Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
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KNV1955
- Posts: 354
- Joined: 22 Oct 2012, 21:29
Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
Yesterday I attended a Upanyasam by Seshadrinathan Sastrigal, the former Principal of Sanskrit College in Chennai & a Sanskrit Scholar with great expertise in Astronomy ,Astrology, Ayurveda, Vedas,Dharma Sashtara etc etc. He spoke beautifully about Music & Vedas.Not the usual thing of music originating from Sama Veda etc . He spoke how music was an integral part of our life as given in Veda Sashtras with several quotes & humorous examples. Aruna Ranganathan (organiser), Bombay sisters & Usha Rajagopaln violinist were in there in the audience. I don't know how many in this forum know that Swami Paramarthananda ( a disciple of Dayananda Saraswathi) is a Mridanga Vidwan & learnt from Palghat Raghu. He is concert competent. When we have such learned & scholarly people in Music why do our Sabha Nayakkars invite politicians & Industrialists to inaugurate Music Festivals. I remember the drama enacted by Narayanamurthy of Infosys when Palghat Raghu was given Sangita Kalnidhi & he was Chief Guest. Suddenly he fell at Raghu's feet (sashtanga namskaram). To me it was very odd to do in public forum. His speech was also of mediocre quality. So was the case when Ramadurai of TCS & Shiv Nadar were Chief Guest. Worst was Kartik Fine Arts. They invited one year Fr Gospel ... who is a LTTE sympathiser & fund raiser for their activities & his company was searched by CBI in connection with 2G scam. In the function he spoke some rubbish. It is time Sabhas invite Sangita Vidwans & Scholars in Music to inaugurate the festivals. Let us identify such scholarly people who can speak well.
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Javali
- Posts: 14
- Joined: 17 Mar 2012, 11:04
Re: Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
A few years back (some 2/3 yrs) I remember Sri Parthasarathy swamy Sabha invited H H Sri Srirangam Srimad Andavan Swamigal for the inauguration of the music festival and for the conferment of Sangeetha Kalasarathy Award. I felt this was very apt as H H is a very high scholar in Nyaya, Tarka, Ayurveda and Sangeetha. He has composed many beautiful songs in sanskrit and Tamil some of them impromptu and he also sings well. Many sabhas and Organisations can take a leaf out of such acts 
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Rsachi
- Posts: 5039
- Joined: 31 Aug 2009, 13:54
Re: Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
KNV,
Relevant observations!
I think organisers follow the ABC principle for such functions.
A - when organiser wants to honour art and artist, get some worthies like you suggested.
B - when organiser wants to honour business and moneyed tycoons, get big dollar net-worthies.
C - when organiser wants to curry favours and titles/connections, get someone with AK 47 security.
In any case, someone should develop an Android app to calculate when exactly the music begins and speeches end. I would gladly buy it.
Relevant observations!
I think organisers follow the ABC principle for such functions.
A - when organiser wants to honour art and artist, get some worthies like you suggested.
B - when organiser wants to honour business and moneyed tycoons, get big dollar net-worthies.
C - when organiser wants to curry favours and titles/connections, get someone with AK 47 security.
In any case, someone should develop an Android app to calculate when exactly the music begins and speeches end. I would gladly buy it.
Last edited by Rsachi on 25 Jan 2013, 13:32, edited 1 time in total.
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Nick H
- Posts: 9473
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 02:03
Re: Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
No app, but this is a rule of thumb that I developed back in London.
Try to see how many pieces of paper a person has in their hands as they approach the mic...
1 --- Hope it is not thick with points to elaborate on. One sheet can be the best news; it can be the worst!
2-3 --- it's going to go on a bit, but it'll be bearable.
>3 --- Oh dear, better take a nap.
0 --- Oh, The Horror!
Whilst I would prefer that the concert stage be completely free of speeches...
--- The Sabha Secretary has been looking foreward to this all year. He's been working all year too, so let him have his few minutes.
--- He has also been much concerned with the raising of cash. A few minutes exposure at the micropone is a small price to pay to one of the cheque writers.
Some of those sponsors are concerned with more than just getting a banner (and themselves) on stage. They have been rasikas, too, for a lifetime. I let this this influence where I buy, eg, silk! Some of the "VIPS" too. In my early concert days, the Indian High Commissioner was a learned gentleman who always had something interesting to say, and also always stayed for the performance: he would probably have bought a ticket if he hadn't been VIP-wheeled in.
VIPs for the sake of status only? That I can't understand.
Try to see how many pieces of paper a person has in their hands as they approach the mic...
1 --- Hope it is not thick with points to elaborate on. One sheet can be the best news; it can be the worst!
2-3 --- it's going to go on a bit, but it'll be bearable.
>3 --- Oh dear, better take a nap.
0 --- Oh, The Horror!
Whilst I would prefer that the concert stage be completely free of speeches...
--- The Sabha Secretary has been looking foreward to this all year. He's been working all year too, so let him have his few minutes.
--- He has also been much concerned with the raising of cash. A few minutes exposure at the micropone is a small price to pay to one of the cheque writers.
Some of those sponsors are concerned with more than just getting a banner (and themselves) on stage. They have been rasikas, too, for a lifetime. I let this this influence where I buy, eg, silk! Some of the "VIPS" too. In my early concert days, the Indian High Commissioner was a learned gentleman who always had something interesting to say, and also always stayed for the performance: he would probably have bought a ticket if he hadn't been VIP-wheeled in.
VIPs for the sake of status only? That I can't understand.
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KNV1955
- Posts: 354
- Joined: 22 Oct 2012, 21:29
Re: Inaugural Functions of Music Festivals
Semangudi Srinivasa Iyer & Lalgudi Jayaraman are two of the best speakers I have heard.No one from Music fraternity has been able to fill the void left by them. Clevaland Sundaram & Spencer Venugopal are good speakers.