But in 2007, exactly 80 years after its formation was first proposed at the Congress session in Madras, the Academy not only survives but thrives, dominating the city’s cultural life like no other establishment. Despite every complaint, artistes still vie for its stage, and it is the first venue of choice for any event that aspires to even a semblance of importance. It has dug its roots firmly into Chennai’s imagination; this past January, an audio-visual lecture on the history of the Academy drew a bigger crowd than some concerts in the bygone Music Season. It is an Institution, and the capital letter cannot be written boldly enough.
Samath writes about the Music Academy in Chennai. [First published in Outlook Traveler]
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