If December marks the famed “Madras music season”, it appears like Bengaluru is fast catching up, if the trend this year is anything to go by. Nearly 120 classical Carnatic music and dance recitals are scheduled in January, apart from several other chamber music concerts.
It seems the perfect time to catch up with the top names in the classical music and dance scene, who breeze into the city after the Chennai music season and before the Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana and the Ramanavami season takes off in April. The gap in January, say sabha organisers, is the best time to bring over some popular artistes, including NRIs who arrive here during the Christmas holidays.
Observes music patron S. Keshava Murthy: “January offers ideal weather and parents with children too seem relaxed without the exam fever gripping them yet.” Be it the renowned Padma Subrahmanyam arriving for the Drishti Dance Festival, NRI artistes such as musicologist Ludwig Pesch or our own popular Kadri Gopalnath bagging an honour, artistes are all set to make a beeline for Bengaluru, observes Murthy.
“New Year in Bengaluru sets a beginning for classical melodies with schools, colleges and scores of IT offices shutting down for Christmas. Mushrooming sabhas make the best use of the timing,” says K.N. Anantharamaiah, President, BTM Cultural Academy whose Aradhana Saptaha for six days will be on from January 26 to February 1.
R.V. Raghavendra of Ananya Cultural Academy observes that getting dates from artistes is easier now, as concerts during Ramanavami would only be “one amongst the seasonal clutter” and there is also the issue of rain. “The audiences choose between cutcheris and cricket, as April is IPL time too,” reminds Mr. Raghavendra.
