The city’s music fraternity is an aggrieved lot, for it has no proper place to perform. The entertaining community, looking for a brighter future post-bifurcation, is a peeved lot, as the two prominent venues of city – Tummalapallivari Kshetrayya Kalakshetram and Government Music College grounds – are not within their reach, albeit for different reasons.
For all orchestra folks, Kalakshetram is the most-sought-after auditorium even though it is not air-conditioned, and for outdoor shows, Laila Gokaraju Ganga Raju auditorium on the Government Music College campus is the one-stop stage for them.
Orchestras in city are not able to perform on Sundays at Kalakshetram, as the hall is booked well in advance for religious meetings. “The officials, who are keen to fill the coffer of the battered corporation, are promoting religious meets, thus preventing performing artistes from performing there. The primary aim of the auditoriums should be to promote arts and culture and not religion,” says H.V.R.S Prasad, founder secretary of Sumadhura Kalaniketan.
Says singer Rehman: “We do not have auditoriums with good acoustics in Vijayawada. Kalakshetram is the only stage which has proper acoustics. It is centrally located and offers good parking facilities. But unfortunately, we are not able to perform on most Sundays, as the hall is already booked for religious gatherings.”
The Government Music College grounds, thanks to noise pollution, have become a nightmare for artistes, as their programmes are often interrupted by police following complaints by locals. “Soon after the prayer song, we see policemen entering the grounds, asking us to stop the performance or reduce volume. We are forced to conduct events under severe stress,” says Uma Maheswar of Swara Bharati Cultural Association.
Many orchestras prefer Sundays to stage programmes, for a good turnout of viewers could be expected on a holiday.
Artistes say rivalry among sound engineers are leading to disturbances at the Government Music College grounds.
“Rivals use the coin box to lodge a compliant just to settle scores with their opponents,” says Mohammad Khaja of Mayur Orchestra. The city music fraternity, in a bid to streamline its activities, has floated Vijayawada Music Artistes Welfare Association recently and are hopeful of conducting many shows in the new State.
