Music Academy December 2015 Schedule

Karaharapriya · Post by **Karaharapriya** » 19 Aug 2015, 00:27

The Music Academy has released this year's December schedule, earlier than usual!

http://musicacademymadras.in/fotemplate ... 304891133e

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 19 Aug 2015, 02:25

Wow. Hadn't even started to think about it!

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 19 Aug 2015, 21:38

some of the notable omissions
1. TNS
2. vijay siva
3. prasanna venkatraman
4. gayathri girish
5. T.N.S.Krishna
6. Unnikrishnan
7. Sreevalson menon
8. T.V.G (sang in main slot - probably due to award)
9. sriram parthasarathy
10. mohan santhanam

happy for ramakrishnan murthy - most deserving, and sandeep narayan....

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 19 Aug 2015, 22:05

... Suguna Varadacheri. But her student Brinda is there.

Here is a cut/paste/sort listing of the main artists....

Abhishek Raghuram
Aishwarya Vidhya Raghunath
Akkari Sisters
Amritha Murali
Amrutha Venkatesh
Ananya Ashok
Archana & Aarathi
Aruna Sairam
A.S. Murali
Bharathi Ramasubban
Bharat Sundar K
Bombay Jayashri Ramnath
Bombay Sisters
Brinda Manickavasagan
D.B. Aswin
Gayathri Venkataraghavan
Geetha Rajashekar
G.Ravikiran
Hyderabad Brothers
Injikudi E.M. Subramaniam
J.A.Jayanth
Jayalakshmi Sekhar
Jayanthi Kumaresh
J.B. Sruthi Sagar
Kadri Gopalnath
K.Gayatri
K.P.Nandini
Kunnakudi M.Balamuralikrishna
Lalgudi G.J.R Krishnan & Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi
Lalgudi Srimathi & Anuradha Sridhar
Maharajapuram S.Ramachandran
Malladi Brothers
Manda Sudha Rani
M.S.Sheela
Neyveli R.Santhanagopalan
Nisha P. Rajagopal
Nithyasree Mahadevan
N.J.Nandini
N.Ravikiran
O.S. Thyagarajan
Padma Sugavanam
Pantula Rama
Priya Sisters
Pt. M.Venkatesh
Ramakrishnan Murthy
RanBombay Jayashri Ramnath jani & Gayatri
R.Aswath Narayanan
R. Ganesh
R.Vedavalli
Salem R Shriram
Sandeep Narayan
Sangeetha Swaminathan
Sanjay Subramanyan
Sankar Ramani
Saraswathi Rajagopalan
Savita Narashimhan
Shertallai Dr. K.N.Renganatha Sharma
Sikkil C.Gurucharan
S.Kasim and S. Babu
S.P. Ramh & Pavithra Mahesh
Sri Ranjani Sandanagoplan
S.Saketharaman
S. Shashank
S.Sowmya
Subhashini Parthasarathy
Subiksha Rangarajan
Sudha Ragunathan
Sumitra Vasudev
Sunil R Gargyan
Sushma Somasekharan
T.N.Krishnan, Vijikrishnan Natarajan & Sriram Krishnan
Trichur Brothers
Trichur V.Ramachandran
Trivandram Baby Sreeram
T.V. Sankaranarayana
Vasudha Ravi
Vidhya Kalyanaraman
Vignesh Iswar
Vijayalakshmi Subramanyam
Visaka Hari
Vishaal R.Sapuram
V.K. Raman

Sivaramakrishnan · Post by **Sivaramakrishnan** » 21 Aug 2015, 08:03

May be the 'missing musicians' have some genuine reasons to stay away?

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 21 Aug 2015, 09:33

we don't know, need to wait for insider information.. we know only about TMK... TNS (regular in AM slot), vijay siva, gayathri girish, unni were other regulars... sriram parthasarathy was promoted last year, but he is also not a regular..

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 21 Aug 2015, 16:08

Am very disheartened and upset to see Vijay Siva not being there.....

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 21 Aug 2015, 16:23

Sivaramakrishnan wrote:May be the 'missing musicians' have some genuine reasons to stay away?

Yeah, they were not offered a slot to sing in.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 21 Aug 2015, 16:24

pattamaa wrote:we don't know, need to wait for insider information.. we know only about TMK... TNS (regular in AM slot), vijay siva, gayathri girish, unni were other regulars... sriram parthasarathy was promoted last year, but he is also not a regular..

In the last few years, Gayathri Girish has been featured in alternate years.

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 21 Aug 2015, 17:51

Any reason for excluding vijay siva unless he excluded himself
His music is of high order
He has been regularly featured
He my not be the biggest crowd puller but so are many others featured
Very sad

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 21 Aug 2015, 18:47

The questions raised about a certain artist not included should be directed to Madras Academy and not to rasikas.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 21 Aug 2015, 19:09

As MA will understandably not respond (if I were there, I also would turn deaf to it), it is posed here as there are resourceful members who have sharper ears and keener sense to read between lines. We do get so much info. some of which sounds plausible. I for one understand these better than music and so welcome it.

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 21 Aug 2015, 19:20

Vijaya Siva is a very sad omission.I think he should have been conferred Sangeetakalanidi title.A very committed and consistene performer without showmanship.TN Seshagopalan with M Chandrasekharan and Sivaraman would be a delight too.

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 21 Aug 2015, 19:22

The regulars RaGa,sudha,Bombay Jayasree,Pantula rama are all featured.Hyderabad Bros return after a gap.

Sundara Rajan · Post by **Sundara Rajan** » 21 Aug 2015, 20:49

Perhaps lack of "space" is the reason, in light of providing opportunities to many new upcoming artists, for whom MA is "the place" to be noticed . Some regulars are included to "make ends meet" financially. Most other "regulars" will be available to enjoy at other venues, I am sure.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 21 Aug 2015, 22:35

Insider info from rasikas on MA so we can gamble to profit.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 22 Aug 2015, 02:06

Sundara Rajan wrote:....Some regulars are included to "make ends meet" financially.....

The Music Academy have a variety of "season tickets".

The seats on the balcony go for a few hundred rupees each. Persons who are members of the Music Academy are eligible to purchase these tickets. People who have no intention of attending concerts, including out of towners, continue to buy these tickets so that they can maintain continuity of the right to these seats.

Pretty much the same thing goes for season tickets ranging from Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000 (prices may have gone up this year). People purchase them to ensure they have the privilege of buying them the next year.

Thus the gate collection for the December Season is completed before the season begins.

The Music Academy could then feature whomever they want without impacting their budget.

Let me repeat that: all tickets are sold out by the first week of December.

Thus the only addition to gate collection appears in a couple of ways.

For musicians who fill the main hall, the mini-hall is sold to the audience at about Rs 200 a ticket. Seats on the stage are sold for Rs 50 apiece. The very front row VIP seats are sold, about 15 minutes after the concert begins, for Rs 1,000 a seat but the price, I think, has gone up since I checked last.

Thus, strident in-your-face music offered by the Proprietress of Ye Honourable Olde & Originale Abhangerie, the Duelling Abhangists, Abu Sheikh, and the tup-tup artist bring in some extra cash which is not even sufficient to pay the utilities or the security staff for the day. The only other person capable of drawing overflow crowds is T M Krishna.

For all other concerts you can see empty seats ranging from a few to a few hundred. That means, the season ticket holders haven't shown up.

Thus, when you ask to buy a ticket for, let us say, the veena concert by Jayanthi Kumaresh or the violin duet by the Lalgudi Siblings, the Music Academy nets a few hundred rupees more. But not that much since good music has no takers in Chennai.

The Music Academy, and for that matter most sabhas, do not need the crowd-pullers to make ends meet. In fact, since the crowd-pullers seem to think they are entitled to a larger honorarium, the sabhas essentially lose money on these people.

PS. All this information is derivable from observation. Trying to buy a season ticket in the first week of December will prove that all seats are sold out. As some of the older members pass away, a few season tickets are available for purchase, only to be snapped up quickly.

By arriving early for the concerts of the crowd-pullers and claiming your seat, you can see that late arrivals are accommodated on plastic or steel chairs in the aisles, proving that the Academy follows the airlines' practice of overselling, expecting no-shows.

Even the practice of selling tickets at 9 am the day of the concert is based only on expectation of no-shows. The gnashing of teeth and shedding of bitter tears by NRI sheeple does not move the Academy's booking office. They cannot make more seats available for love or money, though money is the only payment offered.

PPS. I guess I have to re-hash this every year.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Aug 2015, 02:45

you can see that late arrivals are accommodated on plastic or steel chairs in the aisles, proving that the Academy follows the... .

...prevailing local practice of not caring if their audiences die in a fire, or are trampled in a panic.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 22 Aug 2015, 04:31

Nick H wrote:
you can see that late arrivals are accommodated on plastic or steel chairs in the aisles, proving that the Academy follows the... .
...prevailing local practice of not caring if their audiences die in a fire, or are trampled in a panic.

True.

This wouldn't be allowed in a Western country where you could call the Fire Marshall when you see unsafe conditions.

But the interesting thing is to see elegantly coiffed and dressed women who arrive on time with a Rs 15,000 Patron's ticket and demanding to know why they can't have a regular seat but have to sit along the wall in a plastic chair.

I am wondering if it would be worth the effort this year to conduct sociological research at the Academy or any of the other major sabhas. Perhaps having a conversation with an auto driver, like I did last year about the pey koottam
(Crowd of other-worldly beings) would be more interesting!

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 22 Aug 2015, 10:04

The very front row VIP seats are sold, about 15 minutes after the concert begins, for Rs 1,000 a seat but the price, I think, has gone up since I checked last.

Hmm.. I did not know that you can purchase those tickets. May be it is naive to ask this question, but Is this first come first served ( and a line forms for this ), or one needs to know the right people?

harimau, does MA really sell all available seats as season tickets, and not leave any quota as daily seats? I know why and how the airline practice works. That would indeed be annoying to see some long term season ticket holders being sidelined to plastic chairs.

Once, when i was standing in line to buy a ticket at the MA, one gentleman pulled me to the side and sold me a season ticket he had at a discount. They were numbered seats in the Balcony. He sat somewhere else in the balcony, so it may have been someone else's that he was making some money of. The gentleman who was sitting a few seats away from me was a character. He spent half the concert struggling to solve Sudoku of the day and then left.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Aug 2015, 13:13

But the interesting thing is to see elegantly coiffed and dressed women who arrive on time with a Rs 15,000 Patron's ticket and demanding to know why they can't have a regular seat but have to sit along the wall in a plastic chair.

Even although male and of scruffy hair (famous quote from a colleague in an office discussion: "Nick, you haven't got a hairstyle") I'd be pretty upset if all my 15,000 got me was a plastic chair in the trampling zone. By the way: the barriers erected by MA and other sabhas to separate price zones should also be outlawed on safety grounds.

As season tickets are costing 16K, I had always thought that the "patrons" of the academy must be paying lakhs?

does MA really sell all available seats as season tickets, and not leave any quota as daily seats?

I'm surprised too, if that is the case. On the few occasions that I have paid for a day ticket, it has been easily available. As sociological interest is not enough to get me through a whole concert, I have never tried for those big-draw sell-out days . For the border-line artists among them, there are other sabhas, other days... indeed, other months for those of us lucky enough to live here.

Thank goodness they have not thought of including the canteen and the toilets in a ticket-holder zone. Monetization is the word of the day: they could easily do ticket checking at the main doors.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 22 Aug 2015, 18:27

vasanthakokilam wrote:
The very front row VIP seats are sold, about 15 minutes after the concert begins, for Rs 1,000 a seat but the price, I think, has gone up since I checked last.
Hmm.. I did not know that you can purchase those tickets. May be it is naive to ask this question, but Is this first come first served ( and a line forms for this ), or one needs to know the right people?

harimau, does MA really sell all available seats as season tickets, and not leave any quota as daily seats? I know why and how the airline practice works. That would indeed be annoying to see some long term season ticket holders being sidelined to plastic chairs.

Once, when i was standing in line to buy a ticket at the MA, one gentleman pulled me to the side and sold me a season ticket he had at a discount. They were numbered seats in the Balcony. He sat somewhere else in the balcony, so it may have been someone else's that he was making some money of. The gentleman who was sitting a few seats away from me was a character. He spent half the concert struggling to solve Sudoku of the day and then left.

I am not sure how they sell the VIP seats on the very first row. All I know is that people troop in 15 minutes after the beginning of the concert and take those seats. I think you just hang around the ticket counter and wait to see how many tickets are available.

As far as I know, there are no daily quotas set aside. Last year, an NRI woman was in tears when she couldn't get a ticket to the Duelling Abhangists concert, though she stood in line at 7 am waiting for the ticket counter to open at 8 or 9 am.

I myself do not have season tickets to the Academy but enough friends hand one to me for my sociological research. I make sure that I get my seat at least 15 minutes before the program begins; that is, stand in line for 25 minutes, wait for the auditorium to empty at 3:45, rush in and grab any seat. The enterprising Mamis get hold of all the prime seats, leaving me to be squeezed in between two bad-tempered mamas who constantly need to use the bathroom. I then hear women arriving just 5 minutes before the concert start, wave their patron tickets, and demand to know why they have to sit in a steel or plastic chair placed against the wall where they cannot see the stage, and worse, where they cannot be seen in all their finery by the crowd. These are the people who come for the Snake Dance Song or the Fat Ghost Song. If they were serious about the music, they would ave stood in line for 45 minutes as I once had to. In my case, of course it is sociological research.

I am convinced the Music Academy over sells the top-of-the-line season tickets. The patron tickets are not assigned seat numbers, it is first come, first served. So while I at least get a seat, the late comers are accommodated on plastic chairs. This may all be a legacy of earlier times when patron tickets went cheap, people bought them up, and suddenly they are fighting the NRI hordes who think they have to listen to the tup-tup artist at the Academy only. I think this year I will just patrol the lobby to document crowd behaviour.

Ordinary members of the Academy get first dibs on balcony seats. The conundrum here is they get assigned seats! They now go for Rs 200 or 300 and I have been told to move when the season ticket holder showed up later and showed his ticket with the seat number printed on it! On the whole, I prefer the patron tickets from friends.

The other thing is, if you want a day ticket for, say, Jayanthi Kumaresh, you pay Rs 500 and told to sit in Row N or later. The front rows are all empty but you need to pay Rs 1,000 for those. I think this is not good as the artist only sees the first few rows and finds them all empty with scattered seats occupied. There is no reason not to tell people to take any seat they want and even close off the vertigo-inducing balcony section altogether for musicians of a high order such as N Ravikiran, Sherthalai K N Renganatha Sarma, Pantula Rama, the Lalgudi Siblings, etc. The Academy loses nothing by doing so except their attitude of "we will do what we want and you can lump it".

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Aug 2015, 22:29

The front-row seats, like those at the Arthurian round table, are named

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 24 Aug 2015, 20:38

It is said by Music Academy president that only sponsorship money collected helps to run the show in the academy.In one of the earlier seasons - two years ago,the sponsorship money was reportedly around 45 Lakhs for the 15 days festival.Perhaps Sri Harimau sir may give ingenious break up of the expenditure and academy nets to fill its coffers.Perhaps all the 45 lakhs would not have been spent.Rs 45 lakhs was mentioned in an interview published in the Hindu.With 5 concerts per day definitely the expenditure may be at least one lakh or so as junior concerts may not get good remuneration.

kvchellappa · Post by **kvchellappa** » 25 Aug 2015, 09:02

A few years ago, I heard that MA gives only taxi fare or some token amount as remuneration. In a panel discussion, TMK said that the remuneration in the season was not very great. The artists have a 'prestige' value for singing in MA and perhaps do not expect to be paid at 'market' rates (in case there is a market).

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 25 Aug 2015, 13:28

Notable omission in accompaniments- nagai sriram-Violin
Wait to see how Mysore Nagaraj and Patri accompanying Abhishek raguram. I have not heard a concert AR accompanying them.

Interestingly, all the accompanying artists (accomplished and well known) artists have got at least one concert. Tiruvarur bhakthavatsalam, Srimushnam, Mannargudi Easwaran in Mridhangam, R K Sriramkumar etc., Trichy Shankaran has got more concerts in MA.

