|
THE MUSIC
ACADEMY
 Come
December and it is music season in the city. This period offers
a treat of concerts, conferences, competitions and workshops in
Carnatic Music. And the hub of all this activity was, and is, the
Madras Music Academy.
When the history of classical music is written, the activities
of the Music Academy, spanning over six decades, is bound to form
an important part of the annals. Taking a definite shape in 1927,
and inaugurated by Sir C.P.Ramaswami Aiyar in the autumn
of 1928, the Academy has since exerted a chastening influence on
public taste in music.
Before the present building at TTK Road was constructed, the annual
conferences, mid-year series and other programmes were held at different
places in the city. It was in 1955 that Jawaharlal Nehru,
the then Prime Minister, laid the foundation stone for the present
building. Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Bahadur, then Governor
of Madras, opened it on December 20, 1962.
The main auditorium, named after leading industrialist, statesman
and art connoisseur T.T.Krishnamachari, is now the most sought-after
platform for any artiste in the field of classical music and dance.
The Kasturi Srinivasan building constructed in 1982, houses
a small auditorium (for conferences and concerts), a library, a
committee room and recording and demonstration rooms. It was here
that Tiruvavaduthurai Rajaratnam Pillai's Compact Disc and
tapes have been produced.
 One
of the objects of the Academy is to confer suitable titles on distinguished
artistes who have attained high merit and experience in the field
of music and dance. In 1942, the Academy decided to confer the title
of Sangita Kalanidhi on artistes who presided over the music
conferences held under the auspices of the Academy every year. The
value of the title so conferred depends upon the status of the bestower
and the competence of the recipients.
Harikesanallur Muthia Bhagavatar was the first person on
whom the Academy conferred the Sangita Kalanidhi title in the year
1930. Some of the other musicians who have received the title are
T. S. Sabhesa Iyer, Umayalpuram Swaminatha Iyer, Maharajapuram
Viswanatha Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Rajamanickam
Pillai, M. S. Subbulakshmi, Alathur Srinivasa Iyer,
D. K. Pattammal and M. L. Vasanthakumari.
|
 |
| |
 |
|
