T.M.Krishna's December 2012 concerts will be FREE of ticket

[venkatakailasam]

Shri Tm krishna ...
"I would like to announce that all my concerts this Music season will be free to the public. There will be no tickets for any of the concerts. Therefore most of the concerts are in the morning so that this decision does not disturb the evening ticketed concert schedules of the organisations. There are reasons why I have taken this decision, some which are personal and I wish not to share. But one of the main reasons is that I feel that this mania for tickets during the season to some concerts is unnecessary and I hope that many people who are usually unable to come to my concerts can come. Of course people may feel that by making it free it may just become so much more difficult to get in. I really don’t think so especially when most of the concerts are in the morning. I hope that many real rasikas will be able to make it. I use the word real rasikas only in the context of the music season, as the season is much more about being seen than the music. I have not given the exact timings, as I am not yet certain.

Schedule

December 2012

1st – T K Rangachary Centenerary Celebrations – Music Academy (Evening)
8th – Karthik Fne arts – H N Bhaskar/ K V Prasad/ B S Purushotham (Morning)
16th – Bharat Kalachar – V V S Murari/ Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar (Morning)
20th – Krishna Gana Sabha – R K Shriramkumar/ K Arun Prakash/ N Guruprasad (Morning)
22nd – Mylapore Fine arts – Akkarai Subbulakshmi/ K Arun Prakash/ Chandrasekhara Sharma (Morning)
23rd – Narada Gana Sabha – Mysore Nagaraj/ Guru Karaikudi R Mani (Morning)
26th – Tamizh Isai Sangam – R Hemalatha/ Poongulam Subramaniam/ Chandrasekhara Sharma (Evening)
29th – Parthasarathy Swami Sabha – T K V Ramanujacharyalu/ Guru Karaikudi R Mani (Morning)

January
1st – Music Academy – R K Shriramkumar/ N Manoj Siva/ Anirudh Athreya (Evening)
6th – Kalarasana – R K Shriramkumar/ Tricy Shankaran/ B S Purushotham/ N Guruprasad (Evening)

Regards,
TM


http://tmkrishna.com/theman.html
click The Man

[S.Balaji]

TMK has made a nice announcement !

This year's December 2012 music season in Chennai will feature all the concerts of TMK absolutely free of any admission fee.

Here is the detailing :
I would like to announce that all my concerts this Music season will be free to the public. There will be no tickets for any of the concerts. Therefore most of the concerts are in the morning so that this decision does not disturb the evening ticketed concert schedules of the organisations. There are reasons why I have taken this decision, some which are personal and I wish not to share. But one of the main reasons is that I feel that this mania for tickets during the season to some concerts is unnecessary and I hope that many people who are usually unable to come to my concerts can come. Of course people may feel that by making it free it may just become so much more difficult to get in. I really dont think so especially when most of the concerts are in the morning. I hope that many real rasikas will be able to make it. I use the word real rasikas only in the context of the music season, as the season is much more about being seen than the music. I have not given the exact timings, as I am not yet certain.

Schedule

December 2012

1st – T K Rangachary Centenerary Celebrations – Music Academy (Evening)
8th – Karthik Fne arts – H N Bhaskar/ K V Prasad/ B S Purushotham (Morning)
16th – Bharat Kalachar – V V S Murari/ Kallidaikurichi Sivakumar (Morning)
20th – Krishna Gana Sabha – R K Shriramkumar/ K Arun Prakash/ N Guruprasad (Morning)
22nd – Mylapore Fine arts – Akkarai Subbulakshmi/ K Arun Prakash/ Chandrasekhara Sharma (Morning)
23rd – Narada Gana Sabha – Mysore Nagaraj/ Guru Karaikudi R Mani (Morning)
26th – Tamizh Isai Sangam – R Hemalatha/ Poongulam Subramaniam/ Chandrasekhara Sharma (Evening)
29th – Parthasarathy Swami Sabha – T K V Ramanujacharyalu/ Guru Karaikudi R Mani (Morning)

January
1st – Music Academy – R K Shriramkumar/ N Manoj Siva/ Anirudh Athreya (Evening)
6th – Kalarasana – R K Shriramkumar/ Tricy Shankaran/ B S Purushotham/ N Guruprasad (Evening)

Regards
TM

http://www.tmkrishna.com/theman.html

[venkatakailasam]

this has already posted at ...

http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=19662

mod please merge the two..threads..

