Any artiste travelling in the US on a concert tour is faced with the following typical questions:
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When did you reach the States?
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In which city did you perform last?
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Where are you performing next? (If the travel involves criss-crossing the country, then the question is accompanied by the statement, "It must be very difficult with all this travel!")
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How many concerts have you completed so far?
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How many concerts do you have left?
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When do you get back to India?
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Where do you live in India?
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Is music your profession? (If yes, then sometimes it is accompanied with, "Can you manage with music as your profession?")
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The mrudangam artiste has the following also to answer. Does the mrudangam not get damaged during travel?!
Of course, the final word in this is that these questions are asked by almost 75 per cent of the people that the artiste meets in the States. So, if one is on a typical 8-week tour with about 20 concerts, he would have to encounter these questions almost (20x10) 200 times during his tour. Now that could be more strenuous than the concerts or the travel.
This even prompted a suggestion that musicians prepare answers to these questions in advance and have copies ready with them for immediate disribution while encountering such questions!
Sangeetham.com periodically will compile such typical questions, so if people are willing to contribute to the question bank, they are most welcome!
Here are some samples:
Which place did you like so far?
What do you like about this country?
Is this your first trip?
(Exhibiting their own ignorance of the artistes) Whom did you learn from?
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