Some points to ponder
The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
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sureshvv
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SrinathK
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Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
Well, the author towards the end went full doomsday on the scale of pessimism, but he has a lot of valid points.
My biggest gripe with the Academy is that they host for a mere 15 days - this is the biggest reason why so many artistes miss the boat every year. Raga Sudha Hall hosted for a month and 15 days in comparison. NGS hosted for over a month. Further while they record audio, they have shockingly not begun to record concert videos yet. So many great concerts. What's worse than that are the lec dems. So many lec dems need visuals - and they don't record that either. This could have been excusable 20 years ago, not now. The lec dems are the biggest losers here.
They haven't done enough to promote their library or archives, nor have they found a way to sell their collections on places like Amazon music or elsewhere. But they have taken feedback and they say they're working on it in the near future. The Archives is a wonderful place to stay and just listen. It's not that old, it only took off a few years back. So plans are in the pipeline. The staff are also very helpful and take feedback. But yes, given how many rasikas are uploading on Sangeethapriya or Youtube, they ought to be more proactive in reaching out for preserving valuable music.
The sold out policy is indeed horrible. If the tickets for 6:45 are sold out, they'll tell you that no tickets are there for the 4 pm slot either even when the hall is half empty. You get no tickets even if half the people don't show up - I mean what? At least check the attendance and take out the tickets - they'll make more money that way. I appreciate the move to have tickets for 2 whole evening concerts, but it will be good if they can sell 1 concert tickets at half rate. It might fill up their hall on days when box office crashers aren't performing.
Tickets for the ground floor even when empty, are worth the airfare to fly into Chennai. So thank god that 3/5 concerts are free everyday. Surely some cost optimization and live discount pricing might help get more people in? Does it have to be that costly even on empty days? I mean, if they think about it, it will help them make more money in fact. That or they've already made their money selling season tickets to people who anyway won't show up.
It's been 2 weeks now, their website has still not declared the list of prize winners. I get to know through Facebook. No live relay of at least the sadas?
Audience etiquette is not their fault as such - it a universal symptom of Indian apathy and lack of civic sense....
I don't mind the NCC cadets at all - they're actually very polite and will guide you around well. Other stuff are the author's own grouses.
I don't see what the author is complaining about the audio system - it is still the best I've heard so far by a mile. It is making even novice mridangists sound like they're PMI or the like, but hey, it is very very good. But it sounds better from the balcony than from the ground (let's pray they don't read this and raise balcony rates).
I think the canteen rates are also sky high now.
But my biggest complaint remains the short 2 week length of the Academy's season and their unwillingness to videotape their concerts (although audio is available). They can afford to go on all December, no need to wait for mArgazhi.
And the thing is that the dance programmes are losing out. They should do more to advertise their dance festival.
My biggest gripe with the Academy is that they host for a mere 15 days - this is the biggest reason why so many artistes miss the boat every year. Raga Sudha Hall hosted for a month and 15 days in comparison. NGS hosted for over a month. Further while they record audio, they have shockingly not begun to record concert videos yet. So many great concerts. What's worse than that are the lec dems. So many lec dems need visuals - and they don't record that either. This could have been excusable 20 years ago, not now. The lec dems are the biggest losers here.
They haven't done enough to promote their library or archives, nor have they found a way to sell their collections on places like Amazon music or elsewhere. But they have taken feedback and they say they're working on it in the near future. The Archives is a wonderful place to stay and just listen. It's not that old, it only took off a few years back. So plans are in the pipeline. The staff are also very helpful and take feedback. But yes, given how many rasikas are uploading on Sangeethapriya or Youtube, they ought to be more proactive in reaching out for preserving valuable music.
The sold out policy is indeed horrible. If the tickets for 6:45 are sold out, they'll tell you that no tickets are there for the 4 pm slot either even when the hall is half empty. You get no tickets even if half the people don't show up - I mean what? At least check the attendance and take out the tickets - they'll make more money that way. I appreciate the move to have tickets for 2 whole evening concerts, but it will be good if they can sell 1 concert tickets at half rate. It might fill up their hall on days when box office crashers aren't performing.
Tickets for the ground floor even when empty, are worth the airfare to fly into Chennai. So thank god that 3/5 concerts are free everyday. Surely some cost optimization and live discount pricing might help get more people in? Does it have to be that costly even on empty days? I mean, if they think about it, it will help them make more money in fact. That or they've already made their money selling season tickets to people who anyway won't show up.
It's been 2 weeks now, their website has still not declared the list of prize winners. I get to know through Facebook. No live relay of at least the sadas?
Audience etiquette is not their fault as such - it a universal symptom of Indian apathy and lack of civic sense....
