Karnataka - Belgaum   

Music students denied opportunity to show talent

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, OCT. 15. The Department of Kannada and Culture has denied an opportunity to music students to exhibit their talent by not scheduling competitions in Hindustani instrumental and Carnatic vocal sections for the Bal Pratibha and Kishore Pratibha awards and in Hindustani vocal and Carnatic instrumental sections for the Yuva Pratibha award.

The department conducts competitions for three different age groups in classical music and dance, drawing/painting, folk music and drama at the district, divisional and State-level for the Bal Pratibha (nine years to 13 years), Kishore Pratibha (14 years to 18 years) and Yuva Pratibha (19 years to 30 years) awards.

Discouraging

This is discouraging not only to music students and upcoming artists but also their gurus and teachers, according to Hayavadan Joshi, a musicologist.

What was the logic behind not conducting competitions in Hindustani instrumental and Carnatic vocal sections for the Bal Pratibha and Kishore Pratibha awards. And, what wisdom was being exhibited by not conducting competitions in Hindustani vocal and Carnatic instrumental for the Yuva Pratibha award? he asked.

Did the Kannada and Culture Department wanted to tell the people that students till the age of 18 did not learn Hindustani instrumental and Carnatic vocal music or that the students stopped singing Hindustani music or playing Carnatic instrumental after they became 19. Whether the department considered students in these age groups unfit for learning vocal in instrumental music? he asked.

Mr. Joshi told The Hindu here on Friday that the department had conducted competitions in Hindustani instrumental music last year in the Bal Pratibha and Kishore Pratibha categories. He said the Government should come out with a clear policy and declare that students under certain age groups should not learn vocal or instrumental music.

Music students look forward to this opportunity (competitions) to exhibit their talent and prove their worth as a prospective artiste.

He said as the district-level competitions had been scheduled for October 19 and October 20, the Government could amend its decision and open the doors for students to compete in the Hindustani instrumental and Carnatic vocal sections for the Bal Pratibha and Kishore Pratibha categories, and Hindustani vocal and Carnatic instrumental in the Yuva Pratibha category. If this was not possible, it could organise competitions before the divisional-level competitions to help everyone get an opportunity to participate in the State-level competitions, he said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News: Front Page | National | Tamil Nadu | Andhra Pradesh | Karnataka | Kerala | New Delhi | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary | Updates: Breaking News |

Stories in this Section

Music students denied opportunity to show talent
Pratibha award contests from Tuesday

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu