THE MUSIC ACADEMY, MADRAS
83rd Annual Conference and Concerts – Tuesday, 15th December 2009
Welcome address by Shri N.Murali, President

Shri Viswanathan Anand, Vidvan Valayapatti Shri AR. Subramaniam other awardees of this year, Sangita Kalanidhis, Vidvans and Vidushis, members of The Music Academy, distinguished invitees, ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of The Music Academy, I have immense pleasure in extending a very warm welcome to everyone of you to this Inaugural function of the 83rd Annual Conference and Concerts.

I extend a very special welcome to our Chief Guest, Shri Viswanathan Anand, World Chess Champion. This year the Academy breaks new ground on quite a few counts. This is the first time ever in the annals of its 80 year old history that a sportsperson is inaugurating our annual festival. Shri Viswanathan Anand is also the youngest person in the last seventy years to inaugurate our annual event even after turning forty just a couple of days ago.

It is most fitting that one of the most admired sporting icons of the country is inaugurating it. ‘Vishy’ Anand is a prodigy who has fully lived up to his talent and promise in achieving consistent and biggest successes for India in individual sport.

The genius of Anand has left the connoisseurs around the world awe struck and simultaneously his amazing achievements have set off a chess revolution in our country. He has been the one big inspiration for young talent to take up this extremely challenging game in our country with four junior Grandmasters, apart from 12 other GMs already emerging. After becoming India’s first Grandmaster at the age of eighteen Shri Viswanathan Anand has mastered the time-tested Soviet system of training. His accomplishments have been truly magnificent and some of the major highlights are: World Junior Champion in 1987, became India’s first grandmaster in 1987, world champion in 2000, 2007 and 2008, only player in the 122 year history of World Championship to win in three different formats – knockout, tournament and match. Only the fourth player – after Gary Kasparov (Russia), Vladimir Kramnik (Russia) and Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria) to cross the international rating of 2800; Remained in the top three ranked players in the world for over 10 years from 1997 to September 2008. Continues to be in the world’s top 10 list since July 1991; Chosen for the prestigious Chess Oscar for 1997, 1998, 2003, 2004 and 2007. First recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award (1991-92), Recipient of the Padma Vibhushan (2007), Padma Bhushan (2000) and Padma Shri (1987).

The crowning glory came in October 2008 when he scripted a new chapter in the 122-year history of the World Chess title contests by beating Russian challenger Vladimir Kramnik with a round to spare and thus becoming the first player from outside the erstwhile Soviet Union region – after the legendary Bobby Fischer in 1972 – to wear the champion’s crown with a victory in the match-play format.

This sporting hero is not resting on his laurels. He is learning new skills and doing things that he has not done or tried for a long time. One of the reasons for his unparalleled consistency is the enjoyment he derives from playing the game and his childlike enthusiasm for the game. This genial sporting giant is the epitome of poise, dignity and humility and a true role model.

The significance of this chess maestro inaugurating the 83rd Conference and Concerts also lies in the similarity between chess and music in some respects. Both appear to be physically passive as far as the performance goes. But there is a great deal of dynamism and activity of the mind happening. The pre-requisites for both are sound knowledge with an intellectual dimension and the application of that stored knowledge, and a lot of preparation and planning. Both involve creative ideas and also on the spot creativity and quick reflexes to come back on course when needed. To an extent, whatever the preparation and strategy, a great performer on the stage or a champion player on the chess board is guided by intuition or ‘an immediate insight’. The Grandmaster title in chess can be likened to our Sangita Kalanidhi Award.

Music finds a special place among Viswanathan Anand’s interests. We are indeed grateful to him for spontaneously and graciously agreeing to inaugurate our annual event in the midst of his busy preparations for an extremely important World Championship match against Bulgarian Veselin Topalov in April 2010.

