A musical journey of the heart and the voice
This transformative 8 week kirtan training begins a life-long journey of deepening into the heart.
Next start: Tuesday October 6th – November 24th, 2026 7-9 pm
$495 for the 8 weeks includes use of a digital keyboard for the course
Hello, thanks for your interest in Harreson’s 8 week in-person/online kirtan training. The curriculum has been designed to provide detail for total beginners to learn how to play, sing and lead kirtan.
You will find a fusion of East and West in this course to give you comprehensive beginning in your music journey of devotion. Western music scores are seamlessly blended with Eastern sargam to provide you a basis in both music systems.
Here in this demo, you will get a quick glimpse of Harreson’s methodology of teaching a beginner on how to play chords. The methodology incorporates useful technology to give the student both visual and audio cues for their learning process.
Introduction
Quickplay
For those who already have some familiarity with playing the keyboard, or for those who want a quick overview, the quickplay is designed to meet those needs.
Detailed Chord by Chord Instruction
For the normal beginner, then these detailed chord by chord videos for each melody can provide the initial instruction and also act as a practice video.
Here’s a short clip covering the first 2 chords: setting the initial C major chord and progressing to the next chord, F major.
Demonstration of Music Score
Music scores are a clear, precise visual and audio map of a song. It also provides a reference for tempo and timing.
Basic Foundation in Western Music
While one can learn to lead kirtan without any foundation in music, whether Eastern or Western, it is advantageous to have some foundation in music.
This foundation potentially allows one to find their own chords for the melodies which may come through them.
With this basis of music education, then one potentially becomes equipped to be a creator of music.
Other Noteworthy Lessons Included in the 8 Week Training:
Learn how to sing on pitch
Learning to sing on pitch is one of the most fundamental aspects of singing to gain some proficiency. Through years of helping students sing on pitch, I offer this visual and audio methodology so that you can sing as designed in the original song.
Learn how to transpose keys
Transposition is the process of changing from one key to another key. This is especially relevant if you, as a keyboardist, want to accompany a lead guitarist who is using a capo on their guitar.
Fuse the West and the East
If you study classical Indian music, you will quickly find out that there is a system called sargam, which describes the notes. Sargam is akin to the Western system of Solfege (Do Re Mi …).
Here in this training, you will get an introduction to sargam as it is blended in with Western music scores.
“God loves it when we sing and are joyous.
Even more so when we sing His praises, for that only brings more and more grace and beauty into our lives.”
“Give thanks and sing the praises of a most compassionate and merciful God.”
Training the next generation of Western kirtan leaders:
With attention to detail, commitment to progress and a spaciousness that we don’t have to be perfect, Harreson Sito has been offering Vancouver Community Kirtan since 2016.
Fueled and guided a feeling and desire to sing for and to God, Harreson followed that calling. The journey led to the dross to being burnt away, leaving a clearer radiance of the innate joy, peace and love that resides in each one of us.
Now it is Harreson’s mission to enable more people to take up leading kirtan and to spread the awareness of a loving and patient God by teaching and mentoring the best trained kirtan faciltators.
He does that through holding the multi-faith and non-denominational space of Vancouver Community Kirtan, offering the kirtan trainings, supporting/ mentoring the kirtan training graduates, and providing opportunities for the graduates to perform in public in a safe and supportive environment so that their self-confidence can be nurtured and the graduates can grow into their own soul’s calling as a kirtan facilitator.
FAQs
What is Western Kirtan?
Harreson defines Western Kirtan as the fusion of East and West:
- focus on only 2 scales: major and minor
- the harmonium primarily plays the harmony using chords
- both Western notes and music scores are used along with Eastern sargam
Do I need to have a prior music experience?
No prior music experience is required. If you have the desire to learn kirtan and a willingness to put in some practice, then those two factors will allow you to progress greatly in your kirtan journey.
Do I need a harmonium?
Harmoniums will be provided for the classes. One of the lessons will be on how to buy a harmonium.
How much does it cost?
