Kirtan Leader Blog

Brad, Ben and Gaya in the studio

Where are you when I need you, Ganesh?

This tale opens with a handful of obstacles. Nothing would stop you from wanting to professionally record a song, right? My mentor Mike Cohen, founder of...

For years I've wanted to create t-shirts with the words "Thinking Kills Kirtan" emblazoned across the front. The phrase came out of our Level 2 (Learn to Share Kirtan with Others) group intensives we ran multiple times per...

Folks are often confused about the relationship between Kirtan and sacred chant. Here are a few insights...

1. Sacred chant is a broader category than Kirtan. Robert Gass's Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound, is a great look...

Harmoniums and Headaches

Since they were introduced in 2015, I have been enamored with the Bhava brand of harmoniums created by Old Delhi Music. Last fall I thought it might be wise to try a few others to see if they were...

She was a new student. Eager to learn, she had many questions. Toward the end of the conversation, she nervously asked, “Do I really have to learn Sargam to lead Kirtan?”

My response immediately set...

An Interesting Discovery

During a intensive group training program with advanced students in 2016, some deeply held and unarticulated assumptions of several longtime students came to the surface. I was surprised to discover...

I frequently see confusion arising around the LEVEL’S in our school, which are distinct from the CLASSES and INTENSIVES we offer. The confusion tends to show up when students are looking to take our Level 2 or Level 3...

Check out the May 2020 issue of Yoga Journal for a fun article titled The Harmonium for Beginners. This article chronicles KLI student Jennifer Davis Flynn’s journey through our Level 1 (Launch Your Home Chant Practice) in...

Vocalist, voice teacher and Kirtan Leader Institute instructor Dawnia Dresser has a beautiful way of describing the difference between singing and sacred chant.

1. The External Loop 

Dawnia has been singing since age...