Music academy Schedule is published Dec 2017

[melam72]

Who is the violinist for Malladi Brothers ? Any guess !!!

grs,
Malladis are very powerful lobbyist

No, the Obul Reddy goshti are powerful lobbyists, heaping liberal doses of Vitamin M.

For trichur brothers they may not bring their sangeetha lokathil dhuruvan appa Mohan as academy will not likely allow senior artist mrudangist to sub senior vocalist

More like the Academy doesn't care if the artiste is out of their comfort zones and preferred accompaniments because you can't tell the Academy what they need to do.

[melam72]

Perhaps if there was a popular krithi on Varahaswamy... oh wait, there is :

Will it be sung with unnecassary theatrics?

Will it be sung by a subpar musician with no 'voice' whatsoever?

Will it be sung with scant regard for laya?

If so, I can guaruntee you that the song will be insanely popular

[melam72]

Do not worry, one day in the future a song on Varaha will become more popular than the one for the cows, much to the delight of the new porcine avatars who've replaced the previous yuga's tiger triumvirate .

As Bhumi Devi drowned, Vishnu assumed the form of Varaha and saved her.

As Carnatic music drowns in mediocrity, we humans turn into pigs and save Carnatic Music.

The song commemmorating our efforts will be just incidental

[jodha]

The already beleagured MA worsened after N.Murali took over.That only will happen when businessmen take over arts who are not at all given to appreciating them nor have a taste.TTV was xceptional who ran hitherto.

Where is valayapatti now ?

I am sure N.Murali is not at the helm of affairs , there is a vicious group behind.Thats the grapevine.

[melam72]

TTV was xceptional who ran hitherto.

Oh please, Vasu was no saint either.

After 3 in the afternoon, he was only in the Madras Club getting drunk. Artistes would come to him for chances and he'd agree then for then to sing for the season at the Academy.

What happened next? To recount the old proverb, Kudikaaran Pechu Vidinchaa Pochu.

Total joker with no respect for music or musicians

I am sure N.Murali is not at the helm of affairs , there is a vicious group behind.Thats the grapevine.

Since you are so fond of granting peeks at grapevines, would it be possible for thy to reign to share who this 'vicious group' may consist of? V Sriram, perhaps?

[melam72]

Where is valayapatti now ?

Where is AKC Natarajan? Where is Namagiripettai Krishnan?

[jodha]

Valayapatti was the first one to be conferred SK after N.M took over I think and a lot of hype was created.
Namagiripettai left the world long back without getting SK.Of course AKC a SK is not considered by MA for not only concerts but any other thing associated.
Before getting the much coveted SK , TVG sulked hardly a year before " I don't know whether MA has my name among the list of artists ".
So MA has such a legacy, dhadhagiri type.

[narayara000]

Since most people know a lot about most of the artistes and their merits, let me list a few notable omissions:

1) Vijaya Siva

Just a nagging doubt, why do so many people say Vijaya Siva, isn't his name Vijay Siva?

[ram1999]

Who is the violinist for Malladi Brothers ? Any guess !!!

grs,
Malladis are very powerful lobbyist . year on year just glossing they are able to push some very heavy weights .If my memory is right last year they had trichy sankaran sir and S varadarajan. ....

What do you mean by powerful lobbyist. Loose words with no meaning or substance.

Malladis have come up the hard way and are excellent artists. Artists like Trichy Sankaran, UKS, Karaikudi Mani etc have perfomed in numerous concerts for their gurus Nedunuri and Voleti and they continue to perform regularly with Malladis. Where is lobbying in this .......

[ram1999]

Bhagvan,,
Dr. B. Balasubrahmanian is adjunct associate professor of music at Wesleyan. I am glad to hear that he's singing at the Academy. You might be able to hear him in a Cleveland concert on the You Tube. His singing and of his singing tamizh songs appeals to me.
About the karnataka artistes: a lot of them are featured, though there are a few misses for you there. Not many Andhra artistes, it seems.
One veena concert after the other too? Haven't looked at the schedule at leisure yet...

Here is one of the beautiful renditions on Gajavadana - Kriti of Kumara Etendra in Thodi by Dr. BB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTZq9ARkIP8&t=4s

[ram1999]

--

[ram1999]

Not sure why people get so much bothered about who is who isnt included in the Music Academy List.
There are at least 100 sabhas who host concerts and the same artist perform in each of these venues.
Let MA manage what they want and how they wish to be, instead music lovers flock to other sabhas and listen to your favs...

Oh this Kolanidhi and MA schedule is becoming a senseless topic to debate.


BTW it is now time for guess who will be the Sangeetha Kolanidhi - 2019

[hnbhagavan]

"Not sure why people get so much bothered about who is who isnt included in the Music Academy List.
There are at least 100 sabhas who host concerts and the same artist perform in each of these venues."-ram1999

Music Academy is equivalent to Nobel Committee as far as Carnatic Music is concerned.There is no topic not worth debating.You can skip the topic in case u do not like.As the heading indicates the topic,you can very well skip!
Once sangeetha Kalanidhi is conferred,There are at least half dozen Sabhas in Bangalore which will compete to honor the person.
Similarly if an artist gets a permanent slot in the Academy schedule,he is bound to be featured in other Sabhas.
Accoustic wise,Seating arrangements,daily ticket price etc is the best in Music Academy.
In Krishna Gana Sabha depending on the artist they charge as per their whims and fancy.
Last year i paid Rs 300/ for Vijay Siva and Rs 500/ fo a Sanjay concert.

[ram1999]

Music Academy is equivalent to Nobel Committee as far as Carnatic Music is concerned....

hahaha, good luck

And that shows their skewed pattern on selection of artists who will perform and who will not, year after year and selection of the awardees !! They are in a way like the current congress party

[ram1999]

"
Once sangeetha Kalanidhi is conferred,There are at least half dozen Sabhas in Bangalore which will compete to honor the person.
Similarly if an artist gets a permanent slot in the Academy schedule,he is bound to be featured in other Sabhas.

Does that mean Bangalore Sabhas and other Sabhas dont have a mind of their own ?? just asking ?

[Nick H]

I can't be bothered with the MA schedule until sometime in early December itself. I've never bought a season ticket, but I've sometimes thought of it. I'm not thinking of it now.

Don't think it is has as much for me as some previous years, but hey, I can't complain: I had a good run of seeing favourite artists there for several years.

The Music Academy's importance is purely self-given. However, whilst others accept that, I am happy for artists that get "recognition." And yes, it is comfortable, with above-average acoustics. And probably the best December concerts are free, but as to the cost of the evening concerts, if one wants to see the artist, the cost is in thousands, not hundreds.

One advantage of the Music Academy's "importance" is that it is the best social spot in the season. It is the place where we of rasikas.org are most likely to bump into each other, and where we are most likely to meet our friends from around the world. So whatever I think of stuff like their ridiculous ego-boosting security etc... you'll find me there often, if not in the hall then in the canteen or foyer. I may not be interested in a season ticket for the concerts, but I buy my tea tickets in bulk. (And I tank up at some local chai shop at 8 or 10 Rs, rather than 30)

[kvchellappa]

I feel Bangalore sabhas are independent and their putting together kalavantha is unique. I do not think they ape MA.

[kvchellappa]

What rasikas feel and what artists feel about MA may not be the same. Why is there so much heartburn in the artists when they are not awarded SK while similar heartburn is not in evidence about the other titles? 'It doea not matter' to rasikas is different from 'It does not matter' to the artists.
I have seen this syndrome in all awards, promotions, etc. and MA cannot claim any intellectual property right here!
We rasikas seem to be more exercised over it.

[kvchellappa]

"Oh this Kolanidhi and MA schedule is becoming a senseless topic to debate."
A majority of members of this forum seem to think all posts belong to that category based on their non-participation!

