The biggest Carnatic music festival in town and one of the oldest cultural festivals in India, Chennai Music Season or Madras Music Season dates back to 1927 when it was first created. If you are a fan of Carnatic music, this is the audio-visual treat you need to sign up for this December.
Starting on December 15, this festival will go on till January 1, 2023, in Chennai, where several professional and amateur Carnatic artists will come together to create the kind of symphony that one can only dream of. While earlier, for decades, the festival only hosted and showcased Carnatic music, it has now opened up to other forms of performing arts, like dance and dramas as well. Here’s all you need to know about the festival.
What you need to know about Chennai Music Season
Giving a platform to both Carnatic legends as well as amateurs, this music festival usually takes place from mid-November–January every year. But the Chennai Music Season has a rich history.
Formerly known as Madras Music Season, it was started in 1927 by a group of musicians, who later went on to establish the Madras Music Academy. Earlier, the concerts were held at different venues every year all across Chennai, before the Music Academy zeroed in on the T.T.K Road venue, where it is still held every year.
What started as a resolution at the All India Music Conference in 1927 has now grown to be one of the largest cultural events in the world. The Chennai Music Season takes place during the afternoon and at nighttime, featuring all kinds of Carnatic music compositions and improvisations.
In the 2004-05 edition, the festival hosted more than 1200 performances by about 600 artists. The performances here are hosted by different Carnatic sabhaas. A Carnatic sabhaa is a musical organisation that conducts Carnatic music festivals and bestows titles and awards to artists to recognise talent. Most of the big and prestigious Carnatic sabhaas own a hall or more, while the smaller ones rent out venues during the Carnatic season.
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