Vivek Virani
@vivekvirani.bsky.social
Scholar, performer, and teacher of spiritual music drawing from traditions of South Asia and around the world. Ethnomusicologist (whatever that means) at UNT College of Music.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
Major media seem flummoxed about what to do when Trump shares a fake video of Obama getting arrested. Maybe they think the options are A) take the bait, or B) ignore it. But there's a 3rd option: Gather all the crazy examples and write big, loud stories about how the president is mentally unhinged.
July 21, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Major media seem flummoxed about what to do when Trump shares a fake video of Obama getting arrested. Maybe they think the options are A) take the bait, or B) ignore it. But there's a 3rd option: Gather all the crazy examples and write big, loud stories about how the president is mentally unhinged.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
I think LLMs are appealing to a certain set of people who think they're entitled to be good at something without wanting to actually put in any work
mostly, it seems people who think the disciplines of the Humanites aren't "real" and so just any rube can do it. Chris Arnade, basically
mostly, it seems people who think the disciplines of the Humanites aren't "real" and so just any rube can do it. Chris Arnade, basically
June 16, 2025 at 1:50 PM
I think LLMs are appealing to a certain set of people who think they're entitled to be good at something without wanting to actually put in any work
mostly, it seems people who think the disciplines of the Humanites aren't "real" and so just any rube can do it. Chris Arnade, basically
mostly, it seems people who think the disciplines of the Humanites aren't "real" and so just any rube can do it. Chris Arnade, basically
Reposted by Vivek Virani
[AI guy watching the animatronic band at Chuck E. Cheese wiggle around while “Octopus’s Garden” plays over the speakers on stage] Fascinating... outstanding… this raises the question: how long before human bands are replaced entirely by this technology? Are we already there? We just may be.
May 14, 2025 at 6:11 PM
[AI guy watching the animatronic band at Chuck E. Cheese wiggle around while “Octopus’s Garden” plays over the speakers on stage] Fascinating... outstanding… this raises the question: how long before human bands are replaced entirely by this technology? Are we already there? We just may be.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
A very blessed Rama Navami to you all. Today the lord was born in the form of the ideal man, and freedom humanity from the oppressive clutches of an ego driven dictator who used an army of demons to take whatever he wanted. May Shri Ram guide us to liberation and justice. Jay Shri Ram!
April 6, 2025 at 3:40 PM
A very blessed Rama Navami to you all. Today the lord was born in the form of the ideal man, and freedom humanity from the oppressive clutches of an ego driven dictator who used an army of demons to take whatever he wanted. May Shri Ram guide us to liberation and justice. Jay Shri Ram!
Very excited for these upcoming events with @friedlind.bsky.social !
Delighted and honoured to visit UNT to talk about Burmese Opera at the School of Music. They have created a fabulous, five day schedule for me including lots of meetings with students, teach-ins and a panel discussion with @vivekvirani.bsky.social
January 28, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Very excited for these upcoming events with @friedlind.bsky.social !
Reposted by Vivek Virani
Cold out, cozy in
A hushed eve before the morn
Quiet before joy
A hushed eve before the morn
Quiet before joy
December 25, 2024 at 1:50 AM
Cold out, cozy in
A hushed eve before the morn
Quiet before joy
A hushed eve before the morn
Quiet before joy
We have lost a one-in-a-century artist.
Zakir Hussain was the only musician I know who was celebrated and beloved by Hindustani master artists and broad audiences alike. He was one of my first musical heroes. No one did more to expand the possibilities of tabla as a global instrument. Rest in taal.
Zakir Hussain was the only musician I know who was celebrated and beloved by Hindustani master artists and broad audiences alike. He was one of my first musical heroes. No one did more to expand the possibilities of tabla as a global instrument. Rest in taal.
December 17, 2024 at 1:47 AM
We have lost a one-in-a-century artist.
Zakir Hussain was the only musician I know who was celebrated and beloved by Hindustani master artists and broad audiences alike. He was one of my first musical heroes. No one did more to expand the possibilities of tabla as a global instrument. Rest in taal.
Zakir Hussain was the only musician I know who was celebrated and beloved by Hindustani master artists and broad audiences alike. He was one of my first musical heroes. No one did more to expand the possibilities of tabla as a global instrument. Rest in taal.
It's that time of year.
December 7, 2024 at 11:04 PM
It's that time of year.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
Universities do not exist to 'train', produce 'skills' or generate 'impact'. They exist to create new knowledge and teach about it. Any assertion to the contrary is in error, and is destroying everything it touches.