[Nick H]

Clearly, TMK is in a position to call the shots with the sabhas and perform on his own terms. Something other musicians might envy?

[venkatakailasam]

I honestly feel this is going to open up more opportunities to enjoy his concerts with a totally different rasika group who were denied an opportunity..

so far due to exorbitant entrance fee..

[jeevanraju]

I wonder what the Sabhas gain out of this. After all they need gate collection to run their show, unless some big time sponsors cough up the dough. In my opinion all the artists must give 10% of their concerts free during the season which will actually "promote" CM.

[Nick H]

all the artists must give 10% of their concerts free

Do you mean the sabhas should give free entry, or that the artists should not be paid?

Most of the concerts are free; most of the artists, if paid, are paid next to nothing.

[jeevanraju]

What I mean is this. Let us say an artist has 20 concerts. He/She should make at least two of the concerts free for the audience. The Sabha can keep a donation box outside the hall and what ever money is collected can be divided equally (sic) between the artists and the Sabha. I agree with the observation of paltry payments to the artists. I know a thing or two. But the Season is meant for the audience and not the artists. The artists use the season as a platform to visit America, Australia etc. Let them do that but also let them dilute the commercialism during the venerable Season.

[Nick H]

Except for a very few, probably single figures, I don't think artists have that freedom. Mostly, they are glad for what they can get in a very competitive situation; competitive at almost all levels. I suggest that you should address your suggestions to the sabha committees, not the artists. Many of them will reply that, already, sixty or seventy, in some cases one hundred, percent of their concerts are already free to the audience members.

I don't know... how many artists are there whom one cannot see at all without paying? And who? Even during the season I don't very often have to pay --- but then, I admit that don't attend a massive number of season concerts.

[satyabalu]

* It will put a strain on the organisers. e.g Aruna Sairam- Margazhi mahotsav ( even at the cost of concluding portion of an earlier prog getting distracted )( I think it was Sowmya's presentation with young artists like Sriranjani Santhana Gopalan...Not sure ).
* MA prog(ticketed concert of TMK) goes with no proper seatings- people in the downstairs not allowed to stand.
* If it is a good gesture of the artist to make it free it is worth putting it as the traditional pandal kutcheri with proper security /seating arrangements/
CCTV coverage.
*With MA Mini hall interiors have been done up ,the movement will get affected during season during popular prog of Lec-Dems.

[tkb]

Congrats to Sri. TMK for this great decision. I am sure many rasikas will welcome this.

[varsha]

He is being an artist and philosopher at the same time ....

Here is an Irish Proverb (Other versions exist too )
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like no-one's watching.
Sing like no-one's listening.
Live like there's no tomorrow.
Fear like a stone.

Here is a beautiful poem , probably inspired by this proverb
Mario Frangoulis
I see those vulnerable eyes
They're as deep as the darkest of oceans
I sense the loneliest heart
Holding back your fragile emotions
I feel you wanna let go
Inside of my arms just know
You're safe with me, let's

Dance like there's nobody watching
Sing as if no one is listening to...
What you're hearing
Love like you've never been hurt before
Try to forget if you can
And just dance

I've known the coldest of nights
Lay awake trying to stop myself dreaming
There in the emptiest space
In my head the music stopped playing
Right now all I wanna do
Is lose myself in you and me
Just be, let's

Dance like there's nobody watching
Sing as if no one is listening to...
What you're hearing
Love like you've never been hurt before
Try to forget if you can
And just dance

Why don't we dance and pretend we know how to fly
Like we've never been scared of heights
No fear of falling
Love like we've never been hurt before
Forget where our feet will land
And just dance
....

