Virtual concerts: A rasika’s expectations

The past few months have seen a surfeit of virtual Carnatic concerts. Despite the initial fears and doubts in singing without being able to connect with the audience, such concerts have been gaining acceptance as both musicians and the rasikas have gradually begun to embrace the digital space. Having listened to many such concerts, one feels that the vocal artistes could do a little more value-addition and innovation to enhance the listening experience of rasikas. The virtual concert is a brand-new format to experience but it will never replace a live concert. The entry barriers have been breached, but can the crisis be converted into an opportunity by musicians who experiment in the way music is presented virtually?

Sharing info

As the curtain goes up, the vocalist begins with a varnam or a kriti. What if the artiste instead took a few minutes to share what’s in store and then introduce the accompanying artistes? Instead of singing one kriti after another, the vocalist could perhaps talk to the audience through the concert to keep them engaged. Real value is not only about the music, but also about the connection that artistes build with their rasikas.

How can the performing artiste give the rasikas a different listening experience by engaging with the audience while performing? By presenting the music in a storytelling mode that talks about the ragam and the emotion behind it, its nuances, the name of the composer, the deity the song addresses, the essence of the composition, the influence of the guru in their journey… there is so much to share.

The lyrics or the sahitya of a composition can sometimes make it a transcendental experience for the artiste. And for audiences as well. Tyagaraja wrote his songs in emotive Telugu and they reflect his state of mind, whether grief, yearning or joy. His vast repertoire has diverse lyrical content and context, and they range from simple songs to complex Pancharatna kritis. Not every listener understands Telugu. Can the essence of each song be shared with rasikas thereby making the listening process more enriching?

There are also many ways in which the shooting of a virtual concert can be enhanced. There are several engaging moments on stage, but in a live performance, only the front rows can catch it all. These moments become accessible to everyone in digital performances. Given the multiple camera angles and close-up possibilities, the hand and finger movements of accompanying artistes, the facial expressions, the body language, the exchange of a look or smile can be captured as the performers create magic on the virtual stage.

The concert format

Finally, how about organisers allowing those who register for a concert to ask a question? A little time could be devoted at the end of the concert by the artistes, both lead performer and accompanists, to answer these questions. Music enthusiasts have a lot of interest in knowing the finer details about a talam or the nuances of a rendition.

The format, for instance, could be a five-minute introduction, about 10 minutes devoted by the artiste to sharing details about the composition during the concert, the performance itself could be for 100 minutes, and responses to questions could take five minutes, thus making it a two-hour concert.

Just as emotive renditions bring lyrics to life in a manner that reinforces the magic of the composition, one believes that information and involvement can enhance the aural appeal of a performance. Can artistes take experiential involvement to the next level?

I am in no way suggesting that a concert should be done in a lecdem mode, but some amount of interaction can go a long way. Will the listeners enjoy it? I strongly think they will, given that all of them are not uniformly knowledgeable about the finer aspects of Carnatic music.

The pandemic will have a long-lasting impact on how music is produced and consumed. It could be the beginning of an exciting new era of interactivity. Is the digital space going to be a temporary affair or are we going to see a hybrid model emerge where both physical and digital can co-exist? Only time will tell, and we hope that artistes will give us interesting times ahead.

The writer retired as vice-president, CES, Tech Mahindra.