[Nick H]

... Of course they are senseless topics. But let's still debate them!

[hnbhagavan]

" I feel Bangalore sabhas are independent and their putting together kalavantha is unique. I do not think they ape MA.

While it is true that Bangalore sabhas have their own mind and organised KALAVANTHA,still some honors follow after one gets Sangeethakalanidhi.
There is no arguing the fact the choice of artists for Sangeethakalanidhi is generally fair.True there have been some exceptions.
Similarly many of the smaller awards are als well made.Eg: The Best violinist award.If you see the list these are the leading Violin Vidwans now.
One can always make sarcastic comments on each and every selection to find loop holes.

[melam72]

Everyone here has heard of the fabled Chidambara Ragasiyam.

Recently, a Singapore-bound Indian historian explained the Chidambara Ragasiyam as follows- the world around you is formed by your mindset. If you're happy, the things around you will make you happy, and vice versa.

This is especially true for the rasikas of Carnatic music. If they wish to see conspiracy theories where none exist and find fault with Organisations, that is EXACTLY what they'll see and nothing else.

Perhaps, if rasikas studied more of the actual Chidambara Ragasiyam and less of 'Ravikiran Jayanthi Kumaresh marriage' on Google (one of the top search results when I type Ravikiran's name on Google), they'd know this and change their viewpoint.

But, of course, some are Vishnu-incarnate (Porcine rasikas) and some are herded by Vishnu-incarnates (the Bovine rasikas), so YMMV.

[shankarank]

The real ragasiyam of Chidambaram is - thats the real sabha, and what is meant by the word sabha! The golden kanaka sabha! Correctly some of the institutions have steered clear of that word - with Academy, Club or Arts suffixed to them!

[kvchellappa]

Chidambaraa rahasyam is to be viewed in the light of panchabhutas. While the bhutas in the other kshetras are visible, akasa is not visible and it is all-pervasive. That is the secret. Atman is everywhere but nowhere to be seen, being the seer. Who can see the seer, it is not that which is seen but that which sees, are srutivakyas.

[melam72]

In other words, if you want to see the atman which is always around you, you will be able to and vice versa. The same thing can be viewed from various perspectives and not just that of the philosophical.

I am given to understand there is a TV serial called Chidambara Ragasiyam- my Sister in law used to drive her Husband batty by playing it on a continuous loop (which was surprising, since that bloke was already extremely batty to begin with).

[kvchellappa]

Atman is not around you, but you.

[grsastrigal]

Interesting 2 "why"s and 1 important point:

We discuss only MA Schedule every year and not other sabhAs' ?
Sanjay Subramanian has not been singing in MFAC for so many years. We never discuss this. But Vijay Siva, not singing in MA, discussed at length !

Sangeetha KalAnidhi is the best award, every musician aspires. No doubt. To get a slot to sing in MA, how much of lobbying is going on ? Worse than our present Govt MLAs lobbying...

All the artists are not Chartered accountants like Sanjay or IT guys like Ramakrishna murthy or Doctor like Doctor Ganesh. They need entry in MA which will be like Green Card to get more concerts any where in India/world and will also make them to increase the price. CV will be complete. No turning back after that.

This week end, MA competition starts. See the crowd. Even for Varnam competition, there will be 100 entries !!

[hnbhagavan]

The carnatic musicians featured at Music academy will definitely be featured else where.There may be some disagreements,but generally Class performers are chosen - Here one may point out X is not good but Y is good and not getting chance etc etc.Lobbying may be there but inspite of that without a particular minimum standing,one does not get slots.
After an artist performs for a number of years one can even declare like TMK that he will not perform hence forth.But he has already drawn the cream and he has nothing to lose.
Ramakrishnan Murthy is there not because of IT,but because he is a serious Carnatic Music performer.

[rajeshnat]

Sanjay Subramanian has not been singing in MFAC for so many years.

