Harmonium Magic
101 & 111

Sreedevi Bringi, MSc, MS, MA, is a native of South India where she received formal training in yoga, meditation, Sanskrit, and Hindu religious and spiritual traditions. She draws on the Goddess traditions of India for her own spiritual practice, finding inspiration in India’s contemporary women saints. As a retired faculty member in Yoga Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, Sreedevi offers classes and workshops at yoga teacher trainings and yoga festivals on topics such as yoga nidra meditation, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Sacred Sanskrit for spiritual practice, yoga philosophy, Goddess traditions of India, Shiva-Shakti Tantra and sacred Indian texts.

She has offered workshops and classes for Hanuman Academy, Kripalu Yoga Center, Hanuman Festival, Moksha Festival, and at the Grand Valley Yoga Festival. She has also participated in several interviews and inter-faith panel discussions on yoga-related topics through the Shambhala Mountain Center, Naropa University, the Legacy Foundation, Unitarian Universalist Church and other spiritual/religious organizations. With graduate degrees in Chemistry, Atmospheric Sciences, and Environmental Education, Sreedevi likes to infuse scientific perspectives into ancient Vedanta-Yoga-Tantra teachings and practices.

Learn more about Sreedevi

Sheela Bringi, MFA, is a sacred music artist and educator. She is a vocalist and plays the harp, harmonium, and bansuri (Indian classical bamboo flute). She is adjunct faculty at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, where she teaches courses in Indian devotional and rāga singing. Sheela’s parents are immigrants to the U.S. from South India, and she was raised in Colorado with kīrtan, bhakti yoga, and Indian classical music in the home. She receives traditional training in mantra from her mother, Sreedevi, who is passing on the spiritual wisdom of her family’s lineage.

Sheela has extensive training in North Indian classical, devotional and Western musical traditions, and past teachers include Indian maestros Pt. G.S. Sachdev and Ust. Aashish Khan, and Western contemporary greats such as Cecil Taylor and Meredith Monk. She currently studies Hindustani voice with Sri Subhashish Mukhopadyay (a topmost exponent of the Kotali Gharana). She has released two albums as a solo artist (Shakti Sutra and Incantations). Her work to bridge the musical worlds of India and America has been profiled by NBC News, NPR, Public Radio International, and others. Sheela tours and teaches internationally and has collaborated with artists including Idan Raichel, Karsh Kale, Jai Uttal, and many others.

Visit Sheela's artist website

For nearly two decades, Brent Kuecker has helped people to feel at home in their bodies through teaching the practices of Yoga - and has continued to be first and foremost a student. He is not only a Yoga and meditation teacher, but also a professional musician, videographer, and photographer. He teaches with a humanistic vision and compassionately shares what he has learned through his life and teaching work.

Brent has been blessed with many great teachers and influences on the path of Yoga, which helped him to persevere through challenges and keep going. His studies are very wide and Brent is indeed a polymath in the field of Yoga - with expertise in anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, meditation, metaphysics, cosmology, tantra, mantra, kirtan, sutras - there is literally not one facet of Yoga that Brent is not interested in or willing to investigate and digest. Brent meets students where they are at, and is exceptional with therapeutics. He built a Yoga community of dedicated students in Bellingham, WA, from 2010 - 2016.

Brent moved to Boulder, CO with his beloved partner, Sheela Bringi in 2016. Together they have toured the world playing music and have recently developed a method of Yoga practice that combines elements of sacred sound, deep listening, meditation, and chanting into a deeply embodied movement practice. It is called the Sound Soma Method. Brent has also produced two online courses: The Hero's Journey (for Yogis), and Low Back Resilience (for people with low back ailments). 

We're so glad you asked! No! A harmonium is NOT required. Any keyboarding instrument, like a piano, organ, keyboard, electric piano, etc, will do!

A small keyboard (that you can order online, or pick up at a store like Target) will do to get started!

Harmoniums can be finicky instruments, they have wooden parts that can expand or contract with the weather, keys can stick or buzz, leaks can spring in the bellows -- so it's important to start with a high-quality instrument from an instrument importer.

