Classical musicians hopeful of concerts to be back on stage by year-end

The Covid-19 pandemic may have hushed all concert halls and theatres, with artistes live streaming performances on social media, but musicians are hopeful that the situation will change for better over the next few months, and winter soirees will be arranged much like every year, only this time in a restricted manner.

Exuding confidence that the pandemic won't come in the way of his gigs, percussionist Pt Tanmoy Bose said live programmes are being organised across the globe, just that audience, this time, have to abide by certain guidelines.

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"I have information that several musical concerts abroad, held annually without fail, have been scheduled for the later part of the year. I am planning to attend some of those... If concerts can take place elsewhere, why should we lag behind! Organisers may give ostentation a miss this time," he told PTI over phone.

Celebrated sarod player Tejendra Narayan Majumder, however, did not sound as optimistic as Bose, and said it was difficult to predict if arranging a concert or two, under the shadow of the pandemic, was a wise idea.

"I don't believe there is any possibility of organising a live concert before March-April 2021. Our Swar Samrat classical music concert, which takes place every December, will not be held in any auditorium this time. We are planning to hold it on an OTT platform, the best possible alternative," Majumder said.

From Dover Lane Music Conference to Behala Classical Festival, several top-notch concerts are organised in the city and elsewhere from November to January every year. Music aficionados from across the country look forward to attending live performances by pandits and maestros at these concerts.

Tabla virtuoso Pt Subhankar Banerjee said he was hopeful that at least some classical concerts, known to draw people in hundreds, will be held in the months of December and January, with strict adherence to safety protocols.

"It's been five months since the pandemic struck; things are gradually opening up with several restrictions in place. I am hopeful that in another three to four months, the situation will improve and a solution will be in sight for organising concerts with standard protocols in place.

"We could continue with online concerts for the time being. It wont be long before the sound of ragas and jugalbandi performances resonate in the concert halls again," Banerjee added.