[varsha]

This also reminds me of the time Abdul Halim Jafar Khan performed in Mangalore , in the 70s .
As per my Uncle's account who had made the trip to Mangalore just for the occasion , the tickets were quite pricey and the Organisers had made arrangements for listeners to follow the concert , free , outside - through speakers .
On noticing that there were more people outside the auditorium , AHJK went on to waive his fee and requested all the listeners who had gathered outside to come in .

[S.Balaji]

I think the organisers get more inflows through advts and sponsorers.....the gate collection , assuming an average crows of 300 at rs. 300 , will hardly get rs.9k......and many may be members too.

[vasanthakokilam]

I assume you meant 90K, still may be less than what the advertisers and sponsors may put in.. True?

[varsha]

Hope it was not average crows , either .

[venkatakailasam]

#13..

That is the attitude of the great performers...rasikas first..

We seem to be more concerned about the B/sheet of organizers...

[S.Balaji]

Oh Sorry. Its typing mistake on both !

True. The funds that Organisers generate are more from the Advts and Sponsors. Who knows ? The annual season may end up with the Sabhas getting a net profit ( or cash surplus ) .

Lets welcome this initiative of TMK.

[Ponbhairavi]

To declare that all his concerts during this season will be free to the public is an act of great generosity. For a professional musician, to forego entirely one full season’s income, particularly when he is in the top of CM market requires lot of courage of conviction and is a great sacrifice for the cause of this art which few would dare to .All his rasikas are indeed grateful to him for this noble gesture which has no precedent in CM ‘s history.
Three observations;
1-It is undeniable that all musicians do lot of home work and perform to their best during the music season. Rushing to buy tickets to listen to one’s favorite in the season can hardly be termed as “mania”. May be persons with “no ears for CM “ (மர காதர்கள்) can think so but not one who is breathing music like TMK. True, there may be many snobs for “being seen” in the audience . Unfortunately many stage performers are keen “ to be seen” by such snobs. snobbism in CM is a pardonable weakness of the elitist ego of an affluent class (and has always been associated with CM from its earliest times in the form of kings patrons protectors ).
2-Declaring his concerts as free is not going to wipe out this “mania” as it will still be necessary for the rasikas to buy tickets to listen to other musicians of their choice.
3- ABOVE ALL, this gesture will give TMK a unique opportunity. In this season’s concerts he will not be under any obligation to the organizations. .As the audience has not paid any entry fee TMK will not be under any moral obligation to their “conditioned “expectations. Therefore he is totally free to avail of this opportunity to bring about any change in the concert format, pattern ,content, execution. He has more than ten occasions for his experimentation with the ART form of CM as he conceives it. May be it may bring about a total revolution in the stage concert concept. The stake is high. Let us wish him Good luck.

[rajeshnat]

PonBhairavi
With Respect to your 4th point , the obligation of organizations has nothing to do with a singer singing a morning or an evening slot. In general TMK is going to do whatever he wants to do.

Few points in general about this Free concert:
======================================
I keep my eyes and ears focused in general in the last 5 or 6 years about slots and sabhas. Few points towards that

# In general during the season quite a few established artists (I do know few female artists do that for sure), buy tickets in bulk by privately talking with sponsors and the tickets are sold to the artists or some fan clubs creating a bit of artificial house full status . This has to go , many concerts you will find house full but when you go inside the hall , I find atleast 25% to 30% of sabha seats being empty. This menace has to go. To that extent when TMK sings in morning slots it would indeed be a good show case of true rasikas who listen to his music . Kudos to him on that

# Having said the above point , I feel to an extent there are just too many overlapping evening paid concerts in the last few years where in fairly great crowd pullers spearheaded by Aruna Sairam (who I think is still the greatest crowd puller) followed by random order artists like RG Sisters, Sudha , TMK , Sanjay , Nithyashree and ABhishek are fighting for mindshare/headcount share of rasikas . Also year on year there are youngsters and lot of NRI's also coming to prominence . TMK getting out of that race in the evening by performing in the morning slot will give an advantage as those rasikas may attend his concert without any overlap of concert. So this is more to do with getting a share of rasikas numbers than anything else(priority is getting head count of rasikas). I feel TMK to an extent has been bit losing rasikas headcount in the last few years especially with the advent of few new star(s?) in the last few years.

