An open letter to Cleveland power house

[clevelandfan]

At the out set I want to make it clear that this is not an accusation or bitter criticism of what you are doing. You are doing a great job in terms of organizing this mega event and deserve all the accolades and support. At the same time this year’s feast is just a déjà vu. I would like an answer to some of my questions. I have been in the US for 30 years and have followed Cleveland Aradhana, some times from close quarters and some times from the side lines. Here are my questions

(1) What are you doing to encourage and acknowledge NA artists? There is a recently devised “sampradhya” concept which is aimed at making money. Since it is a cash cow, you are justified in allotting it prime time, I agree. This has succeeded and shows your excellent marketing skills.
(2) Look at this year’s schedule. Hardly any NA artist has been given a prominent slot except, of course, Karthik Venkataraman. Can you honestly say that some one like Sudha Ragunadahan will ask him to accompany her if not for the arm twisting by the committee? He is a very very ordinary artist and more of a “king of kainkaryam” rather than “king of the khanjira”.. I salute him for the many services he does to your festival, but let us be honest. Is that what you expect for a NA artist to get a good slot? Then say it so.
(3) What about the several artists in NA who have been ignored? Some artists like Madurai Sundar, Kirnavalai, Prasant Rashakrishnan, Rohan Krishnamurthy, Ranjana Swaminathan etc are equal or better than the ones from India you have scheduled. Indeed, Rohan Krishnamurthy, a highly acclaimed mridangist has been included in a “double mridangam” on a very inconspicuous day. And Ranjana Swaminthan has been provided a harmless afternoon slot with another NA artist. Doesn’t it tell them that they should pursue medicine or law rather than music? If I were them, I will boycott your offers and move onto do things I like to do.
(4) When will you stop exploiting young NA artists who nurture high ambitions by drawing them into the “sampradhya” concept and charge hefty amounts and then dumb them like you are dumping a Rohan or a Ranjana?
(5) The Cleveland Aradhana sustains only because of the competition and I challenge you to conduct the event one year without the competitions and see what the response is.
(6) Is there an explanation as to why the well known mridangist Srimushnam Rajo Rao, who has contributed so much to your festival, been “dumped” unceremoniously?

In sum, my advise to reasonably talented NA artists is to boycott Cleveland Aradhana. Let them get whoever they want from India and conduct the festival. If you (NA artists) feel that Cleveland is a stepping stone fame and opportunity, you are sadly mistaken. Past and present continue to prove it.

Seenu
New York

[VK RAMAN]

Very harsh criticism; a reply to this will help in addressing some of the situations around organizing Aradhana. Seenu, I wish you had participated in last years discussion after Aradhana function.

[rajeshnat]

Good discussion.I read & enjoyed.Thanks

[srkris]

This is not a place to settle personal scores. Cleveland fan, you may be a disgruntled performer or parent, but do not use this forum as a platform to seek justice. We are not a court.

[Rajamani]

srkris, clevelandfan's letter seems harsh, but don't you see that it raises very valid points ? I agree with him that NA artists do not get enough encouragement from the Aradhana . Here are a couple of more oddities that I observed. Vinod seetharaman may be a good mridangist, but is it right to give him four concerts on four consecutive days ? Is there such a scarcity of mridangists in entire North America? There are many other equally talented mridangists in NA that have been ignored for years together ! In the same note, I believe there are many better artists, and teachers here that deserve the kalaratna award than Roopa Mahadevan. It is blatantly evident that either the selection process is tainted by favoritism or one needs to lobby for opportunities. I don't mean to put down any of these artists. They are very good artists, but my point is that there are more deserving artists.
In the same note I need to acknowledge the many years of excellent effort the Aradhana committee has done over the years in promoting carnatic music in NA and bringing the festival to where it is today. Hope they will take the feedback from rasikas of this forum and correct things going forward.

Just my two cents.

[vganesh]

Dear Sri Isaimani,

There is a discussion going on about this in our old site. please do visit and express the concern. But please note that there is no end to any such controversies. Whomever do not get an award needs to work hard. World is full of inequality. I read stories now stating the great MDR deserved better when lived. Try to be part of that system and understand others view. Become part of Cleaveland volunteer and understand
Regards

[mahakavi]

It is a given that any sabha/organization is difficult to govern. There are a few people who devote their time voluntarily without any expectation of remuneration or gratitude (in a non-profit organization). The group that runs the sabha itself has to overcome internal differences among the committee members. Then they have to contend with criticism from outside (the audience, participants in the program etc.). In general, running such an organization is a thankless job. Once in a while you get some compliments but most of the time there is a lot of brickbats thrown. It is difficult to satisfy everybody. For sure, there may be shortcomings in the way functions are organized/conducted. The best way to handle those is to send a petition signed by a few like-minded folks to the management. If just one person is infuriated, it is an oddity. If quite a few are, then the committee will listen to them if a reasonable suggestion is made. The Cleveland Aradhana committee is doing their best under the most difficult circumstances (especially on the money front). It is advisable to help them get more money through sponsorship (in the US, companies will match employee-donations to non-profit institutions). Nothing good will come out of loud protests if the protestor does not help the committee in positive ways.
Disclaimer: I do not know anybody in the Cleveland organization nor do I have any vested interest there. I know about their financial predicaments. That is all.

