Industrial Economist (IE): What is the impact of technology on the sabha culture?Ghatham Suresh (GS): Technology has created a certain homogeneity in musical renderings, as the reference points for musicians have become the same. Any new composition is just a few clicks away, making it easy for musicians to learn pieces quickly. However, many no longer take the effort to memorise or internalise what they learn.
Today’s listener often knows more about the artistes than about their music. In earlier decades, loyal audiences of long-established sabhas upheld a culture that influenced a musician’s choice of accompaniments and repertoire. Musicians cherished those interactions with pride. Social media, however, has diminished the listener’s sense of curiosity and exploration. Many sabhas have even let go of basic courtesy phone calls, letters, emails and most importantly, the traditional greetings offered upon a musician’s arrival and departure. Now, a few lines of text or simple forewords are considered enough to announce an entire month’s schedule. While live webcasts have been a blessing, allowing seniors and those unwell to enjoy music from home, they have also encouraged lethargy. As a result, many concerts today are performed before rows of empty chairs. On the positive side, technology has expanded awareness, brought visibility to new talent and enabled the archiving of virtually every piece of music regardless of its value.
IE: Is December season still a passport to perform at Cleveland?
GS: Personally, I have never had such ambitions over the past four decades. The Cleveland organisers were indeed pioneers in conducting the Thyagaraja Aradhana outside India. Musicians performed there as part of their months-long tours, and the ease of obtaining visas was a major attraction. When television channels partnered with the event, the festival gained significant hype in the early 2000s. Today, however, there is ample local talent in the United States, and only a few musicians from India continue to participate regularly more out of tradition than for prestige. Moreover, the Thyagaraja Aradhana is now celebrated annually from Australia to Alaska, ending Cleveland’s earlier monopoly.
IE: Is the December season missing the art in music and turning a bit of commerce?
GS: Yes, with just a few lakhs in hand, anyone today can organise a week-long festival. Artistes are plentiful, and even seasoned musicians are willing to perform anywhere for the sake of continued visibility. An influential musician-organiser can now run multiple music series simultaneously across five corners of Mylapore, supported by just a few volunteers to coordinate the performers at each venue.This surge in activity is not balanced. If popular young singers do not restrict their appearances or allow their voices adequate rest, they risk vocal strain in the later part of the season. At the same time, audiences become scattered. The attitude of “more the merrier or make the most of it” has taken root, leading to a situation where a deeply rooted and broadly based art form is increasingly becoming commercialised.
IE: Your views on the impact of technology on music dissemination and consumption.
GS: I teach online regularly and have a full-fledged curriculum developed called Ghatam-Kulam, which is independently guiding the learners with my supervision and review of their progress periodically. Through technology, the guru can be available to seekers from any part of the world. The ease and success are more if the teaching and learning happen in advanced studies.