Why MA missed TVG, last year SK ?

R&G and Shashank on a Christmas day. Get up early and go in the queue !!!

Maharajapuram's 4G has got no place. Maharajapuram Ramachandran, Aruna Sairam, Hyderabad Brothers, Amritha murali- Recently, I could hear their concerts. I reserve my opinion for being qualified in MA. Sudha Ragunathan too. Definitly, we miss Vijay Siva and T M Krishna.ing

Dr.Ganesh has stopped giving concerts long back. His diversion to "Nama sankeerthanam" is well know. Is it paucity of good artists ?

Another interesting observations is a lady mridangist for Trichur Brothers, deviating their father usually accompanying. I know very well TBs were refused permission in MA for adamant in recommending their father. Honestly, I don't go for lady mridangist.

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 25 Aug 2015, 16:53

Dear chellappa,

There is a market price for recognized artists.This may not be insisted at Academy as singing is only for prestige and more chances come if u are recognised by academy.

kamavardhani · Post by **kamavardhani** » 25 Aug 2015, 17:09

grsastrigal wrote:Notable omission in accompaniments- nagai sriram-Violin

Dec 20th:
S.Sowmya (Vocal)

Nagai R. Sriram (Violin)

Poongulam Subramanyam (Mridangam)

Udipi Sridhar (Ghatam)

Payyanur T.Govinda Prasad (Moharsing)

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 26 Aug 2015, 08:52

Almost all artists covered except Sri Vijaya Siva and sri TNS.Guru TVG is also not featured.Given the constraints there will be some omissions each year.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 26 Aug 2015, 13:21

There are some musts, of course, but I get a first impression that I will be spending less time at MA this year than last. Or that I will more free for morning social life in the canteen.

On the other hand, I can't expect MA to program to my tastes every year.

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 26 Aug 2015, 20:49

Thanks kamavardhini for correcting me.
Nick- I too have the feeling that the schedule is not interesting. Very optimistic other Sabhas do have some challenging and interesting concerts

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 27 Aug 2015, 06:46

Few Comparisons in 2014-15 vs 2015-16 evening 1 and 2 slots:
-------------------------------------------------------------\
Looks there has been a big overhaul this year in slots

People who are going out this year to make way for others :
-----------------------------------------------------------
1. Sriram Parthasarathy - He was last year promoted to evening , i dont think he ever had a chance to perform in afternoon before in academy. This year he is out. I was thinking musicians will be generally given 2 years atleast, but that is not the case

2. Gayathri Girsh - she keeps going in and out . This year she is out

3. TV Gopalakrishnan - It was evident that last year he sang because he had the sk . This year understandably he has to give way for far bettter singers

4. Vijay Siva - Surprise of surprise omissions . He has enough connections but he is still out

5. Sreevalsan Menon - I did attend his concert last year . Very lovely singer , but the crowd was pathetic last year . I was told that he and Shertalai Ranganatha sharma had a very lowest of low turnout. Shertalai escaped but Sreevalsan had to get out . Lovely musician that I personally like

6. Unnikrishnan - For many years he is singing in evening slot in academy. He is not that classical personally I feel it is okay for him to give way to others.

7. Suryaprakash- Attended his concert it was lovely. Pancha nadai pallavi for the first time ever gone the drain . he is out and it is surprise omission.

8. TNS Krishna - Great singer - looks he is giving way to others.

9. D Balakrishna (Veena) - I have no idea about callibre of Balakrishna.But he is out this year

10. Nagai Duo - Violin . These two artist are going out this year.They are giving way to another instrument Kadri Gopalnath for this year 2015-16 .

Personally in the above 10 , I wish the "rest and comeback" will happen to Vijaysiva, Menon , Suryaprakash and TNS krishna.

Musicians who are entering this year :
-------------------------------------
1 &2. Sandeep Narayanan and Ramakrishnan Murthy -- First time promoted . They both deserve .