[VK RAMAN]

mahakavi: you hit the nail on the head and any one making suggestions or improvements must have the guts to go through a certain process to help the volunteering organizers

[ragam-talam]

Not quite. People can make suggestions without having to volunteer. It's for the organizers to take the suggestions on board or not, based on their merit.
Otherwise it would mean we should all hail the leader, and not make any critical comments. I sincerely hope we haven't reached that stage, esp in the world of CM.

[mahakavi]

Not quite. People can make suggestions without having to volunteer. It's for the organizers to take the suggestions on board or not, based on their merit.

Exactly! When the suggestions are accepted well and good. When they are not we should remember not to sling mud at them. Because, you have to be in the kitchen to feel the heat. If you pitch in with help then you have every right to question, dissent, or modify the plans set by the committee. Even then it is not easy. Consensus is not the best outcome but everything else is worse than that. Staying outside and shouting at those inside is not the way to get things done amicably.In that situation the only course open for you is to boycott the function.

[kaumaaram]

Let me try to get hold of atleast one committee member there and find out how best the issue could be addressed.

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Hi Forumites: Just a note to find out who are all attending the Aradhana. I am planning to come for the weekend(beginning-April 2) just for 2 days-main purpose is to be there when the Honoring ceremony takes place(2 of my close family friends are being honored!!).

Would love to meet forumites @ the festival-will be staying in a hotel close to the Airport--but plan to hang out the whole time in and around the Comfort Inn.If forumites leave their # @ the desk or ask VKV or VVS they would be able to "spot" me. My cell# is 718-775 5256.

[arasi]

MKR,
Hope you rasikAs have a good time meeting one another. I will miss it all
Lakshman is usually there for the ArAdhanA.

[cmlover]

I am sure Arun will be there. Though I have not seen him at the Forum since we migrated...

[ajit]

I will be there for sure on April 3rd..

ajit

[uday_shankar]

Will most likely be there April 3rd. Will be in touch with vkv.

[Lakshman]

I will be there on saturday and sunday.

[rshankar]

In time for the performance at the ArAdhana: http://www.hindu.com/fr/2010/04/02/stor ... 860300.htm

[semmu86]

Excellent write up .. My heartiest wishes

[bilahari]

My very best wishes for Aishwarya and Smt. Radha Viswanathan for their concert. That was indeed a nice article in The Hindu, and I'm glad they've pointed out Aishwarya's gorgeous nAdanAmakriya viruTTam. I didn't know Aishwarya wants to pursue music professionally - my very best to her! May she take the SSI-MSS-RV bani far!

[kedharam]

cienu, nice meeting you. lovely article abt Aishu. Very proud of her. can't wait to hear her sing 'ekkalathilum unnai maravamal'. Thinking of your angel, the greatest devotee of krishna / Soundarya / MinAkshi...

[VK RAMAN]

Nice article cienu. MSS will be listening to her from the Heavens

[MDRFan]

It feels good to write questions and answers!
If your claim is true that you have been observing Cleveland Aradhana for past 30 years, you would have realized that the competition and sustaining sampradhaya are recent adds. You mentioned these are cash cows and being prioritized by the organizers. In stead of watching from side lines, if you had stepped in and helped in any manner possible, things could have been different.
Did the Aradhana committee claim that their competition and sustaining sampradaya programs are stepping stones for success? Or did they guarantee a career in carnatic music for these participants?
If you had organized even one music show then you would have realized that it is the organizer whose arm gets twisted. Try a few concerts and you will learn how some of the young and upcoming artists quote legal clauses and copy right matters (as if they are paying royalty to the trinities of music) and twist the organizers' arm.
BTW, where were you when Rohan Krishnamurthy was prominently presented in Cleveland? Or is it your rule that he should be featured every year in prime time?
As for Sri.Raja Rao, why did you not ask the question to him? There are other artists who were featured in prior years but not of late. Do you think they did not contribute to the festival in any way?
Ah!, for that matter I was there a couple of years ago but not this year...

