INTERVIEW WITH T T VASU

Chennaibest.com gets an exclusive interview with T T Vasu, President of the Music Academy. He is on the Governing board of Kalakshetra. As Chairman he is actively involved with The Public Health Welfare Society & Trust. He is the Director of the TTK group (founded by his father T T Krishnamachari).

In my younger days, my father used to call all his friends for dinner, once a month, on a Sunday. Eminent musicians like Ariyakudi, Semmangudi, M.S.Subbulakshmi. After dinner, they used to give a recital. They used to sing for about three to four hours. My father, along with Mr. Kasturi Srinivasan of The Hindu, was responsible for buying the site for Music Academy. They had the formal foundation stone laid by Pandit Nehru in 1955. The Academy was ready in 1962. My father then went back to Delhi as Minister for Portfolio first and then as Finance Minister. He asked me to speak to some of his friends. That was my first contribution to the Academy. But neither my father nor I imagined that I would ultimately become President in 1983. Everbody felt that it was easy to build a building, but very difficult to maintain it.

Firstly, the land was available and then there is easy accessibility. In those days, Mylapore and Triplicane areas were supposed to be the central areas in the city. Anyway, the new flyover has eclipsed the Academy completely.

I took keen interest in the Academy, and since 1983, I am happy to say that with the help of my father's friends and well-wishers, we have made a lot of improvements in the Academy. Music Academy is the platform for all musicians to come up. We have gradually increased the remuneration, though we cannot compare it to the present day status of All India Radio or Doordarshan. But compared to other organisations, we pay them reasonably well.

We also took interest in supporting indigent musicians. We are supporting around 15 musicians. Improvements include airconditioners, seats, the mini-hall, amplifiers and recording instruments. About two years ago, I found that rasikas (listeners) in the balcony, found it difficult to climb the stairs. I provided a lift. After 38 years, I decided to do the false ceiling. We have been able to complete the work in six weeks. We have completed work on not only the wiring, but also the air-conditioning and now we are checking the acoustics.

The interesting thing is one Professor Natarajan, who at that time was in the National Physical Laboratories, gave a report to my Father on the acoustics...... is now helping us. Then we have the mini-hall with a capacity of 260 people. I started the Spirit of Youth Festival for both young musicians and dancers. The award is in the name of Ambujam Krishna, mother of Suresh Krishna. Somebody instituted an award for best danseuse. The next year is the 75th year of the Academy and I feel I have contributed enough. 18 years is a long time.

I am more inclined towards vocal music.

No. It started with my interest in devotional music and I started learning vocal music, just as a hobby. I learnt for about 10 years.

M.S. Subbulakshmi. We were very close to M.S and Sadasivam. They had a lot of affection for the family. It still continues. For whatever reason, she was always performing at the Music Academy free. In her early years, she had given a lot of performances in Coimbatore to collect money, through the good offices of my father. So after a break of ten years, in 1990, she gave a performance in Music Academy. Then we brought out a booklet about her history. I was in Delhi for two years, (you wouldn't believe it) as a Journalist with Indian Express, and a number of these musicians like Semmangudi, D K Pattamal and MS used to visit our house. MS used to come and stay with my father and I used to be the official chauffeur. The good relationship still continues.

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