3. Kadri Gopalnath - Looks he is coming in after many years and he is slated to perform on the first day. We are going to have a *sound * inaugral concert

4. Visakha hari - upanaysam is in with her.

5. Saketharaman - One sabha seceratary few years back told me thaT saketaraman gets pushed in along with Visakha Hari . I am not sure if that is indeed the case this time too , but Looks saketharaman is making a come back after 2 years. He is a capable musician

6. Subhashini Parthasarathy- I have not heard her , looks she is entering for the first time.

7. Kunnakudi balamuralikrishna - He is making a comeback after few years . PSN is his guru Hope he does well.

8. Vijayalakshmi Subramanyam - She is making a comeback after few years rest

9. Hyderabad brothers - Possibly he is taken the slot of another out of state artist Dr Menon. They are making a come back after many years. Seshachari is a brilliant singer.

10.Shashank - He is moving from a Jan 01st to prime evening slot -Shuffling has happened

In Afternoon slots-for the first time:
--------------------------------------------
1. Trichur Brothers - They sang last in noon slot . Now they have got a first taste of afternoon slot. Whether it is their appa or a lady mrudangam artist they will do well.Of course their appa is a phenomenal mrudangam artist (Attn GRS)

2. As Murali - He is guru of Abhilash and disciple of PSN. He is a great singer , and I have only heard his recording. Giving opportunity to him is a great move

3. Dr Ganesh- He shuffles between namasankeerthanam and classical . I am not sure how he sings in the recent years

4. Sriranjani santhanagopalan- Looks she is promoted from noon to afternoonn this year.

5. Shankar Ramani - He is in , no idea about him apart from the fact that he is disciple of OST.

6, SP Ramh and Pavithra Mahesh - Veena Duet - They are in for the first time as veena duo

7. JB Shruthi Sagar - Lovely inclusion. he needs all the support , brilliant flutist.

8. G Ravikiran - RK shrikantan and TMK sishya - Lovely singer. He is perhaps taking the slot of Prasanna Venkataraman who is out.

In the morning slot:
-------------------
The Sangeetha kalanidhi and respected high calliber artist who dont have much commercial might move here to morning slot

1. Maharajapuram Ramachandran - After many years he is back. Great and he is a lovely singer

2. Injikudi - nadaswaram vidwan is in . He deserves it.

3. Saraswati Rajagopalan (Veena) - No idea about her

4. MS Sheela - Looks she is back after many years

5. Lalgudi Srimathi and Anuradha Sridhar - They are in. Little more detailed look at the schedule reveals the academy slots and Lalgudi school disciples have a great hit rate with lot of slots atleast for this year . Lalgudi siblings Krishan-Viji , Lalgudi Srimathi-ANuradha, Sp Ramh, Saketaraman ,Vishaka Hari and Jayanthi kumaresh are all featured.

6. Manda sudharani - SHe is moved from evening to morning slot . Lovely musician

7. Geetha Rajasekar - Not much idea , she is in.She learnt from DKP and IIRC also tanjore shankara iyer.

8. Jayalakshmi Sekar (Veena) - This year veena is surely recognized , we have atleast 4 veena concerts along with 5th chitraveena(ravikiran) and 6th chitraveena (vishAl sapuram)

9. Notably this year Mahavidwan TN SEshagopalan is out .

10. TN Krishnan - I am told that he is performing on Dec 25th and he is retiring post this year . So there is one slot next year that is getting vacant for sure.

11. Rest of the SK'S and near SK'S like vedavalli , TVS , OST , Trichur Ramachandran etal are all in.

bottomline
--------------
With just 2 weeks of slots , unlesss you have a great turn around of crowd things are not that assured for any artist. Just like how they had cut many male musicians I would have preferred bit more cut in female evening to promote musicians like say Sangeetha Swaminathan and few more into evening - but next year it might happen.

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 27 Aug 2015, 10:20

Rest for VIjay Siva? When it comes to classicism - probably he is the finest in his generation. I don't think I can come to terms with his omission - if indeed they "rested" him. I know of folks who have less "crowd" than him in the evening slots - if "crowds" are an indicator. I would even say he would give any "SK" in the recent past a run for their money....he is up there IMO.

pattamaa · Post by **pattamaa** » 27 Aug 2015, 10:23

Indications are that, soon he may go to morning slot, like OST... This may be part of that bargain by MA ??