Some things to consider before purchasing: 

• Will you be traveling by plane with the harmonium?
• Will you be taking it outside your home often?
• Are you looking to perform harmonium professionally or record in the studio?

Talk to the owner or staff of the source and tell them your needs and goals, and they will recommend a suitable model for you! 

I have played and owned many types of harmoniums over 25 years, and I am the most impressed with the overall quality and customer service of the following sources. 

1) Ragamala Harmoniums by David Estes - email [email protected] for price list and shipping information. Visit the FB Page.  

Harmoniums in stock! I bought a Ragamala Peti harmonium as a gift for my Mom (who was looking for something lightweight, easy to carry, and that wouldn't strain her neck/shoulders), and we love it! It's a light-weight, ultra-portable, lovely harmonium. The tone and sustain is remarkable given its small size. If you are looking for something light and compact and with a beautiful tone, this is perfect. David personally designs Ragamala® harmoniums inside and out and has them made in India by skilled craftsmen under strict quality control supervision. Email David to find out pricing and models in stock. 

2) Old Delhi Music | 312-869-9092 or [email protected]

Harmoniums are in stock! I own the Bhava Mini, and Panipat Deluxe Studio, and love both of them. The owner, Nic, does an impeccable job sourcing and importing quality instruments. Call to discuss your needs with the store.

Other Options: 

1) Keshav Music in NYC 

I own the DMS 4b and it's a great harmonium for traveling, and works great for home practice as well.

2) Mindra's Harmonium Sales & Repairs | Queens

I have heard good things about Mindra's harmoniums and service, but never bought from him myself. 

3) E-Bay, Amazon, Craigslist, etc - NOT recommended for reasons explained above. However if you are able to check out the harmonium yourself and you enjoy the tone and sustain, and all the keys work, then go for it! 

Harmonium Magic 101 is for you if:

• you are new to the harmonium

• or, you already play harmonium, but are not familiar with Indian sargam (solfege) syllables

• or, you want to brush up on the basics and learn new kīrtans and mantras

If any of these describe you - we recommend you start with 101, and then continue onto 111 to build on what you’ve learned and keep up your momentum. Bundling these two courses together is the best deal!  

Harmonium Magic 111 is for you if:

• you have taken the Harmonium Magic 101 course

• or, you are comfortable singing and playing simple melodies in sargam

• or, you are an experienced musician

If any of these describe you - you may enroll directly into 111. However, we still recommend you start with 101 to brush up on the basics and practice foundational kīrtans and mantras. We are offering a great deal on enrolling in 101 & 111 together.

• Harmonium Magic 101 is a foundational training that covers the fundamentals of keyboarding and the Indian sargam (solfege) system. You learn to play and sing several simple mantras, kīrtans, and skill-building exercises. To accommodate students of varying levels, we teach multiple ways to play every kīrtan, and you can progress though them depending on your level & experience!

• Harmonium Magic 111 builds on the principles you learn in the 101 course, introducing new kīrtans, mantras and exercises.

Yes!!! Absolutely it's worth it. Not only will you have all the live class replays and bonus content for the rest of your life, to practice anytime, on your schedule, you will have access to us via email for support on your journey.  

You should take Harmonium Magic 101 to:

- get a review of the fundamentals, and the methods by which we teach our curriculum. 

- while other students are focusing on their fingering and sound, you can be refining your pronunciation, rhythm, easeful posture, vocal tone, etc

- learn and practice foundational mantra, invocations and chants for your own practice, or to share with your students/community

All sales are final, we do not offer refunds or transfers on our courses. 

No one should have to miss out due to lack of funds. If you have financial barriers to enrolling, write to sheela [at] shebrings [dot] com for scholarships opportunities. BIPOC and trans/queer/non-binary people especially encouraged to attend!

No, you don't have to, but you GET to learn sargam! Trust us, you want to learn it! The 7 sargam syllables are the musical language of Indian music. They are the building blocks of melody. Through learning to sing and identify the syllables, you learn melody deeply. You become best friends with the 7 notes! 

