Singing a new tune

Until a few years back,there was a scarcity of platforms for classical talents in the country. It was to address this that festivals such as Naveen Kalakar in Bhubaneshwar and the monthly Umang in Mumbai,organised by the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA),Mumbai,were instituted. However,Dr Suvarnalata Rao,the head of programming for Indian music at NCPA,explains that the problem had eventually evolved into a different one. She explains,“We were worried a few years back about how to get these emerging artistes a good platform,but now there are enough of them. The problem now is: where do these artistes go from here?”

It’s a valid question that artistes are taking seriously. They’re hiring publicists and engaging with the media and understanding that in this age of 15 minutes of fame,one has to ensure that one is always in the public consciousness. Whether it is santoor player Rahul Sharma’s ‘Confluence’ collaborations with international names like Richard Clayderman and Kenny G,or sitar artiste Ravi Chari’s jam with rock band Zero at the NH7 Weekender in Pune last year or tabla maestro Aditya Kalyanpur’s tour with AR Rahman or Chatterjee’s high-glitz album launch at a premier club,Indian classical music is getting more glamorous and publicity friendly.

The internet is a powerful tool. “The power of the Web can be intelligently harnessed for this purpose,” says Kumar,“You can record your music and put it up for the world to see.” Kalyanpur and Chatterjee,too,believe in the power of the internet. “We have to reach out to the younger generation,” the latter explains,“I love it when older audiences come and listen to me play,but how long will they be there? I need to ensure that I have an audience who will listen to me at least for the next 10 years.” That is why Chatterjee goes on Facebook and ensures that he connects with young people.

It’s this need to connect with younger audiences that has led the younger generation musicians to experiment with their music. Natarajan points out that part of her job as an artiste manager is to figure out what works well for which artiste and in which market. Accordingly,she makes the suggestions. Sometimes it involves suggesting trying a different style or modifying a current style of singing a bit. “A lot of young musicians are open to suggestions in order to reach their listeners,” she says. Kalyanpur,who has experimented widely with fusion and world music,adds,“It is a great way to engage the interests of young listeners and becomes a gateway to their interest in classical music itself.”

Rao,however,issues a word of caution. “A lot of younger artistes are too impatient to delve deep into classical music. But without doing that,they can’t hope to experiment well.” But the efforts of the artistes seems to have paid off,as Kalyanpur attests. “I’ve seen a lot of younger people being drawn in for concerts. They’re now beginning to realise that you don’t need to ‘understand’ classical music to appreciate it: it’s a universal language. It just needs to be given a chance.” he says.