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 27 Aug 2015, 10:39

Sad. Looks like I am in the minority both on this forum and listening public at large re: opinion about his quality of music

hnbhagavan · Post by **hnbhagavan** » 27 Aug 2015, 12:46

Rajesh,

Very interesting analysis.Trying to get some logic for the selections.One observation Lalgudi Siblings are in the Mandolin Srinivas slot.It is a repeat of last year.As already pointed out Vijaya Siva omission is glaring.Though he is not a crowd puller,he gets considerable audience.Since i occupy the balcony,i never get to know the real crowd number for evening slots.However sanjay,malladi,RaGa,sudha generally command full strength.

grsastrigal · Post by **grsastrigal** » 27 Aug 2015, 13:27

As I know Vijay Siva, he is "munkOpi". He needs respect for his music and for his accompaniments. I know once, when he was asked to replace for a known singer (because the latter could not perform for some problem), he demanded more amount and mentioned this point.
If he is going to sing for other sabhAs, except for MA, it will be assumed he had "a real problem" with MA organisers, either because of SK issue !!. (I don't think any other issue). If my assumption is correct, he will be in deep trouble and he won't get Sangeetha kalanidhi (SK) in the next year. I strongly feel he is the potential contender for next year SK and he may miss it because of his "misunderstanding" with MA organisers.

VijayR · Post by **VijayR** » 27 Aug 2015, 18:20

grsastrigal wrote:As I know Vijay Siva, he is "munkOpi". He needs respect for his music and for his accompaniments. I know once, when he was asked to replace for a known singer (because the latter could not perform for some problem), he demanded more amount and mentioned this point.
If he is going to sing for other sabhAs, except for MA, it will be assumed he had "a real problem" with MA organisers, either because of SK issue !!. (I don't think any other issue). If my assumption is correct, he will be in deep trouble and he won't get Sangeetha kalanidhi (SK) in the next year. I strongly feel he is the potential contender for next year SK and he may miss it because of his "misunderstanding" with MA organisers.

With all due respect, your post is in bad taste... Almost everything in your post is speculation with no evidence or basis whatsoever (except for "I know once"... sorry, that does not cut it). This is exactly how incorrect rumors perpetrate...

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 28 Aug 2015, 00:51

In the historic past even KVN had a break of a year or two in his peak time and then he performed . Break and Rest for a year or two is inevitable as they have to accommodate few new wildcard entries like say Sriram parthasarathy last year and Subhashini Parthasarathy this year .The harsh truth is once when any one enters evening slot , the key criteria is HEAVY CROWD Period(Criteria of so called Classicism and Music is secondary to *Heavy* Crowd) .

Folks like Aruna , Abhishek,RG and Sanjay (These four should be top 4 crowd pullers) are not challenged there as they have got more than adequate commercial success. Rest will have a break/rest time . All the rest is speculation or may have some element of truth, in next few years we can extrapolate.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Aug 2015, 04:56

Some newcomers from my favourites list (it's not all bad!)... KP Nandini, Brinda Manickavasagam, Bharathi Ramasubban

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Aug 2015, 06:17

rajeshnat wrote:
9. D Balakrishna (Veena) - I have no idea about callibre of Balakrishna.But he is out this year

Son of Mysore Veena Doreswamy Iyengar. Highly competent vainika.

rajeshnat wrote:
8. Jayalakshmi Sekar (Veena) - This year veena is surely recognized , we have atleast 4 veena concerts along with 5th chitraveena(ravikiran) and 6th chitraveena (vishAl sapuram)

I am glad you didn't count Rajesh Vaidhya among the vainikas. His noise-fest happens Jan 1 in the evening.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Aug 2015, 06:22

It is all Lalgudi School, PSN students and Vedavalli students.

Anything else is just filler.

varsha · Post by **varsha** » 28 Aug 2015, 07:01

I have no idea about callibre of Balakrishna

here is some idea. Boy ! What an Instrument . What a composition !!! Heaven on Earth.
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/2azxybv ... AmbOji.mp3
http://www.mediafire.com/listen/jhuvsua ... shitar.mp3

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Aug 2015, 08:34

harimau wrote:It is all Lalgudi School, PSN students and Vedavalli students.