GRS
I dont know who you are , but you appear connected with musicians based on different posts you made.You are making a bit erroneous judgement, there maybe a reason for sanjay not getting featured in MFAC and that could be even a personal choice, MFAC may have ignored an evening slot and that may have stuck. Also note MFAC had till 2 years before only one evening slot and not evening I and evening II slot which has come in place so sanjay may have missed it.

This year I bet sanjay will be featured in below slots
Academy - Day 1
NGS with NGS sabha - Day 3
NGS with Karthik Fine Arts - Day 5
SKGS - Day 7
Vanimahal - Day 9
Brahma gana sabha - Day 11
Brahma gana sabha - of late one more , why the hell they give once more I dont understand - Day 13
Parthasarathy - Day 15
Indian Fine Arts - Day 17
Thamizh Isai - Parrys - Day 19
One Bandh day for almost all artists when MA sadas is going on - Jan 01st

kalarasana (may happen some times , now this sabha is not featuring much)
Kalakshetra (may happen sometimes it just goes on rotation with only one or two slot)
Kamaraj hall (gets more publicity but no exclusivity, they bloody put posters in compound walls)

May be if sanjay decides not to take a days break he may get MFAC , but I think he astutely thinks long term and more importantly his going rate can go with the choice of refusing that sabha MFAC and still say in top 5. Last year I see sanjay was not getting featured in CCA and also Mudhra, the grapevine was the going rate and with he getting back SKGS after few years of gap it is ok for him to pass mudhra and cca .If you think all the crowd pullers in dec season they only take alternate days of concerts . Sanjay and Ranjini gAyatri,Sudha, and aruna always do that alternate days. They may not have the courage to sing daily and I am not saying they have to.

[hnbhagavan]

Sanjay is on Dec 27 at Music academy

[rajeshnat]

Sanjay is on Dec 27 at Music academy

I do know that sir, but I was just stating to indicate alternate days . IT is just inevitable that musicians have to skip few big sabhas too when they take alternative day approach.

[hnbhagavan]

Dear Rajesh,
You mean the gaps between performances.I see your point.some Venues may get skipped due to Schedule issues.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

B Balasubramaniam's rendering has some of that 'old world charm'. Hope to attend.

What about the schedule of Morning Lec dems?

[arasi]

You said it. That old world charm!

[shankar vaidyanathan]

I timed my winter break to be in Madras during Dec 22-Jan 7. I will be traveling from Houston via Doha. Hoping to hear Sanjay and also meet at least a few of our fellow Rasikas! Is there a Rasikas Meet?

@Nick: Based on your extensive audio systems, soundmen, a/c, cafeteria, chai, and cottonwool datasets, what are the current best balanced venues? Thanks in advance!

Maybe someone can guide as to where the best lecdems are. Many Thanks!

[melam72]

Maybe someone can guide as to where the best lecdems are. Many Thanks!

The best lec-dems are at Parthasarathi Swami Sabha. Nice breakfast, nice topics, and two hours to talk about the topic in detail. Same for Raga Sudha lecdems. Music Academy's lec-dems are shorter (1 hour) which suits most people with the attention span of a goldfish

[Nick H]

@Nick: Based on your extensive audio systems, soundmen, a/c, cafeteria, chai, and cottonwool datasets, what are the current best balanced venues? Thanks in advance!

You can get far better cafeteria advice from others, so I won't off my thoughts on the food. For the social scene, it is hard to beat the academy. And hey, the auditorium is not bad either!

You know, you'll find yourself chasing the artists you want to see. MA is the best hall if you can sit fairly near the front: After Jan 1st, it will be all dance there.

[shankar vaidyanathan]

@melam72, @Nick H: Thanks for the referrals. I am much obliged.

[Nick H]

We should be able to download other schedules soon, and be able to sketch out some of our December days

Unfortunately there is no good app to help us track our favourite artists, and venues. Many have tried, but only one succeeded, but it was not kept alive.

