 Shruti music channel
Shruti, the exclusive Carnatic Music channel on WorldSpace radio station, has planned several new programmes aimed at providing more varied fare for its listeners, says R Mahadevan, Programme Director of the two classical music channles, Shruti and Gandharv (Hindustani).
Two of the three new programmes are raga-based.
The first of them is titled 'Melakarta', where, as the name suggests, a Melkarta raga of classical music is picked up for special attention on every other Tuesday in the mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon. The nuances of the raga are taken up for discussion in each episode and the salient features of it are explained to the audience.
On the other Tuesdays, will be a featured 'Colours of a Raga' wherein listeners are provided insights on how various musicians have treated a raga over the years, points out Mahadevan. Also, why certain ragas are associated with some musicians and why they considered a particular raga as their
favourite.
The second new programme is Classic Recordings. This programme provides recorded Carnatic music pieces and albums that have become classics over the years with interesting commentaries explaining what made them classics. Definitive versions are provided which throw light on how certain compositions cannot be separated from the artistes. Like 'Akhilandeswari' by M S Subbulakshmi, Deva Deva (Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer). Some rare recordings by the legends of yesteryear will be made available. One can listen to vintage recordings of Alathur Brothers, for example, Mahadevan pointed out.
The third new programme planned is 'Face to Face' which would be a 2-hour exhaustive programme on an artiste, giving listeners a total view of the artiste, interspersed with a few audio clips. This is basically an interview with an eminent artiste or a musicologist detailing their music, genre and details interspersed with relevant music bits. This programme would be on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon.
Some of the other shows on Shruti include:
Suprabhatam
With Shruti, you can start the mornings with a compilation of nagaswaram and devotional music, followed by a running theme for the day, including those based on birthdays, anniversaries and festivals.
Swara Sandhya
This evening programme incorporates a Ragam Tanam Pallavi. This provides a two-hour concert of an artiste.
Shruti Sabha
A full-length, concert-style presentation of some of the best-available recordings of one artiste.
In the mornings, from 7 to 10 a.m. every day in Nadopasana, there would be a theme running right through.
There are also two devotional hours, at 6 in the mornings and evenings.
"The Shruti channel has been drawing greater response with every passing month. The feedback that we have is excellent, with listeners wanting more such innovative programmes," Mahadevan adds. "It is based on the feedback that we are introducing these new
programmes."
While the age profile of the listeners is 30-plus, "we would like to get the youth interested in our channel too - right from the age of six. It is in this context that we have decided to introduce LEC-DEMS as part of the effort to attract kids, in particular," said
Mahadevan.
"From the best of traditional music to the latest innovations in the Carnatic style, Shruti showcases them all through features as well as pure music. While it provides stimulating content for connoisseurs, the radio station also has programmes that cater to beginners and lay listeners. Shruti aims to draw new Carnatic music enthusiasts through educative lecture-demonstrations (lecdems), interviews and magazine-format shows to explain the basics and intricacies of Carnatic music and provide an insight into this genre of music and its evolution through the ages.
"Shruti also aspires to build a loyal community of Carnatic Music lovers by initiating continual interaction between artistes and audiences. In line with this, Shruti is involved in on-ground activities such as musical and community-based events, which complement its broadcast programmes. Special programmes and segments commemorating major events in Carnatic music, festivals, birthdays and milestones in the lives of composers, artistes and patrons are featured on this radio station."
In about six months' time, Shruti would also introduce a programme on film music and ragas, which would be extremely popular, Mahadevan said.
R Rangaraj
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