2010 TMK said he will not perform in sabhas , 2012 he is singing in morning slots . I wish he also pays attention to the afternoon slots too in the next few years(that resembles a ghost town). Good luck to TMK , it is quite a challenge for this madras december crowd to get motivated to listen to a morning concert that too with they hearing previous evening slots and many thinking attending jaya tv margazhi utsav is the crowning glory of their visit.

Also in morning slots usually slots start at 10 AM (9 AM was a case few years back nowadays it is stopped as no one is turning out)and they stop at 12(usually) or 12:30(few sabhas only) for sure. Hope there is no extra time given to any artists as there is a next junior artist who is preparing to sing at 12 noon . In my parlance morning slots are more a non- nirvana status type(not open ended). It will be a challenge for any musician to squeeze a satisfying performance in 2 hours +.

I am sure TMK will have a full house in narada gana sabha and Parthasarathi sabha as Karaikudi Mani is playing there. Nick I agree with what you wrote in your post #4. I certainly wish TMK good luck , in particular I appreciate his intent of rotating pakkavadhyam artists which he also did last year.

[jeevanraju]

3- ABOVE ALL, this gesture will give TMK a unique opportunity. In this season’s concerts he will not be under any obligation to the organizations. .As the audience has not paid any entry fee TMK will not be under any moral obligation to their “conditioned “expectations. Therefore he is totally free to avail of this opportunity to bring about any change in the concert format, pattern ,content, execution. He has more than ten occasions for his experimentation with the ART form of CM as he conceives it. May be it may bring about a total revolution in the stage concert concept. The stake is high. Let us wish him Good luck.[/quote]

The greatest change TMK can bring about is with Thaniavartanam so that it is an essential part of the concert. Let him ask the percussionists to do the thani after an hour and not before the mangalam. Since the Thani is a showpiece of the percussionists, it need not be even after a main piece. I have suggested this to mridangists like K.Mani, T.K.Murthy and Vellore. None of them had the guts to tell the "main" artist although they all complained about it in their lecture-demonstrations.

[vasanthakokilam]

Jeevanraju, what you are suggesting is not a bad idea and it is not that big a departure from how it is done today anyway, though it is a bit different. As long as it is done within the overall aesthetics of the concert it should be fine., IMHO.

There are also quite a few "mild" innovations possible in that area which can be made quite entertaining for the rasikas. One thing I always thought is the other non-percussion artists on the stage should play the active "supporting" role and not just the "passive" thala keeping role they play today. May be, those who are well versed in konnakol, can join. Or in their own domain, sing a choice kalpanaswara as part of the koraippu grand scheme of things. It would be grand if the violinist also pitches in. All in the supporting role... That can be quite entertaining.

I am now warming up to the possibility that TMK may actually try a few of his "variations" during these free concerts and playing around with the format and placement of the thani can be a great musical experiment.

[varsha]

In last weeks episode of Mausiki ek Khoj on DD Bharathi , Vilayath's concluding remarks veered around to debt . And he went on to say
The only debt for a performing artist that keeps him bound till the end .. is the debt the artist owes to the discerning listener ( Samajhdar sunne walo ) .
Everyone else in the audience is indebted to the performer . But not the discerning listener . With him it is the other way around ...
Beautiful words Are'nt they ?