[Vocalist]

Another year has passed, but a lot of known names have been cut this year! I've started off rajeshnat's report

Those who are going out this year to make way for others :
-----------------------------------------------------------

1. Nithyasree Mahadevan - it feels like it has been many years but alas, it has happened.

2. Priya Sisters - after quite some time too if I am not mistaken.

3. Unnikrishnan - does it have to be temporary?

4. Sriram Parthasarathy - this year it was the male who got the cut; last year it was Subhashini Parthasarathy (I believe no relation other than sharing the same surname).

5. Savitha Narasimhan


Those who are entering this year :
-------------------------------------

1. Visakha Hari - after a year absence.

2. Saketharaman - as above.

3. Gayathri Girish - I guess she might be alternating with Nithyashree now?

4. Bharath Sundar - promoted to evening slot.

5. Vidya Kalyanaraman - promoted to evening slot.

6. S. Varadarajan violin solo on day 1 instead of U. Rajesh mandolin solo.


In Afternoon slots-Either entering for the first time or coming again for a gap:
--------------------------------------------------------------------

1. For sibling quota, Anahitha & Apoorva are in (and Archana & Arthi are out). Alternating is ok and they sing well, but my general peeve is that Anahitha & Apoorva do perform for yet a second time with the Harikatha on New Year's Day. Would it not be better if someone who hasn't performed in the season got the opportunity?

2. Vasudha Ravi is in (Usha Padmanabhan is out).

3. Rithvik Raja is in (Swarna Rethas is out).

4. DB Ashwin - the grandson of TK Rengachari is in (R. Ganesh is out).

5. For instrumental solo quota, Lakshmi Ramasubramaniam on veena comes in (Vishaal Sapuram on chitravina takes a bow).

6. Sushma Somasekharan (instead of Revathy Kumar)

7. Venkata Nagarajan (instead of Trichy L. Saravanan for flute solo)


In Morning Slots
----------------
The Sangeetha kalanidhi and respected artist who don't have much commercial might move here to morning slot. Most of the slot and artists are the same but:

1. Maharajapuram Ramachandran is out - he should have been in I feel; getting rid of the entire Maharajapuram bani this year it seems as they cut R. Ganesh at the same time.

2. TV Sankaranarayanan - given his form, he too should have been in I feel, but B Balasubramaniyam shall fill in.

3. Suguna Varadachari is in - Prema Rangarajan is out again.

4. Seetha Narayanan is out.

5. Sugandha Kalamegham is in - Raji Gopalakrishnan is out again.

6. For flute solo quota, Jayaprada Ramamurthy is in - V.K. Raman is out.

7. For veena solo quota, S Srinivasan will take Tara Mohan's place.

8. For violin duo, Lalgudi Srimathi & Anuradha Sridhar was out last year (presumably decided to focus on A. Kanyakumari given it was her SK year). But they do not return this year and the extra vocalist performance from last year gets cut while M. Chandrasekharan & G. Bharathi are selected for that violin duo quota instead.

[thanjavooran]

Vocalist,
A very well analyzed thesis. ' Old order changeth yielding place to new '
With wishes,
Thanjavooran
31 10 2017

[rajeshnat]

vocalist
Great post . When I have time will add more

[melam72]

The Music Academy lec dem schedule is out too:

http://www.musicacademymadras.in/confer ... certs-2017

(Scroll to the bottom of the page)

[devan]

Papu. Venugopal has resigned from his post. Probably v. Sriram may conduct the proceedings.

[Sivaramakrishnan]

Papu. Venugopal has resigned from his post. Probably v. Sriram may conduct the proceedings.

V Sriram taking over the reigns seems to be quite natural

[shankarabharanam]

Papu. Venugopal has resigned from his post. Probably v. Sriram may conduct the proceedings.

The reason for his resignation is out in the media

http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ma ... list-71726