Where musical ideas are exchanged
SAVITHA GAUTAM
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Svanubhava 2009, opening on August 4, will be much more than a Carnatic music festival.
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The highlights: Swapnasundari.
Are you a keen student of Carnatic music? Are you brimming with questions even as you enjoy a particular raga alapana by a senior artist? Well, here’s your chance to mingle with some well-known Carnatic musicians. Yes, it’s time for the second edition of Svanubhava, the fest designed specially for students of Carnatic music.
The brainchild of Bombay Jayashree and T.M. Krishna, the event is organised by their organisation, Matrka, in association with Youth Association for Classical Music (YACM), from August 4-9 at three venues.
Talking about the event, Krishna says, “Students are the torchbearers of any creative art form. More so in the Carnatic tradition, which has a long way to go in getting its due place in the artistic world. The aim of this festival is to build a bridge between artists and art lovers, age no bar, where questions are answered and ideas are exchanged.”
Says Jayashree, “The enthusiasm and the thirst for learning of the youngsters is amazing. The response we got from the schools and colleges we visited since January has been very encouraging. In fact, a class VIII student, a girl, came to me and said, ‘Ma’am, I am saving up all my leave so that I can attend the festival!’ That really cheers us up.”
She continues, “I feel there’s hardly any connect among today’s music students. When we were students, I remember we (other musicians including Krishna and Sanjay) would gang up and discuss music for hours. We would have jam sessions in one of our homes… it was fun and at the same time we learnt a lot from one another. With Svanubavha, we are trying to create that connection between students of different banis.”
Another point Jayashree and Krishna agree on is that with ticket prices for cutcheris during the Season being prohibitive for youngsters, many serious learners miss out a lot. “This festival, for which no fee is charged, gives them a chance to listen to their favourite musicians and interact with them on a one-to-one basis without any inhibition.”
In fact, musicians are amazed at some of the posers thrown at them. “There’s complete honesty between the students and the artists. So much so, both parties benefit.”
The programme
Ayanampatti Ganesan.
While the pattern of the fest will remain on similar lines as 2008, there are a few interesting additions this year. To begin with, the auspicious notes of the nagaswaram will make their presence felt.
Says Jayashree, “One of the students wanted to know why the mangala isai was missing last year. That set us thinking. And we got Sheikh Mehboob and Khalsha-Bi-Mehboob to be part of the fest. Actually, many of the ideas for this year’s programmes have come from the students themselves. They were the programme planners, and have been working non-stop to ensure every minute detail is looked into.”
Other highlights include a performance by Kathak legend Birju Maharaj, Swapnasundari’s Vilasaini Nrithyam, namasankeerthanam by Udayalur Kalyanaraman, a jalatarangam lecture-concert where Ayanampatti Ganesan will talk about the techniques involved, and for that dash of folk, Mahabharata Koothu, which uses Carnatic music. On the last day, maestro M. Balamuralikrishna will be the guest of honour. To lighten up the otherwise sombre proceedings, there will be quizzes, treasure hunts and other competitions.
“Our aim is to make the exercise educative and at the same time entertaining,” say Krishna and Jayashree.
What’s more, three theme tunes have been specially composed by Arun Prakash. Says Krishna, “These tunes help in giving the participants and the festival itself a sense of belonging. In fact, last year, some students came up on stage and said they had a gift for us. Then they sang all the theme tunes. It was an emotional moment.”
Summing up, Krishna says, “The student community has to take Carnatic music forward, and Svanubhava provides them a platform to reinforce that effort.”
Fact file
Date: August 4-9
Venues: On August 4 and 5 at Kalakshetra; August 6 and 7 at The Adyar Government Music College, and August 8 and 9 at The Music Academy.
Timing: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all days. Lunch is served.
Contact: For registration, visit www.svanubhava.com. For more details, e-mail svanubhava@gmail.com.
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