[jeevanraju]

Yes, the CM genre has been following the so-called Ariyakudi format for about a century. No body knows why it came to be adopted and sustained for a long period. Yes, it was ok in the past when kutcheris ran for several hours and there were multiple thani avartanams and there was no TV and perhaps even radio. In any case, the format suited the main artists since Ariyakudi being a main artist made sure that the lime light is on them. Now times have changed. No one has an attention span of more than 2 to 21/2 hours. And consider the logistics in a place like Chennai! Given this, it is the responsibility of the violinists and percussionists to demand a fare share of the lime light. Not only for themselves but also to make sure that the future generation doesn't shy away from accompanying artists title. The conundrum is that the main artists think they are pulling the crowds and the show goes on because of them. That myth has been exploded, at least in the US and I can vouch for that. Even in Chennai, a significant crowd comes when it learns that Umayalapuram Shivaraman or K. Mani is the mridangist or Delhi Sundrrajan is the violinist. It is not the main artists all the way.
To cut the story short, if any one can take a fresh look at the age old Ariyakudi format and bring in the changes that are over due, it is TM Krishna and may be a Sudha Ragunathan as a close second. That will be one of his great contributions to CM in the 21st century!

[suma]

I applaud Krishna's decision. As an NRI there were many times I wanted to attend his concerts but by the time I went to the venue the tickets were sold out. As he says, this atleast gives an opportunity for a true fan to make an effort and go to his concerts.

[Nick H]

there were many times I wanted to attend his concerts but by the time I went to the venue the tickets were sold out.

Now you'll find them full up --- even faster than they would have been with tickets!

[padavarnam]

Onto his next antic I see. Has it been a year already? Gosh, time flies! I think music history (histrionics) books will have devote an exclusive chapter to TMK just to document his annual antics, if nothing else. I dare say it would be a much harder task compared to documenting his music and real achievements!

[kvchellappa]

Some of the members are unduly harsh on a great artist. His antics are not as important as his music and the genuine efforts he is taking to popularise CM. His deciding to have free concerts this season does not sound as an antic or a business strategy as suggested in this forum. It will be a good idea if this forum is more oriented to music related issues rather than musician related issues.
I am certainly not relishing the idea of his concert paddhati, but his music is great and the order of his numbers does not detract from the listening experience.

[vasanthakokilam]

kvchellappa, cynical commentary is part and parcel of the CM rasika base in real life and it is just reflected in online forums like ours. I would say it is more measured here compared to what one would hear by the 'kutti suvar'/compound walls opposite Ayodya Mandapam

One can't expect 100% agreement on anything and I get the sense that overall TMK's announcement is received by our base of rasika members here fairly well, taking what he says at face value, even if some people might have a different view point on TMK's reasons for his decision.

[arasi]

The year after, there is a chance of some artiste or the same artiste coming up with the idea of making most of his/her concerts 'walking along with them' exercises in the unchavritti tradition, without a violin but with jAlrA, mrudangam and harmonium.
It's after all a free world and an innovative one at that.
The point is, we as rasikAs are not compelled to go to any concert which doesn't appeal to us. We can choose to stay home or go to yet another concert.

[venkatakailasam]

During the time of Thyagaraja when Arayakudi’s invention of of katcheri padhadi was not in vogue..there seems to have existed unchaviruthi concerts..Thyagaraja himself used to render songs during his unchavirdhi ..In those days composers themselves were performers….

Subsequently there were temple concerts….

When performers moved to Sabhas from temples,
music got commercialized.

Attending sabha cutcheries become a social
symbol.

It became beyond the reach of persons like me….

It became rare to see a Shaik Chinna Moulana or Namagiripettai Krishnan performing during a temple festival ‘walking along with GOD’ being taken around the streets during chilly
nights.
We used to attend such performance till the wee hours commencing around 10 pm..walking along with them…
A song in kalyani or sankarabaranam or Bairavi would take 3-4 hours…

Where are such days of music…now there are only hurried time bound concerts. …

With the growth of Electronic media, we have plenty of
options to day to choose and to listen to music from oldies to
recent ones from computers to mobiles…

What we require is more non commercial concerts..Including that of sabha concerts..

[srikant1987]

-

[Nick H]

What we require is more non commercial concerts..Including that of sabha concerts.

