Creating a path of success with a vision

Interviewed by Charith Perera

Montage interviews Lakshman Joseph de Saram, the Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Colombo, celebrating its 5th anniversary this year.

Question: It has been five years since the orchestra of the fledgling Chamber Music Society of Colombo made its debut at Temple Trees, where do you see the Society now?

Answer: Five years is not a long time, but we have successfully managed to meet and mostly exceed our internally set benchmarks, both artistically and fiscally.

Q: How would you qualify the artistic and fiscal success of the Society?

A:Well, simplistically, if you listen to the recordings of our concerts six years back and compare them to the ones we made some months ago, it is clearly obvious that the ensemble now sounds better, it is more cohesive, more precise, more responsive.

Financially, we have a growing permanent endowment fund audited by Ernst & Young and headed by the Society’s honorary Chairman, the prominent philanthropist Mohan Tissanayagam. And from this year, our annual operating budget is generously taken care of by our Premier sponsor. Further more, our individual concerts have very little problems attracting sponsorship from high-end organizations because our end-product is what it is, the classical repertoire served with the expected elegance. No gimmicks.

Q: When you say ‘no gimmicks’, what do you mean by that?

A: Classical music does not require too much marketing or hype, in very much the same way diamonds don’t require too much convincing of its value, it is assumed that the people interested in that form of music, classical music, chamber music, understand the intrinsic value. We have found that you actually run the risk of alienating your core audience for this kind of music if you try hard to sell it. So, when I say the CMSC is not gimmicky, what I mean is that we try to stay true to the rules of the game. You can call it respect too. Respect for the composers we interpret and respect for the audience we perform to.

Q: There is a popular trend in Colombo these days of productions offering gift packs to ticket holders at concerts, is this a trend you think the CMSC will follow?

A:No.

Q: Why not?

Lakshman Joseph de Saram

A: Fortunately, that sort of generosity has still not found its way to the formal classical concert. I think it’s mostly seen at the semi-classical pop type show, where they might even throw in a barbecue if you are lucky. I’m not knocking it, I live for that sort of thing, but it could be construed as somewhat tacky if we were to do it.

Q: Your answer could be interpreted as slightly patronising, what makes the CMSC giving gift packs at a concert tacky, and others not?

A: No condescension meant, perhaps I should have not used the word tacky, inappropriate would be better. It would be inappropriate for the CMSC to hand out gift bags of soap or whatever they put in there, to our typical audience members. And it’s not just limited to us, any classical music production worth its salt won’t do it. As I said before, these are some of the rules of the game. No change necessary.

Q: What would you attribute as the primary source for the Society’s artistic rise over the last five years?

A: There are many attributes, but mostly, it has been our focus, our mission and vision. The singular need to self check and improve. These initial years have been where we have constantly tweaked ‘our’ sound, so to speak. It’s a never ending process.

Also, we collectively help the Chamber Music Society aspire to be bigger than us, the individuals involved in running it.

Although I may have founded it, and drive it with a specific vision in mind, I can’t think of anything more satisfying than to bring the CMSC up to a point where I become totally dispensable. That would be a very healthy position to be in. Also, a huge attribute to the Society’s strength are its musicians, naturally.

Q: Does the Chamber Society have a democratic system in place where the musicians can take turns in conducting or directing the orchestra for instance?

A: I’m not sure what systems you refer to, but we take our cues from simple orchestral norms that are accepted globally, where among other things, you will not normally find random musicians of the orchestra volunteering to conduct or direct.

In the same way you will not find employees of a listed company taking turns in being CEO.

It’s hard to be taken seriously if things like that happen under your watch, but that’s only if you care. This has nothing to do with being democratic or otherwise, common sense is more like it. Plus the professional musicians of the Society will not tolerate it. It’s too confusing.

Q: You seem to be dismissive against having musicians taking turns in directing, other than the internationally accepted norms you mention.What specific musical reason do you have for denying musicians of the orchestra the opportunity to direct?

A: Once more, these are not reasonings I came about in a moment of enlightenment, I am only applying systems and common sense, these have proven track records internationally that govern professional orchestras. More specifically, in a professionally run orchestra, all musicians are specialists, you don’t enjoy the versatility that amateur groups have. The same applies to the conductor or artistic director position, it does not help the organization to have a never ending merry-go-round system of heads.

Every five years, yes, that’s a very real possibility.

What I think is bringing about this confusion about democracy in the orchestra, is we are mixing the two rather glaring differences between amateur and pro, if the original mandate of the CMSC was amateur inspired, where we essentially get together to make music for the fun of it, then it does not matter if I am a amateur tambourine player one day and a harpsichordist the next, we are ethically not responsible for what the concert is going to sound like to a paying audience, we do it because we love it, and you are invited to the party, but please don’t hold us accountable for any surprises, anything goes, it works beautifully for everyone.

