Here i come people with my next post!! Its not about any performance, but about sabhas and my experiences in general, or rather from a youngster's point of view..
Many people keep asking as to why youngsters only perform at concerts but never come to look at or listen to others perform. For instance, a blogger by name Raji, an ardent fan of classical music and dance, in her blog, has written thus - "Very few youngsters, unless they are the performers’ students attend the kutcheris. Neither do other musicians. Youngsters prefer to be on stage rather than in the audience."
Here in my blog, i would like to bring about a few points with respect to the dwindling number of youngsters amongst the audience. The first factor is MONEY! Many youngsters who are students do not earn. The season tickets are really costly and so are the daily tickets. Sabhas that offer free shows rarely bring in quality artistes. Sabhas can offer some kind of concessions for youngsters who wish to attend concerts. Think this will really draw the attention of the youngsters. The next is time. Youngsters have very odd working times! specially the ones in the IT and ITES sectors. This makes it really impossible for them to atend kutcheris or dance recitals.
Above all, there is a kind of indifference i feel among "a few" of the senior rasikas (shall be referred to as maamis and mamas hereinafter).They give me a what-does-he-have-to-do-here kinda disgusting look. Even a small mistake that you do is viewed as a serious crime by them. The other day at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, the hall was full for Anitha Guha's Padha Kavitha Pithamaha show. The lights were turned off and by mistake i stepped over a mama's feet. I immediately apologized but he responded in a very cold manner. He said "Ivanga ellam inge edhukku varaanga nu theriyala" (I don't know why these people come here). I was shocked for a second but just moved on as i didn't want to miss the happenings on stage. A similar incident happened when i had to share my table with another mama at the Woodlands canteen at Narada Gana Sabha. He constantly kept giving me disgusting looks and never let me use more than half of the table even by mistake! I had three plates of food while he had only one. He kept pushing my plates towards me. Last year a friend of mine and I went to the premiere show of Sudharani Ragupathy's Mammudha. We kept talking to each other about what was happening on stage. For a few comedy scenes we even laughed out loud. My friend's style of laughing is peculiar and it brings roofs down. But thats how he has been doing it for long! We were constantly being asked to stop talking and laughing by a couple who were seated a row ahead of us! But they themselves kept talking to each other often.. strange! Maamis' group discussions can be really disturbing at times. A group of maamis were once talking about how to make dhokhlas. In another concert, another group was debating Srinivas's decision to retain Raagini in previous episode of Super singer! Thats why i prefer to attend the 2 o clock dance progs at NGS in which most of them fall asleep. :-)
Coming Back...Then next thing i feel is the programs. I have no idea about music concerts. But as far as dance recitals are concerned, i think artistes can present themes that youngsters can relate to or easily understand. If not that, they can explain in detail the sanchari bhaavams with the hasthas just as how Alarmel Valli orPriyadarsini Govind do. It helps a lot really. Marketing is another aspect. The music and dance festival should be marketed in a way that would to draw the attention of youngsters. Corporate companies can give free passes to their employees. This would make some difference. And when young artistes perform, they should make sure to bring a few of their friends for the performance. All these i think would help to increase the population of connosiseurs of classical music and dance amongst youngsters!!
No offence meant to anyone! Just my views.. Apologies in case i've hurt you...
Many people keep asking as to why youngsters only perform at concerts but never come to look at or listen to others perform. For instance, a blogger by name Raji, an ardent fan of classical music and dance, in her blog, has written thus - "Very few youngsters, unless they are the performers’ students attend the kutcheris. Neither do other musicians. Youngsters prefer to be on stage rather than in the audience."
Here in my blog, i would like to bring about a few points with respect to the dwindling number of youngsters amongst the audience. The first factor is MONEY! Many youngsters who are students do not earn. The season tickets are really costly and so are the daily tickets. Sabhas that offer free shows rarely bring in quality artistes. Sabhas can offer some kind of concessions for youngsters who wish to attend concerts. Think this will really draw the attention of the youngsters. The next is time. Youngsters have very odd working times! specially the ones in the IT and ITES sectors. This makes it really impossible for them to atend kutcheris or dance recitals.
Above all, there is a kind of indifference i feel among "a few" of the senior rasikas (shall be referred to as maamis and mamas hereinafter).They give me a what-does-he-have-to-do-here kinda disgusting look. Even a small mistake that you do is viewed as a serious crime by them. The other day at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, the hall was full for Anitha Guha's Padha Kavitha Pithamaha show. The lights were turned off and by mistake i stepped over a mama's feet. I immediately apologized but he responded in a very cold manner. He said "Ivanga ellam inge edhukku varaanga nu theriyala" (I don't know why these people come here). I was shocked for a second but just moved on as i didn't want to miss the happenings on stage. A similar incident happened when i had to share my table with another mama at the Woodlands canteen at Narada Gana Sabha. He constantly kept giving me disgusting looks and never let me use more than half of the table even by mistake! I had three plates of food while he had only one. He kept pushing my plates towards me. Last year a friend of mine and I went to the premiere show of Sudharani Ragupathy's Mammudha. We kept talking to each other about what was happening on stage. For a few comedy scenes we even laughed out loud. My friend's style of laughing is peculiar and it brings roofs down. But thats how he has been doing it for long! We were constantly being asked to stop talking and laughing by a couple who were seated a row ahead of us! But they themselves kept talking to each other often.. strange! Maamis' group discussions can be really disturbing at times. A group of maamis were once talking about how to make dhokhlas. In another concert, another group was debating Srinivas's decision to retain Raagini in previous episode of Super singer! Thats why i prefer to attend the 2 o clock dance progs at NGS in which most of them fall asleep. :-)
Coming Back...Then next thing i feel is the programs. I have no idea about music concerts. But as far as dance recitals are concerned, i think artistes can present themes that youngsters can relate to or easily understand. If not that, they can explain in detail the sanchari bhaavams with the hasthas just as how Alarmel Valli orPriyadarsini Govind do. It helps a lot really. Marketing is another aspect. The music and dance festival should be marketed in a way that would to draw the attention of youngsters. Corporate companies can give free passes to their employees. This would make some difference. And when young artistes perform, they should make sure to bring a few of their friends for the performance. All these i think would help to increase the population of connosiseurs of classical music and dance amongst youngsters!!
No offence meant to anyone! Just my views.. Apologies in case i've hurt you...
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