Future of music- Promise or compromise?

Music has been described as the food of life. Sabhas play a central role in feeding the rasikas with this fine art. They organize concerts, jugalbandhis, and fusion ensembles with the aim of giving quality music without compromising the dignity of the art. The comfortable ambience of the Sabhas provides an ideal environment for listening as well as performing.
In recent times the phenomenon of Event Managed programmes has set in. Though many of these provide excellent fare, the general trend seems to be far from welcome. The scene is generally as follows:



Music has been described as the food of life. Sabhas play a central role in feeding the rasikas with this fine art. They organize concerts, jugalbandhis, and fusion ensembles with the aim of giving quality music without compromising the dignity of the art. The comfortable ambience of the Sabhas provides an ideal environment for listening as well as performing.
In recent times the phenomenon of Event Managed programmes has set in. Though many of these provide excellent fare, the general trend seems to be far from welcome. The scene is generally as follows:

Social evenings are organized by event management companies in hotels and bungalows on city outskirts. Music programmes are arranged as part of the entertainment. The general aim of these get-togethers is to provide fun. Liquor is served freely. Cigarette smoke fills the air. Dancing and swimming go on in full swing to the accompaniment of the shrieks of happy children in the play area.
The musicians play on in this ambience. Such evenings are organized for executives and foreign delegates as a means of relaxation.
What an irony! On one hand Sabhas are striving hard to nurture music in all its grandeur, in a dignified atmosphere. On the other hand such event managed programmes take place in an atmosphere of vice giving a wrong impression to the executives and foreigner delegates for whom, caught up in their busy schedules, this may be the only exposure they have to our music.
Who is to blame for this state of affair? Is it the host of these parties? Or the event management companies who benefit hugely but throw bread crumbs at the eagerly accepting musicians? Or is it the musicians themselves who, unwilling to slog their way up the ladder prefer the easy path of money making by participating in such tamashas, and thus compromise their art?
Only two solutions to solve this problem.
One, let the concert take place in a clean ambience and the partying begin later.
Or better still, let the event management companies keep our music out of such affairs altogether. Like oil and water, vice and music do not mix. After all, pleasure has many varieties. Haven’t we all seen the joyful expression on the film villain enjoying the aftermath of his ‘deed’ as he sits surrounded by various ‘diversions’?