Reaching the optimum during the season

sangeetarasikan · Post by **sangeetarasikan** » 07 Dec 2006, 06:36

I have always wondered how musicians, esp. vocalists, maintain their voices if they are performing at over 10 venues during the season. What would be the ideal no. of concerts for a musician to accept in order to be in their best shape physically and mentally without sacrificing their status in the field? Oftentimes I hear that musicians are forced to play the numbers game.

More importantly, how many concerts of the same artiste can you, the rasika, take during the season? I feel my optimum listening level of any particular artiste would be around 3 concerts.

chalanata · Post by **chalanata** » 07 Dec 2006, 10:03

only one during the season. unless you are obsessed about a particular singer you would lose variety if you harp on the same performer. usually i can not stand the same on the subsequent occasions. let it be even TMK.
(hope N.Devathai gets some solace!)

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 07 Dec 2006, 11:26

During my first season (2001), it was almost exclusively for TNS, Sanjay and Krishna - about 7-8 each! Now I try to make better use of the diversity on offer....partly this is also because my musical interests have broadened to include the relatively unsung Sowmyas and Vijay Sivas of the world, besides the usual roster of "established artists"...

This season, I doubt if I will listen to any artist more than twice - maybe 3, if someone appears to really be in form (and I am planning on something like 50 in all!). The only exception I will make is for TNS who seems to be in phenomenal form in his "Kalanidhi year"....but at some point during the season, I am sure his throat will give way...

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 07 Dec 2006, 12:07

Well for me, everything is a function of traffic jam and how am I clearing those traffic signals on week days . On week ends(which is only sunday), it is how creative I am in convincing my wife and mom , who have started forcefully advising(nice phrase isn't it) me to cut down . They are viewing me as little paithiyam(mad).

I apply some kind of logic looking at the posts to carefully avoid some ghana rAgas as main krithi(Have to confess here that kalyAni is one that I try my best to avoid...) .

Avoid all the media,ribbon cutting, and Q & A session filled concerts like jaya tv. Look for interesting combinations of artists in successive concerts. Try to hear an often unheard laya vidwan like trichy sankaran.I prefer to hear once or may be twice and generally try to hear more artists in the season.

rajumds · Post by **rajumds** » 07 Dec 2006, 12:15

if you are on vacation during the season & the whole day is free, attend lec dems & afternoon concerts & spend the evening in the beach. You can listen to sanjays,tmks & tnss any time during the year.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 07 Dec 2006, 15:50

I second most of the above except for Raju sir's advice to go to the beach - no concert can be as horrible as the Marina!

Lec Dems, afternoon concerts are a great idea...and I have started looking at good combos (violinist/mrudangist) rather than the artist individually - therefore I would definitely plan to listen TMK at KGS where he performs with Sankaran.

rajumds · Post by **rajumds** » 07 Dec 2006, 22:36

vijay
i said beach just to say miss the evening concerts. If you start listening to music from morning 10 to evening 10 within 2 or 3 days every thing will look stale & monotonous and you will stop enjoying music.

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 08 Dec 2006, 14:44

Yeah I do agree with you there....but such is the temptation to see what people are upto that I often end up ignoring my own sane advice - many times my ears ring throughout the night after packing in 4-5 concerts a day!

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 08 Dec 2006, 15:42

I remember attending Toronto film festival a few years ago, when out of my anxiety not to miss all the good stuff I went to see as many as 15 screenings - sometimes 2 in a day. Finally it all became a haze and I couldn't remember which was which any more!

Quality stuff needs to be taken in small quantities and to be savored, otherwise it can be bad for you! (I am reminded of the proverb in Malayalam which says Too much of even nectar can be poison)

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 08 Dec 2006, 16:07

Vijay - I heard Sri TMK with Sankaran Sir at KGS a couple years ago, and it was fabulous to say the least. The kAru bAru from that day is still fresh in my memory. I'm sure there must be a TMK-UKS combination sometime during the season, which sounds mouth-watering. I hope it falls between the 22nd and 27th which is when I plan to sneak away to Chennai for a hearty dose of music.

hindolam · Post by **hindolam** » 08 Dec 2006, 20:37

TMK-UKS on 22nd at MFAC and 25th at Parthasarathy Swami Sabha

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 11 Dec 2006, 15:23

Yeah, TMK-UKS should be quite a feast. Too bad I'll have to miss the KGS performance though. I just cannot afford to ignore TNS' Kalanidhi performance at the Academy! Also some other good vocal-mrudangam combos:

TNS-UKS at Brahma Gana Sabha (11 Dec)
TMK - Trichy Sankaran (24th Dec at KGS)
Sanjay with Guruvayoor Dorai at Academy (26th) and a few other places
Hyd Bros with Palghat Raghu at the Academy (22nd)
Malladis with Trichy Sankaran at the Academy (26th)
Ravikiran with UKS at many venues (incl a jugal with with OST at Partha Sabha - quite an interesting combo that!)

Many happy moments ahead!

Vijay

prashant · Post by **prashant** » 11 Dec 2006, 15:41

I think Vijay Siva is being accompanied by Trichy Sankaran on the 22nd [Kalarasana]. It's going to be a tough call b/w that and TMK/UKS. Also, TMK/Trichy Sankaran clashes with Malladi/UKS on 24th.

Agree with you Vijay - TNS's Kalanidhi concert at the Academy pretty much demands attendance. So many concerts, so little time... Can someone hurry up on that cloning business?

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 11 Dec 2006, 17:15

You lucky devils, having the luxury of choosing between concerts and running from sabha to sabha...spare a thought for those of us sitting in distant lands and getting our vicarious pleasures reading forums such as these.

The least you can do is to post a few reviews here...

vijay · Post by **vijay** » 11 Dec 2006, 17:50

Jayaram, will do my best although I hesitate to call my contributions a "review"...more a collection of talking points

Lucky Devil 007

jayaram · Post by **jayaram** » 11 Dec 2006, 23:27

Vijay - I do enjoy your musings style reviews, thanks. The key is to jot them down soon after the concert.