Mudicondan Ramesh@BVB on Sep 8th for Viswa Veena Yagna

rbharath · Post by **rbharath** » 08 Sep 2009, 22:40

it is true that the BVB mini hall is rather small.
i have always felt so.

btw, the concert of suguna mami that is mentioned was really awesome.. i will surely put a very detailed writeup sooner than later..

kamavardhani · Post by **kamavardhani** » 08 Sep 2009, 22:51

Have to agree with many of the points raised by the OP. The Bhavan and its surroundings are today one of the most chaotic places in all of Chennai. After the bad experience on Sunday when I went to Sowmya's Vina recital, I did not particularly look forward to a repeat nightmare, but I thought, what the heck it's a week day and it couldn't be too bad... went ahead with the hope of attending TNS's Vina recital today. Weekend or not, the parking situation was as bad as ever. There is some kind of weird construction happening in front of the Bhavan - ornamental entrance arches in concrete are being put up to adorn an entirely unaesthetic concrete building - with the debris, unfinished pillars, scaffoldings creating a bottleneck at an already congested entrance. The ascent to the TINY mini hall is the next obstacle. A narrow stairway for regulars and a teeny-weeny two person lift that is insufficient to house an elderly person, his walker and an assistant - and trust me there are many such elders who enthusiastically show up! The mini hall really is MINI... 50-60 ppl at most if they are to sit in comfort and do peacefully what they came to do, which is enjoy a performance in peace. Not possible at this hall, especially with our mentality of caring two hoots for safety and cramming every avbl nook & cranny with people, chairs, video cameras, pesky photographers, incompetent audio technicians (who HAVE to jostle their way to the stage after EACH piece)... I could go on & on. But the sum & substance of my experience today & on Sunday was almost the same the OP. Managed to hear a delightful Harikambhoji (Entara Nee) from Mudicondan Ramesh. BY the time he wrapped up and TNS arived the chaos in the hall only got worse. To add to the fun, the bossy Bhavan manager ordered more chairs to be brought in... Thoroughly digsuted, I scooted from the place, went across to the newly renovated Karpagambal Mess, found solace in Keera Vadai & Coffee, retireved my vehicle from the parking mess and headed home!

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 08 Sep 2009, 23:25

BVB being at the epicentre of mylapore mamas and mamis is always like this. I have always felt the floating crowd is so high that you never enjoy the concert. I suspect always there would be some one who wants to buy vegetables or fruits just comes to BVB for about an hour to socialize and then head back home.They can ticket this concert for a minimum of Rs 10 or 20. That way there would be more serious crowd which stays longer and needless to say will also filter the semi interested crowd.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Sep 2009, 00:04

I have been in this 'mini'est hall many times. It is ideal for mini concerts and that's about it. The green room takes up quite a bit of space out of the mini space it has.
The one heartening thing that comes out from the above posts is that vINA concerts can draw enough audience (discounting vegetable market visitors).
Hope organizers realize this and bring in more vaiNikAs to perform during the season and all through the year. nAgasvaram vidvAns and vidushis too.

srikant1987 · Post by **srikant1987** » 09 Sep 2009, 05:23

I suppose Vidushi Kalpakam Swaminathan will draw an even bigger crowd! Is her concert going to be held in the same hall?!

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 09 Sep 2009, 07:49

johnlovescm · Post by **johnlovescm** » 09 Sep 2009, 14:24

It will be quite inapproriate to jump to a cnlcusion on why the mini hall was chosen.
Is this group or organizers / sabha big enouh to afford a larger hall which will have additional financial burden.
Sponsorship limitations.
Expereince in organising such events etc etc.

Perhaps limited resources would have compelled them to chose this location.

I attended Pantula Rama's concert during the Dec 08 season. It was a lovely concert, a quaint small hall and A/C was quite powerful.
Perhaps many of the market shoppers transit the hall for some fresh and cool air which causes capacity constraints.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 09 Sep 2009, 19:13

I agree with you. It's a comfortable hall if it is a concert which drawsonly a small crowd.
As for 'why this hall?: besides financial constraints, the availability of any hall in Chennai can be a problem, I think. Organizers cannot be choosers, even if they can afford a larger hall.
Anyway, this vINA yagna is to be commended. A lot of hard work must have gone into it.

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 09 Sep 2009, 22:06

johnlovescm wrote:It will be quite inapproriate to jump to a cnlcusion on why the mini hall was chosen.
Is this group or organizers / sabha big enouh to afford a larger hall which will have additional financial burden.

Sure, but then they should issue the right number of tickets and not have the place be overcrowded.

johnlovescm wrote:Expereince in organising such events

And this is exactly what is being criticized, no?

johnlovescm · Post by **johnlovescm** » 10 Sep 2009, 07:24

gn.sn42 wrote:
johnlovescm wrote:It will be quite inapproriate to jump to a cnlcusion on why the mini hall was chosen.
Is this group or organizers / sabha big enouh to afford a larger hall which will have additional financial burden.
Sure, but then they should issue the right number of tickets and not have the place be overcrowded.

johnlovescm wrote:Expereince in organising such events
And this is exactly what is being criticized, no?

If I have not misunderstood, this is a free concert series. So there will not be any tickets. Crowd can be restricted by invites then it is a different affair.
If experience is an issue, I think one learns by experience. Dont u think

mohan · Post by **mohan** » 10 Sep 2009, 07:30

For safety reasons, organisers and auditorium owners need to be strict about capacities. If the maximum capacity is reached then they need to put 'house full' or 'sold out' signs. In Western countries, there are strict policies about seating people in isles or exits that block people leaving the hall in case of emergency.

gn.sn42 · Post by **gn.sn42** » 10 Sep 2009, 20:55

Tickets are a simple way of keeping track of capacity, and can be issued for free or paid concerts. As mohan points out, safety is very important.

Yes, one does learn by experience. Part of this experience comes from listening to the strong criticism of those who disliked your first efforts.

saveri · Post by **saveri** » 15 Sep 2009, 16:36

So much has been said and read on the jostling and narrowness of the hall and constant movement of people and I too was experiencing all this. This is the state of many halls / pandals/ auditoriums that our carnatic artists get to present their art!! coupled with troublesome acoustics and both excited and distinterested audiences, some reading Ananda Vikatan, The Hindu or busy QWERTY Keying on their Nokias!!

Should not our Carnatic artists be complimented for being "focussed" and Single minded about themselves on the stage? despite all that is happening around them? Stitha pragnyaas?

We cannot seem to focus , we are disturbed, we seem to need to break off and get a coffee, but then what a marvellous effort for them to see and not see?

Mudicondan Ramesh, not only played exceedingly well, but was also a perfect picture of calm and composure, totally involved with his instrument and music and at the same time aware of his surroundings !

this is intself is a test !!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 16 Sep 2009, 07:36

Saveri,
I am with you. I am amazed at the way almost all the performers behave on stage--such professionalism coupled with that near zen state of being when it comes to external interferences!
I should learn to be that way in a concert hall, I suppose. It is not that I do not concentrate on the music. I do. I like to switch off other things and just experience the music. If too many things happen around me which are not supposed to happen when the music is going on, I think how discouraging it is for the performers and rasikAs and react--as politely as possible with gestures at first and finally with a 'please let us listen to the concert' whisper. Change the seat if it is possible after looking at noise makers 'meaningfully'!

srinivasrgvn · Post by **srinivasrgvn** » 16 Sep 2009, 12:32

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 16 Sep 2009, 15:51

Mudicondan Ramesh ia ver good vINA artist.I have heard him a couple of times.