International Society For Laya Awareness hits upon a 40:40 music test
CHENNAI, July 8: The Carnatic music world has taken a clue or
two from the IPL (Indian Premier League), it appears.
Following the huge success of the 20:20 cricket formula of IPL, the International Society For Laya Awareness (ISLA), a Chennai-based organization engaged in teaching Carnatic / classsical / devotional / instrumental music to children, has come out with 40:40 programme of its own to discover and highlight musical talent.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Society has decided to organize 40 concerts of 40-minute duration each for three days from August 15 to August 17 at Ragasudha Hall in Mylapore. This three-day Carnatic music contest will provide musicians of all sorts in the age group of 15-35 a platform to showcase their wares in Carnatic music. Based on the competitors' performance, the organizers have decided to pick six winning teams for cash awards. The organizers are keen to ensure that 40:40 event does not turn into a non-serious exercise. The organizers have, in fact, decided to offer the six winning teams an opportunity to perform in the December Music Festival in Chennai under the auspices of the International Society For Laya Awareness.
Inviting applications from musicians in the age group of 15-35, Ghatam Suresh, founder of the Society, wants them to ``Contest with your kutcheri to conquer the Carnatic charisma.'' The Society is also negotiating for sponsored TV coverage for wider publicity to the contestants. The last date for accepting applications is July 25, 2008. The date and time slots will be allotted by the Society on a first-cum-first-served basis.
The applications will be scrutinized daily and successful candidates informed sufficiently in advance. The Society has set up collection centres for receiving applications in Mylapore and R A Puram . The entry fee is Rs. 1,000 per group. For further details, Ghatam Suresh can be contacted at 9445306089. Aspiring participants can also contact 9444 208033 for further details.
Qualifications for contestants
Aspiring musicians can register by sending in a CD (compact disc) containing his/her profile and two songs and the registration fee. He or she has to be adequately trained under a guru to do stage performance and must be within the age group mentioned aforesaid. Stage experience is optional and not a must. A bona fide recommendation from his/her guru will alone be accepted.
Kutcheri content
Participating musicians should render a full-fledged balanced concert. It should contain a varnam, at least a couple kritis of the Trinities and a Tamil composition. They should provide at least four minutes for tani avarthanam.
According to the organizers, slots for concerts will be offered after listening to the CDs sent in by the participants. The live performances will be judged by a panel of eminent musicians. There will also be an audience poll to assist in the selection of winners. The top six teams will get an opportunity to perform in the upcoming Marghazi Music Festival of the ISLA.
Certificates of merit
The organizers have also decided to give certificates signed by all the musicians involved in the conduct of the programme to the winning participants, vouching the quality of their music. "We will also send an official letter of appreciation, recommending the winners to all the leading music sabhas in and outside the city of Chennai,'' Mr. Suresh says.
Top three among the six winners will be given cash prize of Rs.3,000, Rs.2,000 and Rs. 1,000, respectively. The organizers have also decided to honour the `Vocalist of the Concerts', `Instrumentalist of the Concerts' and `Percussionist of the Concerts', much the same way `Batsman of the Series', `Bowler of the Series' and `Fielder of the Series' are picked at the end of a cricket series.
About International Society For Laya Awareness
Established in 1996, the principal objective of the Society is to teach classical/devotional music and percussion instruments to talented children. Also, the Society believes in giving growth-oriented talks and discussions to bring out creativity, competitive spirit and hard work in the children. It also conducts social commitment classes to inculcate compassion and contentment. The Society conducts devotional music and tala vadya ensembles for the underprivileged and deprived people. Besides conducting competition for children, it organizes music concerts and lecture-cum-demonstrations of stalwarts.
Following the huge success of the 20:20 cricket formula of IPL, the International Society For Laya Awareness (ISLA), a Chennai-based organization engaged in teaching Carnatic / classsical / devotional / instrumental music to children, has come out with 40:40 programme of its own to discover and highlight musical talent.
In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Society has decided to organize 40 concerts of 40-minute duration each for three days from August 15 to August 17 at Ragasudha Hall in Mylapore. This three-day Carnatic music contest will provide musicians of all sorts in the age group of 15-35 a platform to showcase their wares in Carnatic music. Based on the competitors' performance, the organizers have decided to pick six winning teams for cash awards. The organizers are keen to ensure that 40:40 event does not turn into a non-serious exercise. The organizers have, in fact, decided to offer the six winning teams an opportunity to perform in the December Music Festival in Chennai under the auspices of the International Society For Laya Awareness.
Inviting applications from musicians in the age group of 15-35, Ghatam Suresh, founder of the Society, wants them to ``Contest with your kutcheri to conquer the Carnatic charisma.'' The Society is also negotiating for sponsored TV coverage for wider publicity to the contestants. The last date for accepting applications is July 25, 2008. The date and time slots will be allotted by the Society on a first-cum-first-served basis.
The applications will be scrutinized daily and successful candidates informed sufficiently in advance. The Society has set up collection centres for receiving applications in Mylapore and R A Puram . The entry fee is Rs. 1,000 per group. For further details, Ghatam Suresh can be contacted at 9445306089. Aspiring participants can also contact 9444 208033 for further details.
Qualifications for contestants
Aspiring musicians can register by sending in a CD (compact disc) containing his/her profile and two songs and the registration fee. He or she has to be adequately trained under a guru to do stage performance and must be within the age group mentioned aforesaid. Stage experience is optional and not a must. A bona fide recommendation from his/her guru will alone be accepted.
Kutcheri content
Participating musicians should render a full-fledged balanced concert. It should contain a varnam, at least a couple kritis of the Trinities and a Tamil composition. They should provide at least four minutes for tani avarthanam.
According to the organizers, slots for concerts will be offered after listening to the CDs sent in by the participants. The live performances will be judged by a panel of eminent musicians. There will also be an audience poll to assist in the selection of winners. The top six teams will get an opportunity to perform in the upcoming Marghazi Music Festival of the ISLA.
Certificates of merit
The organizers have also decided to give certificates signed by all the musicians involved in the conduct of the programme to the winning participants, vouching the quality of their music. "We will also send an official letter of appreciation, recommending the winners to all the leading music sabhas in and outside the city of Chennai,'' Mr. Suresh says.
Top three among the six winners will be given cash prize of Rs.3,000, Rs.2,000 and Rs. 1,000, respectively. The organizers have also decided to honour the `Vocalist of the Concerts', `Instrumentalist of the Concerts' and `Percussionist of the Concerts', much the same way `Batsman of the Series', `Bowler of the Series' and `Fielder of the Series' are picked at the end of a cricket series.
About International Society For Laya Awareness
Established in 1996, the principal objective of the Society is to teach classical/devotional music and percussion instruments to talented children. Also, the Society believes in giving growth-oriented talks and discussions to bring out creativity, competitive spirit and hard work in the children. It also conducts social commitment classes to inculcate compassion and contentment. The Society conducts devotional music and tala vadya ensembles for the underprivileged and deprived people. Besides conducting competition for children, it organizes music concerts and lecture-cum-demonstrations of stalwarts.