But that’s not how the CMSC was incorporated, we are playing the long-game, and the basic framework towards a full-fledged professional orchestra was laid out at the on-set, and we would like to keep close to that as much as possible.

Q: What is the typical Chamber Music Society rehearsal like? Are the rehearsal techniques different between the classical groups in Sri Lanka?

A: I don’t know if there are differences per se, but usually, if it’s a classical program being rehearsed by an orchestra, the basics are similar.

Our rehearsals, when we don’t employ a full fledged conductor, are more inclusive, much more attentive and collaborative, and for that to work, the musicians need to like each other, firstly, and be musically on the same page, ideally. We are lucky to have those traits working for us.

Q: Programming a concert, how important is that?

A: Hugely important. Your classical concert program is the equivalent of a menu of a fine dining restaurant. Thought and practicality have to go into the planning, plenty of variables to deal with.

This is all before you even get to the interpretive potion of it. It’s all pretty hit or miss, truly.

Q: What rules do you employ when programming a typical CMSC concert?

A: Firstly, and quite boringly, I am practical. I look at the personnel we have and plan accordingly, if the CMSC had 104 players, I doubt we would be playing mid-period Haydn. It’s that simple.

It’s all about acoustic ratios, using the right number for the music and the space it will be performed in. After I short-list some appropriate repertoire, I consult the principal players on possible combinations, and then we have an exploratory rehearsal with the rest of the players and decide if it’s a go. It’s a simple process.

Q: What if certain players would like to perform pieces you have not chosen, does the CMSC allow room for discussion on the programming level?

A: Interesting question, and at the risk of sounding absolutist, the answer in no.

We do not have a stage in the concert programming process where such requests can be made, it could change, but as we speak, programing decisions and made by the artistic director and the soloists involved.

Of course, there is plenty of informal discussion on appropriate repertoire amongst us, and many of those ideas are incorporated in the final lists.

But what is important to note, the programmatic decisions are made solely based on how best the CMSC will sound in a live concert setting, full stop.

Not because of some selfish need to play the music we like. If that were the case, it would be Bruckner, Sibelius and Shostakovich mainly.

Q: The frequency of CMSC concerts are limited, why is that?

A: There are several reasons, mostly, we feel that three concerts spread over the year featuring the main orchestra with soloist and conductor is sufficient for Colombo’s tier-one classical music population at this point.

More concerts, and you could run the risk of thinning anticipation, and anticipation is a potent ingredient in enhancing your concert experience. You don’t want predictability creeping in.

We will obviously increase the frequency when more people show interest in attending, the good news is that the numbers are indeed rising. Also, there is scope for the smaller more intimate recital/concert, and we now perform six of those concerts at the Goethe-Institute over the year. So our season actually contains nine distinct programs, not counting the private soirées.

Q: The CMSC has many affiliations to prominent Embassies and cultural institutions, how important are these relationships to a cultural organisation?

A: Very important, especially working with institutions and Embassies that understand the time-tested value of supporting culture and all the nurturing aspects aligned with that. We are fortunate to have the support.

Q: It would seem that the CMSC does not have an obvious commercial angle to its sponsorship tie-ups, is there a reason behind this?

A: Not really, our sponsorship and funding approach is discreet, exclusive and un-aggressive. We are very lucky to have like-minded people and organisations believe in that as well.

Like I said before, the people who support us, take for instance our first public concert sponsored by a company, they did it because they primarily love art and culture and this country, not because they felt the need to use a classical concert to push their product on you. There is a time and place for everything. Mercifully, we don’t attract the mercenary in-your-face commercial attitudes.

Q: If you don’t mind us asking, based on the reputation of the CMSC being one of the more financially stable arts organisations in the country, even rivaling those supported by the Government, how is the CMSC funded?

A: I don’t know if we are the most financially stable anything, the question is best answered by Mohan Tissanayagam, or our Treasurer Rajeev Aloysius, but in a nutshell, we have an annual operating budget and a permanent endowment fund. This month, we are thrilled to be signing an all-important multi-year premier sponsorship/funding package with a company.

This very generous financial gesture will give the Chamber Music Society total financial independence by eliminating our annual operating budget, thus enabling us to concentrate on investing in and enhancing our end-product, taking it to the next level of professionalism.

This is a major milestone. Our permanent endowment is funded primarily through the significant contributions to the elite ‘Chairman’s Circle’ of the Society. We are grateful for the long term financial commitment shown to us by leading commercial establishments.

Q: Do you see the CMSC supporting other less fortunate arts organisation in the future?

A: We are still in the midst of solidifying our foundations, when we do eventually get to a point where our funds are rock solid, I can see the Society increase its outreach program significantly.

Q: What can we expect from the CMSC in the coming months?

A: Great music! All information can be found on our website, colombochambermusic.org and on Facebook.