Pearls from the Pigeon - Math, Economics, Physics, Geography and Biology of Music and Sabhas

It is interesting to see artist, guest of honors, Sabha secretaries give those long and patronising speeches year after year. Their ideas to improve the quality of music, make it global and accessible seem all grand and garrulous. But there seeems not much action beyond the stage. Here are a few more to that list. I wish atleast one Sabha Secretary will read this and start thinking this way. Definitely Music Academy can think of implementing many of these after receiving 1 Crore donation from Shiv Nadar.

1.Since Carnatic music has gone the money route today, it is not a bad idea to get feedback from consumers. Why can't artist/sabhas survey rasikas to understand who they like and what kind of music they like and more. It could be an online survey and anonymous. Let us improve the quality of music when you make us pay for it.

2.Sabhas (atleast Music Academy that has its own full-fledged auditorium) should create a separate corner where seats are equipped with headphone (with background noise cancellation) so that rasikas can enjoy music better. There are a few artists and voices that I love to hear with noise cancelling headphones. I am willing to pay premium for such seats. Are there glasses that will cancel the gesticulations that singers make on-stage? That would be a big welcome!

3.Why not sabhas do an online telecast of concerts and lec- dems for a fee to benefit people who live all over the world? For people coming to India from overseas, air fares to India this time of the year are unaffordable. There are so many older people who find it difficult to get out of their homes and acoustics in most of the Sabhas are bad and seats are not comfortable. So why not the online telecast route and sell ad space online. Sabhas, make hay when sun shines!

4.Why not sabhas set aside tickets that can be booked online rather than ask rasikas to queue up outside their sabha at 7 am? This will help sabhas monitor the crowd and take up proactive promotional activities, media interaction, etc. to fill the seats. Did you see Chennaiyil Tiruvaiyaru? Run a business like a business!

5.Sabhas are printing way too many leaflets and phamplets with concert details, instead why don’t they sell concert schedule booklet covering all Sabhas for 10 Rs that people can buy. When sold for a small amount people keep the book carefully, when given free they litter the venue continuously. Teach the value of paper (money too!)

6.Why not sabhas do ask public to vote for their favorite artist in various categories vocal, instrument, percussionist, non-percussionist and give away popular musician awards at junior and senior level? That would make it transparent and fair. It is those who are popular who help Sabhas make dough.

7.Attend the afternoon slot 12 noon to 4 PM and then you will know the quality of the music talent in Chennai. DB Ashwin, Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, Abhishek Raghuram, Ranjith Warrier, Vidya Kalayanraman, Saketharaman, etc. Let them learn more krithis and perform in this slot for another 5 years before getting promoted. We don't get promoted in the corporate world every year. Learning seems inversely proportional to the time slots later in the day.

8.Last but not the least, why not sabhas seriously consider holding their festival at a different time rather than holding all of them in December. There are 50+ sabhas in the city and if each of them picks a week in a year, we will enjoy concerts all through the year than have an overdose in December. Most of the sabhas don’t have their own venue and hence make shift arrangements with bad acoustics can be avoided. Artist will also find it easier to manage their concerts and throat. Rasikas will be able to attend concerts all through the year. Spread the joy!

9.Every musician on the dais say they want to take Carnatic Music global, but how can they have a wider audience if they are not letting people from the outside perform in Chennai? Patronage starts with performance. Relationships are symbiotic and not parasitic!

10.There are musicians in other states who find it difficult to get a break or even perform in Chennai, a city that is considered the Mecca of Carnatic Music. Why not host festivals that would encourage classical musicians from other States perform? Hamsadwani conducts NRI festival (but also ask NRI to pay for performing) may be similar festival can be conducted for out of station musicians. Recruit rasikas by recognizing musicians.