December 4, 2024 at 11:28 AM
Universities do not exist to 'train', produce 'skills' or generate 'impact'. They exist to create new knowledge and teach about it. Any assertion to the contrary is in error, and is destroying everything it touches.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
You're not going to be able to develop a highly informed, nuanced take on every conflict in the world, but I'll give you a good heuristic
Always, in every circumstance, be opposed to the wanton slaughter of civilians, no matter what elaborate excuses folks throw up about why this time is different
Always, in every circumstance, be opposed to the wanton slaughter of civilians, no matter what elaborate excuses folks throw up about why this time is different
December 3, 2024 at 3:38 AM
You're not going to be able to develop a highly informed, nuanced take on every conflict in the world, but I'll give you a good heuristic
Always, in every circumstance, be opposed to the wanton slaughter of civilians, no matter what elaborate excuses folks throw up about why this time is different
Always, in every circumstance, be opposed to the wanton slaughter of civilians, no matter what elaborate excuses folks throw up about why this time is different
Reposted by Vivek Virani
November 24, 2024 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Vivek Virani
Being a parent is 10% teaching, 10% learning and 80% the ability to watch the same goddamn song over and over again till your brain pours out your nose and you keel over
November 22, 2024 at 3:09 PM
Being a parent is 10% teaching, 10% learning and 80% the ability to watch the same goddamn song over and over again till your brain pours out your nose and you keel over
Reposted by Vivek Virani
The struggle is real, y'all.
November 20, 2024 at 8:09 PM
The struggle is real, y'all.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
To sing is to be
One with the poet, the song,
And the humming air
One with the poet, the song,
And the humming air
November 20, 2024 at 3:57 AM
To sing is to be
One with the poet, the song,
And the humming air
One with the poet, the song,
And the humming air
Reposted by Vivek Virani
A haiku a day?
Don't know if I can commit
...but with a blue sky....
Don't know if I can commit
...but with a blue sky....
November 9, 2024 at 1:24 PM
A haiku a day?
Don't know if I can commit
...but with a blue sky....
Don't know if I can commit
...but with a blue sky....
Reposted by Vivek Virani
As much of an insufferable Tolkien nerd as I am, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is actually my favorite fantasy series. It's just not as meme-able as nine dudes on a road trip to destroy jewelry.
October 16, 2024 at 3:59 PM
As much of an insufferable Tolkien nerd as I am, Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea is actually my favorite fantasy series. It's just not as meme-able as nine dudes on a road trip to destroy jewelry.
Reposted by Vivek Virani
kind of telling that a registered republican tries to assassinate the republican nominee for president who tried to murder his own republican vice president and the republican response is that democrats should calm the fuck down. 🤷🏻♂️
July 14, 2024 at 9:41 PM
kind of telling that a registered republican tries to assassinate the republican nominee for president who tried to murder his own republican vice president and the republican response is that democrats should calm the fuck down. 🤷🏻♂️
Reposted by Vivek Virani
GOP candidates must negotiate a thicket of tricky gotcha questions like "what was the cause of the civil war?" but also "who won the 2020 Presidential election" and "do you denounce the teachings of Hitler?"
To be fair, if your party is banning teaching about the history of race in America, maybe the causes of the civil war really is a gotcha question. www.mediaite.com/politics/nik...
Nikki Haley Claims Civil War Questioner at Her Town Hall Was a Secret Democratic ‘Plant’
Nikki Haley went into damage control over her comments about the Civil War, claiming that the question came from a Democrat "plant" who was out to get her.
www.mediaite.com
December 28, 2023 at 4:06 PM
GOP candidates must negotiate a thicket of tricky gotcha questions like "what was the cause of the civil war?" but also "who won the 2020 Presidential election" and "do you denounce the teachings of Hitler?"
Reposted by Vivek Virani
Stuck this to the window and now the world makes a LITTLE more sense...
October 3, 2023 at 1:27 AM
Stuck this to the window and now the world makes a LITTLE more sense...
Historical musicology colleagues - come work with us at UNT!
September 30, 2023 at 4:33 PM
Historical musicology colleagues - come work with us at UNT!
Music studies friends - looking for recommendations as I update my Global Pop syllabus. Particularly in search of accessible stuff to assign to non-major undergrads (prioritizing potential to generate in-class discussion > detail and rigor), e.g. podcast eps and news articles. Any ideas?
August 9, 2023 at 5:14 PM
Music studies friends - looking for recommendations as I update my Global Pop syllabus. Particularly in search of accessible stuff to assign to non-major undergrads (prioritizing potential to generate in-class discussion > detail and rigor), e.g. podcast eps and news articles. Any ideas?