I don't mind the NCC cadets at all - they're actually very polite and will guide you around well. Other stuff are the author's own grouses.
I don't see what the author is complaining about the audio system - it is still the best I've heard so far by a mile. It is making even novice mridangists sound like they're PMI or the like, but hey, it is very very good. But it sounds better from the balcony than from the ground (let's pray they don't read this and raise balcony rates).
I think the canteen rates are also sky high now.
But my biggest complaint remains the short 2 week length of the Academy's season and their unwillingness to videotape their concerts (although audio is available). They can afford to go on all December, no need to wait for mArgazhi.
And the thing is that the dance programmes are losing out. They should do more to advertise their dance festival.
Last edited by SrinathK on 11 Jan 2019, 13:43, edited 5 times in total.
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sureshvv
- Posts: 5542
- Joined: 05 Jul 2007, 18:17
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
How about holding concerts at the mini hall also? One may have to choose but more performers will have an opportunity.
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SrinathK
- Posts: 2481
- Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
This full year I have had the feeling that while concerts have increased in number, the field is beginning to spread thin.
Unfortunately our gen and the previous gen are stuck at work for literally the entire day and night. Ok, I know that not even 0.1% of our gen has any interest in CM, but still. That is our limitation, can't blame sabhas for that.
Unfortunately our gen and the previous gen are stuck at work for literally the entire day and night. Ok, I know that not even 0.1% of our gen has any interest in CM, but still. That is our limitation, can't blame sabhas for that.
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Sachi_R
- Posts: 2188
- Joined: 31 Jan 2017, 20:20
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
Guys
I hope Academy folks read your good feedback and fix those empty seats issue.
In 1978 I went to Berlin Philharmonic, waited for 90 min in November rain outside, managed to get a DM 14,- ticket to listen to Beethoven's Fifth. A high point in my musical journey.
They had people phoning in for no-shows.
I hope Academy folks read your good feedback and fix those empty seats issue.
In 1978 I went to Berlin Philharmonic, waited for 90 min in November rain outside, managed to get a DM 14,- ticket to listen to Beethoven's Fifth. A high point in my musical journey.
They had people phoning in for no-shows.
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rajeshnat
- Posts: 10123
- Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 08:04
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
Many years back i wrote the same point , Academy should make it as atleast 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks.
When evening II slot is after an evening I slot crowd puller , the tickets are sold too . Few years back I heard few evening slots II concerts despite the evening I was full. But they cannot risk giving tickets for evening I when evening II is a crowd puller.
I personally feel they can implement two suggestions
1. Start ticketing even morning concerts alteast the week end and christmas holiday concerts . It is same 2 and half hours and try bringing some artists from evening to morning too. At times there is a lot of clash in evening
2. 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks programs. Start on Dec 09th instead of Dec 16th.
When evening II slot is after an evening I slot crowd puller , the tickets are sold too . Few years back I heard few evening slots II concerts despite the evening I was full. But they cannot risk giving tickets for evening I when evening II is a crowd puller.
I personally feel they can implement two suggestions
1. Start ticketing even morning concerts alteast the week end and christmas holiday concerts . It is same 2 and half hours and try bringing some artists from evening to morning too. At times there is a lot of clash in evening
2. 3 weeks instead of 2 weeks programs. Start on Dec 09th instead of Dec 16th.
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carnatician
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 03 Jun 2018, 14:57
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
The MA is an easy target to pick on and complain about. No doubt there are always areas of improvement but I'd rate MA significantly above most if not all its contemporaries in the city.
The empty seat issue is real and should be addressed - in the balcony they have these "reserved" seats with the names stuck on them - of people who have paid extra for this privilege. For most concerts these run only at 30%-40% occupancy.
The empty seat issue is real and should be addressed - in the balcony they have these "reserved" seats with the names stuck on them - of people who have paid extra for this privilege. For most concerts these run only at 30%-40% occupancy.
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SrinathK
- Posts: 2481
- Joined: 13 Jan 2013, 16:10
Re: The Madras Music Academy needs to try much harder
No denying that MA is objectively at the top of the chart in terms of ambience and facilities. But things like the short music season spell, a large number of artistes not getting a slot, and the empty seat issue are the problem. One more thing they could do is to selectively webcast (for a fee) on days when they know the crowd is going to overflow. I mean, I had friends waiting since brahma muhurtam and they came back empty handed.
Actually in terms of money, reserving seats is probably prepaid and costs more. So who cares if they don't turn up. The losers are actually the ones who can't get a seat thanks to reservation.
Actually in terms of money, reserving seats is probably prepaid and costs more. So who cares if they don't turn up. The losers are actually the ones who can't get a seat thanks to reservation.