Vidushi Sowmya

[sureshvv]

The criticism was mostly about lecdem delivery style with over dependence on notes which appears robotic and lifeless.

You are again taking it away from the argument

I hope not. I have nothing against consulting notes as long as it doesn't take away focus from the presentation. I have not found that an issue in her musical performances. But in lectures, I think a person of her stature will be better off if she speaks conversationally from her heart. She does reasonably well in speeches (tends to use some hackneyed phrases but I may be nitpicking), so I don't see why she can't do it in lecdems. It may just be a question of lightening up a bit & lowering the formality in the language.

[Vocalist]

Smt. Sowmya:

She doesn’t encourage learner’s or singers have notes while singing. Back from good old days of Carnatica days. “You are insulting composers when cant remember the lyrics. If you can’t memorise the lyrics, don’t sing that song’. This is like ‘Preaching Hinduism to the world and practising something else at home.

That is precisely what I remembered on watching her MU concert; not so much the voice strain noted in the review.

Art form is much bigger than a performer. We shouldn’t idealise musicians over music. Sadly, rasikas have started worshipping musicians over music. I don’t think this is good for us to act like this.

I have been thinking the same.

[kvchellappa]

Are the remarks only for 'vocalists'?

[Vocalist]

The criticism was mostly about lecdem delivery style with over dependence on notes which appears robotic and lifeless.

You are again taking it away from the argument

I hope not. I have nothing against consulting notes as long as it doesn't take away focus from the presentation. I have not found that an issue in her musical performances. But in lectures, I think a person of her stature will be better off if she speaks conversationally from her heart. She does reasonably well in speeches (tends to use some hackneyed phrases but I may be nitpicking), so I don't see why she can't do it in lecdems. It may just be a question of lightening up a bit & lowering the formality in the language.

There are concerts where Sowmya has IMO miserably failed to deliver due to informality in her speech - but there are also concerts where Sowmya has effectively delivered because she kept it "light". The same can be said about the formality of Sudha, or any other style or artist really. The simple fact is that each artist has their own identity and style of presentation. As far as formality during lectures (particularly for thematic concerts), I think it is the artist, the topic, and its content on the day which determines whether formality is more effective or whether more informal conversation is more effective. A generally sweeping comment about a single artist or a single style (or an assumption that they can't do something just because you have not attended when they have) is too subjective to have meaningful relevance I think.

[Vocalist]

Are the remarks only for 'vocalists'?

Definitely not; it extends to instrumentalists too.

[arasi]

This thread is painful. We not only drift away from the title, but show no respect to someone we call a vidushi. We dUshi-chufy (complain about umpteen things relevant or otherwise). Did it to Nityashri, Ra-gA, Aruna, and now Sowmya? They don't happen to be musicians in RasikAs' kingdom.
As a woman (I'm sure other women do too) I feel bad. As a fellow human being too. We don't need to pile this much of complaints against them. Decorum (not mere lip-service but respect) is more in place, in my view...

[Vagadeeshwari]

shankarabharanam and Madras-Talkies,

Thanks for your insightful posts. About time...