Season Trends

By Shobha Sekhar

Contrary to the often-heard view that Carnatic music today lacks the depth or appeal associated with an earlier era, this year’s December Season offered several reasons for optimism. My annual yatra to Chennai began, as always, though a little later than usual, around the 20th of December. What I witnessed over the course of the music season — particularly among performers in the 25 to 40 age group — was both reassuring and heartening. Beyond individual performances, the Season reflected subtle yet significant changes in the artistic and audience profile of Carnatic music.

The age profile of both performers and listeners has noticeably come down. Many artists occupying prime slots at sabhas today are between 25 and 40 years of age. Even among accompanists on the violin, mridangam, and ghatam/khanjira/ morsing, one encountered several young and upcoming musicians.

Audience participation too reflected this shift. Concerts and lecture-demonstrations saw a strong presence of students, bringing down the average age of listeners by decades.

NRIs continue to attend the December Season in large numbers. At the same time, there is a growing trend of artists who have given up lucrative corporate careers abroad to pursue classical music full-time. Among the most promising violinists in this group is Vinjamuri Kamalakiran. Popular names such as Sandeep Narayan and Ramakrishnan Murthy are also part of this trajectory.

Ragam-tanam-pallavis (RTP) this year were notable for their complexity, both in tala structure and lyrical conception. Amrutha Venkatesh’s concert featured an RTP in Sucharitra set to a Sucharitra tala, comprising Guru + Chatusra jati chatusra laghu + laghu (with two vishrantis) + Guru + Anudhrutam, totalling 27 counts. Ranjani and Gayatri at the Narada Gana Sabha presented a thematic ‘Ranjani Mala’, weaving together Ranjani, Janaranjani, and Sumaneesaranjani.

The 250th birth anniversary of Muthuswami Dikshitar was marked across the Season. Many artists offered musical tributes. Sanjay Subrahmanyan presented a new composition, while T.M. Krishna dedicated his entire concert to the composer. Several RTPs too reflected aspects of Dikshitar’s legacy.

It was heartening to see earnest students being given opportunities on stage. Such initiatives deserve encouragement, as they allow young learners to listen to their ishta vidwans at close quarters and at affordable cost.

The visual landscape of the Season has also changed. The glitter of heavy Kanchipurams and diamonds was largely absent. Many women chose softer silks and linens, often with minimal zari — perhaps a reflection of rising gold and silver prices. Men, particularly among the NRI audience, tended towards a more casual look. A little more attention to concert attire would be welcome in keeping with the aesthetic of classical performance.

Canteens, as always, drew enthusiastic crowds. The menus were varied and inviting, with caterers such as Arusuvai, Mountbatten Mani, and Shastha among the favourites. Elaborate multi-course meals, served on gleaming plates and cutlery, were complemented by filter coffee in traditional brass tumblers and davara, restoring both flavour and the right temperature — chuda, chuda. The evergreen elai sapadu remained a crowd favourite.

Most concerts featured ghatam and khanjira, though the morsing was heard less frequently. One young percussionist mentioned that securing opportunities on the mridangam was becoming increasingly competitive, prompting him to take up the ghatam instead — despite the practical challenges of storing the instrument in a limited living space.

The acoustic quality at the Music Academy stood out for its clarity and balance. The introduction of e-tickets was another welcome and convenient development.

Among senior artists, Trichy Sankaran’s mridangam accompaniment for the Malladi Brothers elevated the concert to exceptional heights. The depth of nadam, the resonant gumukis, and the ever-changing contours of his korvais left a lasting impression.

The number of emerging performers entering the Carnatic field continues to grow steadily. Despite periodic concerns about the future, the season reaffirmed that the music is in capable hands. Carnatic music will continue to evolve, expand, and sustain the legacy entrusted to it.