Out of the concerts (non-"season") that I have attended this year, I have paid for ...maybe two.

Yes, the are commercial aspects behind the scenes: halls have to be paid for, expenses have to be met, and, as far as the artists are concerned, if they only perform for god, then how are they to support their families? Patrons and sponsors have to be found.

As an ordinary Chennai concert goer, I'm spoilt to the extent that I find myself resenting having to pay to watch artists in December that I can see free for the rest of the year. Most of the music I attend is given at absolutely no cost whatsoever to the audience. How can it be any less commercial than this?

Is there, possibly, and argument that more commercialism, with artists being paid at least on a par with their Northern cousins might actually improve things. Of course, I'm loathe to make the argument: concert-going in London was a major part of my budget: it would make the daily carnatic music that we take for granted unavailable to many of us

[TheListener]

There are two aspects to 'commericalism' that needs to be discerned. One is the 'commerce' aspect, which is the explicit from the meaning. Until a century or so ago, there were kings and zamindars supporting the musicians and even the temples that supported the musicians. Now, the economic model is different. The musicians have to earn their daily sambar rice through what they get from the paid concerts (India & abroad) and from audio sales. There are basic expenses that need to be taken care of for any concert. Unless there is enough sponsorship for the concerts to take care of expenses and the artist payments, it is cruel to complain about paid concerts. We need break out of our delusion that the economic model of the 19th century still applies to the Carnatic concert platform today.

The other aspect in the use of the term commercialism, often as an implicit accusation, is 'dilution of standards'. The reason this accusation gets linked with commercialism is because of a simple commerce aspect: a product or service is commercially viable only if there is sufficient demand; for sufficient demand the mass appeal is needed; standards and quality can relatively get diluted when anything is mass-produced or produced for the masses, compared to say custom or special orders. Once something falls in the ambit of the modern market economics, it takes a shape of its own. The primary driving factor becomes money. Don't wince at my previous statement with a moral judgement. It is a statement of fact in today's world of market economy. If it is easy for artistes to sing Thandanana in every concert, get applauses and draw crowds, that is what most will naturally do to survive. This is simple market economics. Given that this hasn't happened so much, how much ever we are willing to complain about a few who fall in that bracket, shows the tremondous amount of respect and restraint most of the artistes have exhibited for the art, the tradition and its values. Agreed it can be much better though. Am not being complacent here. There is indeed a larger level dilution of standards that does happen. But it is not as bad as it could be, if that is any consolation.
The important question is how do we drive up quality (and thereby avoid dilution) in the current economic model. The only way is if there is enough demand for high quality. For a classical art form, creating a demand for high quality involves addressing the educational aspect for enough people. There are not many avenues to help common people cross this learning curve today. By common people, I mean even those who claim to listen to or like Carnatic music. When the quality of the art form goes up, Nadopasana will happen on its own. By that I mean practice of the art form as a means of discovering one's self or the Divine. You can also think of it as art for art's sake, non-commericalized art, art with no vested interest etc if you prefer. The art form is such that it will not easily let you get away from this. However, we cannot start from complaining by saying 'oh, the artistes are so commericalized and they don't do Nadopasana', as if it is some breathing exercise.
How to drive high quality on a larger social scale can be a larger discussion. However, as individuals, there a few simple things we can do to drive towards high quality:
1. Let us support artistes who are strive towards genuine excellence by attending their concerts, paid or free, whether they are seasoned veterans or promising youngsters. Nick arranging a concert of Smt.Vedavalli in a regular sabha hall for his birthday is a statement of intent, whether or not he intended it that way. Way to go.
2. Let us stay away from artistes, who we think don't fulfill their vows of artistic excellence. Let us not attend in the guise of finding out what sarees/dhotis they wear or the gadgets they use.
3. Above all, let us do our bit to improve grassroot level awareness - the educational aspect. At the end of the day, in the current economic model, this is most critical element in sustaining the quality of the art for the long run.

