Hindustani music festivals usually feature more than one group of artists in a single session, thus providing variety in the programming sc...
Hindustani music festivals usually feature more than one group of artists in a single session, thus providing variety in the programming schedule with the aim of appealing to a wider audience. Typically, vocalists and instrumentalists pursuing different styles are featured in the same session to add diversity. However, featuring a larger number of artists in a single session restricts the duration of the performance for each group. As a result, an ensemble will be given between 60 to 90 minutes to fine tune their instruments, launch into the performance and bring it to a timely conclusion.
The larger the number of groups, the greater the pressure to finish each performance in the scheduled duration. An overzealous performer choosing to play like there’s no tomorrow could prove troublesome for the musicians who follow.
But apart from the practical issue of trying to see that everyone gets their due in terms of time for performance, performers also need to be mindful of the raags that have been presented by those who have performed before them in the same session. Ideally, raags are not to be repeated. Further, musicians are expected to adhere to the Hindustani convention of singing raags pertaining to the prescribed time or...
