|
Madras Music Festival 2001 - 02
 "For lovers of classical music, winter is the best season of all in Chennai (previously known as Madras), as the metro city of the South becomes a temporary but blissful way of life." The Winter Festival is three weeks of daily musical events including masterclasses, festival concerts, music concerts, and more-all open to the public.
The Madras (Chennai) Music & Dance Season celebrated during the latter half of December & early part of January is a cultural extravaganza that has no parallel anywhere in the world. The idea of starting an Academy exclusively for Music came during the Tamil month of Marghazi, 1927. And subsequently the Academy came into existence the next year i.e. 1928.
The history of the Music Academy goes back to mid Twenties. Several well wishers and lovers of music had felt that steps should be taken to stimulate interest in Karnatic Music in the south and to develop a musical culture along sound lines by establishing an Academy in Madras City. The idea took a definite shape when the All-India Music Conference held in Madras in 1927 passed a resolution recommending the organisation of a Music Academy in Madras for the purpose of fostering Indian Music and to encourage the study of the theory and practice of music. A meeting of the reception committee of the conference held on the 5th March, 1928 elected a provisional Executive committee to organise the Academy. In pursuance of that resolution, the Music Academy, Madras, was founded the same year.
In the last 74 years with the growth of the Madras Music Academy, the city has developed into an important centre for the fine art - especially dance and music - and it seems as if the whole year is but a period of gestation which bursts into fruitfulness during the annual festival in December. The music season has become an indispensable part of Madras, contributing to the character of the city and to its reputation as a citadel of culture. A remarkable fact is that this has been a spontaneous growth reflecting the people's need for the expression and the enjoyment of the arts - not artificially induced by any extraneous organisation, committeee or Government project.
For that reason it has also been a haphazard development. The centres range from Kottivakam to Ennore, it is perhaps time for some central organisation to bring more order, planning and co-ordination into the overall structure to avoid the predictability and uniformity that have crept into it.
A unique feature of this art festival is the fact that up & coming artistes also get a chance to exhibit their talents to this city of music & dance lovers at large along with the well established artistes. Art lovers from various parts of the world visit the city during this season.
The festival can become a major tourist attraction and help the young to explore aspects of their culture and traditon if controlled by a central body which controls the qualtiy of music, venues, artists etc.,
Related Link:
 |
- 
