Sumana Banerjee

Reviewed on 26 Nov, 2024

Vocal Music

"I have been learning vocal Hindustani music under the guidance of Ms. Sumana for the last one and half years. I am all of 66 years and was very diffident and hesitant to start learning music at this late stage in life. I had no previous background on singing. My only qualification was - still is - an intense urge to learn Hidustani vocal. Ms. Sumana is an amazing teacher. She teaches music almost through a friendly conversation and you never realise that you are the pupil and she is the teacher - it is just a conversation through which the new concepts are introduced. This method put me totally at ease in learning. We started with a number of alankaars till my sargam became satisfactory. She spent a lot of time correcting the aakars and now I feel quite comfortable - although I still struggle with aakar at high speed and she keeps encouraging me saying it will improve with practice. I have learnt raag bhupali, Bhairavi and Yaman with a number of bandishes and including swar vistar and a large number of taans. It has been a very fulfilling experience for me and everyday I look forward to teh classes and my regular practice. On my request she taught me Rashid Khan's "Aaoge Jab Tum O Saajana" from the movie 'Jab We Met', based on Raag Tilak Kamod and "Jab Deep Jale Aana" from the movie "Chit Chor", based on Raag Yaman. I have almost perfected these two songs now. Just about a week ago, we also started the prarambhik aalaps of the three raags that we have covered. She truly puts her heart and soul into teaching - our classes are online, and she sends me the swar maalika in advance through whatsap, making it very easy for me to follow the lessons. Often she sends me the recordings in her melodious voice of the bandishes, taans and aalaps for me to practice. I have no hesitation in strongly recommending her for anyone interested in learning Hindustani vocal music - irrespective of whether one is a beginner or an advanced student and irrespective of the age and gender."

Reviewed on 12 Sep, 2023

Vocal Music

"Sumana Banerjee is an experienced music teacher. She is very professional and her teaching style is very unique. She concentrates on your scale, practice routine and personalized vocal training in a convincing manner. My daughter is really enjoying learning various ragas, Palta and alankars under her guidance. She motivates all her students to perform on stage. She has a great knowledge of Rabindra Sangeet as well. She has got a very good setup for nline muosic classes too. Students of any age can learn hindustani classical music from her as she focuses on this genre! "

Reviewed on 31 Aug, 2023

Vocal Music

"I am a senior citizen, all of 65 years; I was, for a long time, quite obsessed with learning Hindusthani vocal music, but at my age, could not overcome my inhibitions about joining a class, with absolutely no previous experience of singing. Almost by chance I stumbled upon the Urban Pro site and registered. Upfront, I must admit that I got really lucky that Ms. Sumana agreed to be my teacher. I just finished two classes under her mentorship - one a demo class, essentially to see if our pitch matches, but the second one was a more formal, educative beginner's class. With all my inhibitions, but with an innate desire to learn vocal music, I needed a teacher who would be gentle, patient and understanding. Ms Sumana is all of this in abundant measure. Her style of teaching is simply amazing, and you learn music almost as easily as if you were in a friendly conversation. She has a natural talent to teach music and teaches with zeal and with - well, at my age this one matters a lot - empathy. She gave me just the necessary theoretical background, without cluttering it with too many details - and then started with the kindergarten-level of singing lesson. I am all excited to learn the next lesson and I eagerly await the next class, I will write a more detailed review after about a month or two, when I would have a better control on my voice and get well and truly into the fascinating world of music, under her mentorship. "

Reviewed on 05 Jul, 2023

Vocal Music

"I jave just joined Sumana Mam's Music Class. She is really a professional music teacher with a very good experience in music. I am grateful to have Sumana ji as my music teacher. I appciate her teaching method. "