Cheer up Bud.. it is one great atmosphere where the competitors and participants put aside their differences and enjoy and cherish every moment of their time. Ask the kids and participants how they fell. If you think you can bring a host of artists and make them sit through kid's performance for hours on, try it for size!

Cheers Aradhana Committee! Hope your good work will continue through time!

[Ramasubramanian M.K]

Kudos to you MDR fan--You have virtually stolen my thunder.I was equally outraged at the "below-the-belt" criticism about what went wrong in the Sustaining Samparadaya initiative. For the record,I may add--I have been involved with the East-West org that pioneered the Lalgudi-Ramani-Venkatraman concert tour in 1971. I am one of the co-founders of Carnatic Music Association of North America founded in 1977 and I am one of the well-wishers of the Cleveland Aradhana. For fairness in disclosure I am also very close to VVS and Balu and their families.

Having said I may add that the critics have not fully understood the motivation behind the initiatives. The Aradhana Committee rightfully believes that it should be more than a festival of aritstes performing but also be inclusive of the younger generation--anyone who has witnessed how the kids enjoyed the rehearsals(I have none of my children or grandchildren participating so that I can be quite objective!!) and their parents deserve to be congratulated for their part in encouraging and affording an opportunity for their kids to participate.

As regards the coordinator o the kids rehearsals Jayalakshmi Sekhar--although I do not know her personally that well, I have nothing but praise for the prodigious efforts she has taken in supporting the initiative. I have observed her in action both in Chennai and Cleveland and did not notice any of the high-handedness or ulterior motives attributed to her. Besides let's not lay the blame on VVS for every alleged infraction. He has to delegate and I KNOW FOR A FACT that he does after carefully seeking advice from the experts--He has his own opinions about the artistes BUT does not let them influence his decisions.
As MDR fan points out before one criticises one has to try walk a mile in the other person's shoes,

This way after walking a mile in the other person's shoes, if you criticise and if he gets angry YOU are safe because YOU ARE A MILE AWAY AND HE IS SHOELESS!!!

[Carnatic_novice]

The fact that 1000s of folks attend the function is a testimony to the success of the organization. Even if competitions and Sustaining Sampradaya are the events that is pulling crowd -- what is wrong with that? I have seen competitions started in other places and they have fizzled out for lack of funds and participants.

However, I would suggest the following to the Cleveland organizers:
[*] Open up the organization to include more people from the public
[*] Form various sub-groups and recruit volunteers for those sub-groups, put them in-charge for specific things (e.g. Audio system, stage setting, invitations, magazine, etc.); Allocate budget for each of those groups and ask them to be responsible for running within that budget (or ask the sub-team to raise additional funds). This will reduce the stress on the core group that has been doing an admirable job for the past 30+ years
[*] Provide summary of financial report to the well wishers of the Aradhana

If the above steps are already being followed, kindly excuse my ignorance. If not, please give it some thought.

If this organization has to grow further and sustain for ever, transparency and succession plans/process should be well thought through.

Having organized small community events -- I fully realize how difficult it is to conduct a 10 day festival, trying to please almost every one (though it is impossible). Hats off to the Aradhana committee for doing an wonderful job. However, please consider the above suggestions.

Regards

A well wisher

[cacm]

The fact that 1000s of folks attend the function is a testimony to the success of the organization. Even if competitions and Sustaining Sampradaya are the events that is pulling crowd -- what is wrong with that? I have seen competitions started in other places and they have fizzled out for lack of funds and participants.

However, I would suggest the following to the Cleveland organizers:
[*] Open up the organization to include more people from the public
[*] Form various sub-groups and recruit volunteers for those sub-groups, put them in-charge for specific things (e.g. Audio system, stage setting, invitations, magazine, etc.); Allocate budget for each of those groups and ask them to be responsible for running within that budget (or ask the sub-team to raise additional funds). This will reduce the stress on the core group that has been doing an admirable job for the past 30+ years
[*] Provide summary of financial report to the well wishers of the Aradhana

If the above steps are already being followed, kindly excuse my ignorance. If not, please give it some thought.

If this organization has to grow further and sustain for ever, transparency and succession plans/process should be well thought through.

Having organized small community events -- I fully realize how difficult it is to conduct a 10 day festival, trying to please almost every one (though it is impossible). Hats off to the Aradhana committee for doing an wonderful job. However, please consider the above suggestions.

Regards

A well wisher

Dear Well Wisher,
THANKS for your constructive suggestions. I promise the CAC will consider EVERY ONE of your suggestions SERIOUSLY & DISCUSS&VOTE ON THEM. I must however state that many of them are constantly considered & whatever is practical WILL BE ADOPTED. Lets keep this discussion going. VKV