8 weekly lessons is $495 CAD, which includes free use of a digital keyboard to bring home for the duration of the course.
Do I need to read sheet music?
It is not required to read sheet music. Accompanying videos and audio translate the sheet music for you, so all you really need to do is follow the videos.
However, Harreson has found that sheet music notation of a chant provides a comprehensive, graphic and detailed map of how one could play and sing a kirtan chant. He has transcribed kirtan chants to music score and has come up with a methodology to learn without having to read sheet music.
Just watch and follow along with the videos. Reading sheet music is not required.
In terms of correcting timing or singing on pitch, a music score is very useful to pinpoint the exact note which needs further attention.
If at some point you want to have a deeper understanding the chant’s musical structure, then the videos can be paused and the score can be analyzed as you like.
Do I have to know Western music theory?
It’s not required to know Western music theory to play and lead kirtan. Practice is the most essential factor needed to progress.
However, knowing some music theory will open musical doors for you.
There are 4-5 main points in Western music theory that are very useful for playing, singing and leading kirtan.
Harreson will give you a broad overview of Western music theory so that in the future, you will feel more comfortable around other Western musicians, such as a guitar accompanist.
Also in the future, you will have the basis to find the chords for the melodies which come through you.
When you are just starting out, focus on knowing the 4-5 main points. Ignore the rest if you want to, for the time being. Then in the future, you can review the music theory and gain a greater in-depth knowledge of Western music.
What’s so great about the Western music approach to kirtan?
First of all, I think, by playing chords rather than the single notes of the melody, it’s a lot simpler to learn. Also, the very nature of the triad chords taught in the course, is harmonious. So a chord-focused Western approach to kirtan does innately have a harmonious feel to it.
And instead of playing the intricate melody note by note, playing chords might allow you to increase the tempo to a higher level. Your voice will most likely be able to sing faster than your fingers can play the melody. And you don’t have to spend so much energy constantly focusing on hitting the correct note on the harmonium. Just get the chord and then sing for that vocal phrase until the next chord change. So the use of chords helps us keep up to the tempo that our voice is capable of.
But isn’t the Indian system of sargam and ragas/thaats, the real and only thing?
If you are of the nature to desire to learn the intricate and subtle levels of classical Indian music with its system of sargam and ragas/thaats, then all the more power to you! It’s a beautiful and powerful system. I had a smattering of Carnatic lessons in India many years ago.
If that’s not of your nature and yet you still have a yearning to create beautiful uplifting experiences for yourself and others, then a Western approach to kirtan could be the path for you!
What will I learn during these 8 weeks?
Here’s some of the curriculum:
– general layout of a harmonium, do’s and don’ts
– how a keyboard is laid out musically
– how to play 2 Sanskrit chants and 1 English chant
– the main scales used in kirtan chants
– how to construct the chords you will find in kirtan
– how to play efficiently with minimal fingering changes
– how to play on time
– how to sing on pitch
– breath support for your voice
– tips on how to develop your optimal voice
– how Indian Sargam is related to the Western system of music
– how to transpose from one key to another key to suit your voice
– tools to put melodies which come through you to music
– how to select a harmonium
– how to increase your kirtan repertoire
– how to take care of your voice
– learn how to lead kirtan !!!
Is there a preview of what I might expect during this training?
Yes! Here’s a quick intro with some short videos snippets of the teaching methodology and somethings to expect.
Harreson’s 8 Week Kirtan Training demo
What if I don’t want to lead kirtan in public?
No problem! I’ve created this 8 week curriculum to provide the music building blocks so that you have the basic foundation to feel comfortable to enter the new door of musicality that has opened up before you. The gift of music is a gift that will nourish your soul for years to come.
Once you gain the skills, then you decide what you want to do with them, whether just for your own personal practice, or maybe a small group of friends and family.
I changed my mind after the course started and don’t want to continue, can I have a refund?
The prorated refund will be calculated as follows:
– there is a $100 charge for every class attended or each link given to the teachings
– balance can be returned via etransfer or cash