinguished mother's teacher, Ustad Alladiya Khan. She belongs to the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. As her own style developed, she moved away from this gharana in some respects, and her approach is now regarded as an individual variant of the Jaipur model.

Kishori Amonkar is a thinker. She is besotted by what she calls the mysterious world of her raagas. She dissects them with the precision of a perfectionist, almost like a scientist, until the most subtle of shades and emotions emerge and re-emerge.

She is very much inspired by the teachings of the ancient Vedic sages, written at a time when vocal music was highly devotional in character. This soul-searching quality of her music, coupled with a very intellectual approach to raaga performance, has gained her quite a following in India and has helped to revive the study of khayal.

Significant awards bestowed on her include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1985, the Padma Bhushan in 1987, and the highly coveted Sangeet Samradhini Award in 1997.

Now, for the speaking activity, we need to introduce Kishori Amonkar using phrases like "I am honoured to introduce..." or "I feel privileged to introduce..." or "We welcome you..."

Here is an example of how we might introduce her:

"Good evening, everyone. I am honoured to introduce to you one of the greatest vocalists of India, Padma Bhushan Kishori Amonkar. Born in 1931 to the legendary Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, she belongs to the prestigious Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. She is known for her deep understanding of raagas and her intellectual approach to music. She has been inspired by the ancient Vedic sages and has helped revive the study of khayal. She has received many awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Padma Bhushan, and the Sangeet Samradhini Award. Please join me in welcoming the maestro of Indian classical music, Kishori Amonkar."

Now, the second speaking activity asks us to use our notes to introduce her to an imaginary audience. We can use the example I just gave or create our own introduction.

Now, let us move on to the "Writing" section. The writing task asks us to write two paragraphs, one on each of the two musicians, Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan. We need to answer these questions: Do you think they both worked hard? Where did they want to 'go'?

Let me help you with this. Both Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan worked extremely hard. Evelyn Glennie, despite being deaf, worked harder than most classical musicians to perfect her art. She learned to feel music through vibrations in her body and practiced relentlessly to master thousands of instruments. She wanted to go to the top of the music world, and she achieved her goal by becoming the world's most sought-after multi-percussionist.

Similarly, Bismillah Khan worked hard from a very young age. He started practicing the shehnai at the age of three and spent hours every day perfecting his craft. He wanted to bring the shehnai from temples and weddings to the classical stage of the world. He achieved this and received the highest civilian award in India, the Bharat Ratna.

Now, students, we have completed the main chapter. But wait, there is also a poem at the end of this lesson. The poem is titled "Wind," and it is written by Subramania Bharati, a great Tamil poet. It has been translated from Tamil by A.K. Ramanujan.

Let me read the poem to you:

"Wind, come softly. Don't break the shutters of the windows. Don't scatter the papers. Don't throw down the books on the shelf. There, look what you did — you threw them all down. You tore the pages of the books. You brought rain again. You're very clever at poking fun at weaklings. Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters, crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives, crumbling hearts — the wind god winnows and crushes them all. He won't do what you tell him. So, come, let's build strong homes, Let's joint the doors firmly. Practise to firm the body. Make the heart steadfast. Do this, and the wind will be friends with us. The wind blows out weak fires. He makes strong fires roar and flourish. His friendship is good. We praise him every day."

Now, let me explain the poem to you. The poet speaks to the wind as if it is a person. In the first stanza, the wind is described as destructive. It breaks windows, scatters papers, throws down books, and brings rain. The poet calls the wind "very clever at poking fun at weaklings." The wind destroys frail and crumbling things — houses, doors, rafters, wood, bodies, lives, and hearts. The poet says the wind god winnows and crushes them all. Winnow means to blow grain free of chaff, but here it means to destroy or get rid of something.

But then the poem takes a turn. The poet says, "So, come, let's build strong homes, let's join the doors firmly. Practise to firm the body. Make the heart steadfast." This means that instead of being afraid of the wind, we should become strong ourselves. We should build strong homes, strengthen our bodies, and make our hearts steadfast, which means firm and unwavering.

The last part of the poem is very meaningful. The poet says, "The wind blows out weak fires. He makes strong fires roar and flourish. His friendship is good. We praise him every day." This means that the wind is not always destructive. It also helps strong things to grow and flourish. If we become strong, the wind will be our friend, not our enemy. We should praise the wind every day.

Now, let me answer the questions given after the poem.

Question 1: What are the things the wind does in the first stanza? The wind breaks the shutters of the windows, scatters the papers, throws down the books on the shelf, tears the pages of the books, and brings rain.

Question 2: Have you seen anybody winnow grain at home or in a paddy field? What is the word in your language for winnowing? What do people use for winnowing? Students, in many parts of India, people still winnow grain using a winnowing fan, which is called "chha" in Hindi or "pikkun" in some other languages. They use a flat basket to toss the grain into the air so that the wind blows away the chaff.

Question 3: What does the poet say the wind god winnows? The poet says the wind god winnows and crushes frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters, crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives, and crumbling hearts.

Question 4: What should we do to make friends with the wind? We should build strong homes, join the doors firmly, practise to firm the body, and make the heart steadfast. In other words, we should become strong ourselves.

Question 5: What do the last four lines of the poem mean to you? The last four lines mean that the wind is not always destructive. It destroys weak things but helps strong things to grow and flourish. If we become strong, the wind will be our friend. We should appreciate the wind and praise it every day.

Question 6: How does the poet speak to the wind — in anger or with humour? Students, the poet speaks to the wind with a mix of frustration and humour. The poet complains about the wind's mischief but also acknowledges its power. The poet's response to the wind "crumbling lives" is to encourage people to become strong so that they can face any challenge. It is a message of hope and resilience.

Now, students, we have completed the entire chapter. Let me give you a complete summary of everything we have learned today.

We started with the story of Evelyn Glennie, a profoundly deaf musician who learned to feel music through vibrations in her body. She overcame her disability through determination and hard work and became one of the most celebrated multi-percussionists in the world. She received the Royal Philharmonic Society's Soloist of the Year Award and continues to inspire deaf children around the world.

Then we learned about Ustad Bismillah Khan and the shehnai. We learned how the shehnai was created from the pungi by a barber, how it became an auspicious instrument played at weddings and temples, and how Bismillah Khan brought it to the classical stage. We learned about his early life, his training, his first performance at the Red Fort on Independence Day, his international performances, and the many awards he received, including the Bharat Ratna. We also learned about his deep love for India, Benaras, and the Ganga.

We then answered all the questions in "Thinking about the Text" and "Thinking about Language," including questions about vocabulary, sentence structure, and dictionary work.

We also did the speaking activity, where we learned how to introduce a famous musician, Kishori Amonkar, to an audience.

We did the writing activity, where we wrote about how both Evelyn Glennie and Bismillah Khan worked hard to achieve their goals.

Finally, we read and understood the poem "Wind" by Subramania Bharati. We learned that the poem teaches us to become strong in body and mind so that we can face any challenge in life. The wind destroys weak things but helps strong things to flourish. If we become strong, the wind will be our friend.

Students, I hope you have enjoyed this lesson as much as I have enjoyed teaching you. Both Evelyn Glennie and Ustad Bismillah Khan are inspirations to us all. They show us that no matter what obstacles we face, we can achieve our dreams through hard work, determination, and perseverance. Let us all learn from their examples and strive to become the best version of ourselves.

Thank you for listening. See you in the next class.