Harmonium Magic 101 is a Six-Week Video Course + Weekly Live Practice & Coaching Sessions

Date/Time: January 12 - February 16th | Live Sessions on Tuesdays from 12 - 1:30 PM MST. 

What you Receive: 

• 6 Modules of Pre-Recorded Video Lessons with over 9 hours of training. 

• 6 Weekly Live Practice & Coaching Sessions on  Zoom 

• 6 Weekly Harmonium "Office Hours" get extra help & practice

• PDF downloads with notation and translation for all kīrtans and mantras.

• All live calls recorded and all content available for viewing anytime!

Harmonium Magic 111 is a Six-Week Live Virtual Course - that Builds on the 101 Course 

Date/Time: February 23 - March 30th  | Live Classes on Tuesdays from 12 - 1:30 PM MST

What you Receive: 

• 6 Weekly Live Classes on Zoom. Build on Harmonium 101 - Learn new kīrtans and harmonium skills.

• 6 Weekly Harmonium "Office Hours" get extra help & practice

• PDF downloads with notation and translation for all kīrtans and mantras.

• Live Weekly Classes recorded, edited & posted on our course site, available for viewing anytime! 

Bonuses you get with each course: 

• Bonus #1 - Video course - Deities of Yoga: Stories, Songs, and Mantras of Hindu Gods & Goddesses by Sreedevi & Sheela Bringi 

• Bonus #2 - Instant access to a vault of teaching videos from Sreedevi Bringi including:

• Indian Women Mystic Saints  - 45-min mini course

• Significance of Chanting AUM 

• Power of Sacred Sanskrit

• Bonus #3 - Instant access to Introductory Modules of Kirtan Clarity Video course by Sheela Bringi (learn the fundamentals of harmonium and the building blocks of melody)

In some ways yes, and in some ways no. 

What you learn with me (Sheela) is a unique Indian - Western hybridized style of playing. Like the instrument itself, I am bi-cultural, and so is my style.

Let me explain a bit more.

From a young age growing up in Colorado, I was trained in Indian classical, devotional and Western music (jazz & classical) music. I have been playing the piano since I was 6, and I taught myself how to play the harmonium to accompany our family’s Satsang community when I was 12.

If you peek over my shoulder while playing harmonium at a gig, you will find some blend of the following:  

• Indian classical raga-based melodies  

• Indian kīrtan/bhajan/folk melodies 

• Western & Jazz harmony & chordal movement 

A traditional Indian classical/devotional style of playing uses lots of intricate, beautiful, fast, ornamentation. Players often play in the key of C# for men or A#/B for women (and those whose voices are in those ranges). Classical players typically play concert-sized (large) harmoniums with a scale-changer mechanism if they need to change keys. 

I have found that this style is just not practical for beginning students in the West who are seeking to sing and play in a devotional / bhakti context... for their own spiritual practice or in ashrams, yoga studios, retreat centers, etc. 

In my teaching I use the North Indian sargam (solfege) & ṭhāṭ (scale) system as a framework, and include both Indian and Western components. 

In the beginning 100-level courses:

• you learn foundational kīrtans, bhajans and mantras - both traditionally Indian AND Western-sourced.
• You learn the Indian sargam (solfege) syllables from Indian Classical Music: Sa Re Ga ma Pa Dha Ni Ṡa.    
• You start off playing in the key of C, and gradually will be introduced to 1 or 2 other keys.
• You learn how to play melodies, dyads (2 notes played at once), and dyads + melody tones.
• You are introduced to the idea of rāga and ṭhāt (Indian mode & scale).
• We give you tips on sanskrit pronunciation and easeful use of the Voice.
• We use a contemplative approach emphasizing ease and embodiment while playing & singing.

In future 200-400 level courses, you will be introduced to the concept of ornamentation, you dive deeper into rāga-based bhajans and kīrtan. You become fluent in several ṭhāṭs (Indian scales). You explore standard Western chord progressions and extended jazz harmonies.