My twitter timeline was getting filled with 11/11 tweets and I could not resist adding the Carnatic music dimension to the whole thing. So I began with the following tweet
“If I had a concert today I would have sung an RTP in Kokilapriya – Melakarta no 11 :)” Immediately I got the following response from Ashok
“@krishashokAshok
@sanjaysub In a 11-beat tala with the pallavi having 11 syllables in its verse”
That got me going with this
“Ok getting creative now – A thematic concert on the 11th melakarta and its janyas featuring 11 songs with mrudangist playing the 11 nadai”
Then I started thinking generally about thematics and how with a bit of planning we could have had a one day festival on the 11/11 theme with the following thematic concerts/programs
9.00 – 10.00 am – “The musical significance of the number 11” A lecture demosntration
11 minute coffee break
11.11 – Group chanting for 11 seconds of the rhythmic syllable “th ka thi mi tha ka janu tha ki ta”
11.12 – 12 noon – The difference between the Tyagaraja & Dikshitar schools in the handling of the 11th Melakarta – A special talk
12 noon – 1.00 pm – RTP concert in Kokilapriya with a 11 akshara talam.
Lunch break – Special menu with 11 items
2.00 – 3.00 – A group rendition of the “Ekadasa Rudra kritis” of ES Sankaranarayana Iyer by a group of 11 singers
3.00 – 4.00 – A special tiruppugazh concert with focus on the 11 akshara chandam and its different possible divisions like 4+7, 5+6, 3+8 & 2+9
4.00 – 5.00 – Special tala vadya concert featuring a 11 akshara talam in a 11nadai with a special 11 akshara kuraippu featuring 11 different percussion instruments
5.00 – 6.00 – Honouring 11 great artistes with a cash award of Rs 1,11,111.11
6.00 – 7.00 – Release of the book “11 11th century personalities in Carnatic music” and audio visual presentaion
7.00 – 8.00 – 111 akshara talam – The modern reply to Simhanandanam – A special presentation
8.00 – 9.51 – 111 garland of ragas – A concert featuring 111 different ragas performed for 111 minutes
Admission – Rs 111/-
Venue – Any auditorium in Chennai – 11