S Keshava Murthy, a music and art lover, renders a unique service to fellow connoisseurs – he compiles a list of cultural events in the city four to five days before they kick-off and sends it across to a mailing list, now consisting of over three-and-a-half thousand IDs.
A member of Bangalore Gayana Samaja, he took this initiative about six years ago. “I’ve always wanted to reach out to a lot of people, but sending out that many postcards is time-consuming. So when Internet usage became more widespread, I thought I could be opportunistic,” laughs the agricultural technocrat. He also initiated the setting up of the Gayana Samaja website (www.gayanasamaja.org), he tells City Express.
He has divided his list of music enthusiasts into six groups and keeps them informed about the goings-on in the cultural scene of Bangalore using two email IDs. “Bccs only take so many addresses, so if I cross the mailing limit for a day, I use an alternative ID,” he says, adding with a hint of pride that noted Bangalore scribes and critics across various publications are on his list. Most of the events he includes in his list are classical music ones, with theatre, dance and the other arts finding space as well.
As he depends largely on e-papers, newsletters and Facebook for event notifications, his chief complaint is that media outlets aren’t convenient sources of information in this area. “Since I run a business as well, it’s hard for me to verify everything on my list. So I often have artistes calling me, setting me right when there’s a mistake,” he adds.
Being a member of the city’s premiere music organisation doesn’t limit his list to Gayana Samaja events. “I am completely unbiased that way; I want to give people a choice, even if the events I include clash with Gayana Samaja ones” he adds.
Murthy also educates his subscribers about personalities in the field. “Recently, at Gayana Samaja, we had an event in memory of violinist R R Keshavamurthy. Around that time, a few articles about the musician appeared, talking of his greatness, giving details of his life and personality that is largely unknown. I forward such pieces as well,” he says.
A frequent visitor at cultural events, he’s often spotted with a diary in hand, asking interested people for their email addresses. The two hours he spends on this activity everyday, he says, make it worthwhile, simply because he receives positive feedback from people who sometimes even ask for their friends and relatives to be added to the list. Those who wish to avail his service can contact him on 94497-02418 or email him at murthy.gayanasamaj@gmail.com