[Nick H]

That's a great summing up of bottom-line realities, whether the bottom line is financial or artistic.

It is absolutely true that we do not live in the 19th C. Things just do not work that way any longer. Still, many artists give many free concerts for causes in which they believe, or in the memory of people they respect. I think it is also true that there are many instances of artists simply being taken advantage of under those pretences, or because, simply, they are supposed to be supporting the art. It is one thing for an artist to volunteer and give, it is quite another for a non artist to expect or demand that they should and if payment is equal to commercialism, then I'd rather see commercialism than exploitation.

Whilst we do not live in the 19th C, it is true to say that we can, in a small way all be patrons of the arts. Yes, I discovered that in my way. We can all be kings, but not calling these people to our palaces for our own entertainment, but rather sponsoring an opportunity for all to share. OK, when I say 'all,' I recognise that many rasikas are elderly, retired, and not very well off, but some of us can make a contribution. Many rasikas.org members did so collectively, supporting with cash, their presence, or both, the initiative of Mr Cool over past few years. Actually, we can all support by occasionally attending a paid concert without grumbling, instead of just flocking to the free ones

Let us also recognise the good. Perhaps some of the sabhas are like exclusive clubs, and perhaps their committee rooms are dens of intrigue and politics, but ...they still give us the music. One sees, in the smaller sabhas, organisers whose motive is certainly musical. One way in which this shows is when they can be seen sitting in the audience of other organisations. Then, there are even smaller-scale "organisations" doing large-scale work, like the Musiri family's regular chamber concerts. Artists Jayashree and Jairaj are presenting concerts in their home, and not to promote only themselves, but to promote youngsters and also giving intimate chamber concerts with senior artists. The Oli movement of this year is fantastic. Mrs YGP may present a few blockbuster hall-filling shows in her hall each year, but that hardly nullifies the rest of her massive support of the art. S V Krishnan's legacy, and Jaya's continuing dedication is not commercially oriented. I'm sure there are many, many more: I tend to stick to just a few regular venues, or simply have not discovered many of the others yet.

There are Maharajas, the Kings of sweets and saris --- but their support is genuine, and we have to hope it is continued by future generations, but there are so many rajas and lesser kings all doing their bit. Are we really worse off than in the nineteenth century?

[venkatakailasam]

In the post #31, neither it was advocated that the economic model of the 19th century should still apply to the Carnatic concert platform today nor did it was said that the artistes are so commercialized and they don't do Nadopasana..

I narrated that the music has moved from unjavirthi to street concerts and then to temple concerts and from where it moved to sabhas when commercialization took place…This is a basic fact…..Now it is the time for internet concerts….

There can be no two opinions that innovation has to replace tradition…..

As regards commercialization, what was meant was that Album concerts cannot be on par with public concerts..
Mostly they will be only of short duration and cannot bring out the niceties of a public concert. And also it stifles the performer from rendering these songs in concerts…

And, the commercialization by sabhas by providing the concerts to other commercial outlets…..

Keeping in mind the topic under discussion,
The innovation aspect is what shri TMK did a couple of years back with an RTP ( somebody called it RTV) of virboni varnam….when there was a chorus of protests that he had deviated from Ariyakudi’s padathi…introduced in 1938..
On a reference by me ….
He felt "Varnam is a magnificent
compositional form like Kritis, padam etc., and deserves to be showcased
and not used only to warm-up voices". As far as he saw it, these are all
interpretations of what each one considers a concert structure and it
is definitely variable. As long as we keep the essence of
Ragas, Thallam, composition of all types and focus both on manodharma
sangeetha and kalpitha sangeetha (composed music), we are fine…

Now that he had made an innovative free concert for all announcement….
Unfortunately, we are not prepared to take it at face value and discuss about free concerts against paid concerts…

[TheListener]

venkatakailasam, I just want to clarify that my post was not specifically directed at yours and nor was it on an interpretation of your comments. It was on common laments one hears along the lines this thread meandered into.