Anything else is just filler.

Seems like the RV-school contribution is reduced.

PSN seems to have so many students under his wing. It's just my impression: if I went to different concerts, maybe I would have a different impression?

gardabha_gana · Post by **gardabha_gana** » 28 Aug 2015, 11:01

Balakrishna is of high professional caliber - but not a professional (works for RBI). If you like Doreswamy Iyengar's style (I do) - you will love Balakrishna.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Aug 2015, 16:29

Nick H wrote:
harimau wrote:It is all Lalgudi School, PSN students and Vedavalli students.

Anything else is just filler.
Seems like the RV-school contribution is reduced.

PSN seems to have so many students under his wing. It's just my impression: if I went to different concerts, maybe I would have a different impression?

PSN has so many students, mostly those already on the concert circuit. Thus their dominance is understandable.

RV has Sumithra Vasudevan and the Archana-Arathi twins who are singing immediately after her. Yes, the RV-school contribution is small but I am not sure any of her other students are ready for the Music Academy.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Aug 2015, 17:01

rajeshnat wrote: 5. Saketharaman - One sabha seceratary few years back told me thaT saketaraman gets pushed in along with Visakha Hari . I am not sure if that is indeed the case this time too , but Looks saketharaman is making a come back after 2 years. He is a capable musician.

Yes, and that statement is repeated by all and sundry if you keep your ears open in cutcheris.

rajeshnat wrote: 3. Saraswati Rajagopalan (Veena) - No idea about her

Delhi-based, IIRC.

rajeshnat wrote: 5. Lalgudi Srimathi and Anuradha Sridhar - They are in. Little more detailed look at the schedule reveals the academy slots and Lalgudi school disciples have a great hit rate with lot of slots atleast for this year . Lalgudi siblings Krishan-Viji , Lalgudi Srimathi-ANuradha, Sp Ramh, Saketaraman ,Vishaka Hari and Jayanthi kumaresh are all featured.

You forgot Bombay Jayashri? And you need to include Jayalakshmi Sekhar who learnt Lalgudi's varnams and thillanas directly from him.

rajeshnat wrote: Jayalakshmi Sekar (Veena) - This year veena is surely recognized , we have atleast 4 veena concerts along with 5th chitraveena(ravikiran) and 6th chitraveena (vishAl sapuram)

If you include mandolin, there usually has been 5 slots for plucked, stringed instruments. This year, it was expanded to 6. So you get two vainikas in the 9 am slot for the super-seniors.

rajeshnat wrote: TN Krishnan - I am told that he is performing on Dec 25th and he is retiring post this year . So there is one slot next year that is getting vacant for sure.

I am sure he will be playing for Naada Inbam till the cows come home.

harimau · Post by **harimau** » 28 Aug 2015, 17:17

Nick H wrote:Some newcomers from my favourites list (it's not all bad!)... KP Nandini, Brinda Manickavasagam, Bharathi Ramasubban

Don't miss N J Nandini. Highly talented student of Parassala Ponnammal.

And I would definitely include Subhiksha Rangarajan in my list of must-hear's.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 28 Aug 2015, 17:44

harimau wrote:RV has Sumithra Vasudevan and the Archana-Arathi twins who are singing immediately after her. Yes, the RV-school contribution is small but I am not sure any of her other students are ready for the Music Academy.

Sumathi Krishnan and Usha Padmanabhan have had and lost their slots. Ashwin Anand lost his slot last year. I should like to see them all back. K Dharini would give a wonderful Academy concert --- but just because I like chocolate ice cream doesn't mean every one does or has to eat it. Hey ho... if I ever get rich, then expect my annual RV-School Festival. In the mean time, Naada Inbam does a good job.

N J Nandini. ... Subhiksha Rangarajan

Noted.

rupavathi · Post by **rupavathi** » 28 Aug 2015, 18:10

rajeshnat wrote:10. TN Krishnan - I am told that he is performing on Dec 25th and he is retiring post this year . So there is one slot next year that is getting vacant for sure.

Kindly do not propagate baseless and unsubstantiated information. Oh, and thanks btw, for your annual dose of comedy...