The Margazhi music festival is a special part of Chennai’s cultural landscape and has over the last eight decades grown into one of the largest such festivals in the world. The Music Academy can take credit for pioneering this festival, which has gone from strength to strength, with an ever increasing number of participating organizations, undiluted by the sheer explosion in numbers. The beauty of it all is that it has managed to retain the purity, the core classical values and exllence of our great tradition of music.

This year’s festival is in many ways a continuation of last year’s highly successful one and also comes against the backdrop of a challenging economic environment whose worst impact seems to have been left behind. Happily this year’s festival also coincides with some clear signs of an economic recovery and might well be the harbinger of cheer in these difficult times.

The festival’s increasing success over the recent years has been largely due to the tremendous support and co-operation of our members and rasikas and above all the artistes and the unflinching and sustained support of our sponsors and advertisers. The active involvement and exemplary team work shown by our colleagues on the Executive Committee needs to be specially highlighted. So many committed and selfless volunteers along with a handful of our own dedicated staff make the season what it is. This year we will all strive even harder to make this another memorable season.

As members have seen and experienced, the ongoing and phased infrastructure upgradation and modernization programme during the last four years has created vastly enhanced facilities and ambience resulting in a heightened and more enjoyable listening experience and comfort. All this has been possible through the large-hearted and spontaneous generosity of the wonderful donors who thought it worthwhile to support this pre-eminent institution of which the whole cultural and arts community can be justly proud. We have earlier acknowledged every single donor for enabling an undertaking of this nature.

Significant improvements to infrastructure have continued since last year’s annual conference and concerts as well.

Functionally, a new 320 KVA Generator has been installed to ensure that we are self- reliant in power that is so essential in an environment of power shortages and cuts.

To make the Academy’s external environment more beautiful with some greenery, saplings have been planted along the compound wall through the help and initiative of the forest department. Landscaping and horticulture have also been taken up to lend natural beauty and colour to the campus.

A major, comprehensive project for greatly transforming and contemporarizing the decades-old stage with appurtenances and its lighting arrangements has just been completed. The stage now has in-built lighting and other facilities for a variety of programmes. This major project involving different agencies has been completed in record time under the expert guidance and supervision of our fine architect Mr. P.T.Krishnan. Mr. Krishnan has brought to bear his tremendous commitment, expertise and interest in restoring and upgrading heritage buildings, to our on-going modernization works as a measure of his labour of love and passion.

A modernization work of this scale has been possible in good measure through the generous sponsorship of the Kalpathi family whom we had earlier acknowledged.

A modern, and nice looking canopy made of tensile membrane has been installed in the cafeteria for the benefit of members and rasikas.

The outpouring of goodwill and spontaneous generosity towards this great institution continues undiminished. Just a few days ago we have received a handsome donation from Smt. Mallika Srinivasan towards our on-going infrastructural upgradation and modernization programme. Smt. Mallika Srinivasan has also generously come forward to sponsor “The Indira Sivasailam Endowment Concert” by an outstanding musician annually during Navarathri starting from next year. This will be a fitting tribute to the memory of her mother, Smt. Indira Sivasailam, who was an ardent carnatic music rasika and a big patron and supporter of The Music Academy over the years. The musician rendering the concert will also be honoured with the “Indira Sivasailam Endowment medal”.

The last couple of years has also seen a resurgence of academic activities at the Academy. We have just republished the three volume “Raga Lakshna”, authored by the reputed musicologist and musician, Shri S.R.Janakiraman. This re-edited third edition of the book was released on November 13, 2009. Simultaneously, the quality of the content of the prestigious Journal of the Academy is being enhanced with the help of the Editorial Board under the editor Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao.

A high quality book profusely enriched with photographs and very well-written and beautifully designed and printed, on the glorious history of the Academy has just been brought out. The authors of the book “Four Score and More – the History of The Music Academy Madras” are the well-known music historian and writer, Shri V.Sriram and Dr. Malathi Rangaswami, one of our Secretaries. They have worked hard to bring out a kaleidoscopic account of the glorious history of the Academy with the help of official documentation and other archival material and also making the institution come alive through stories and anecdotes. This collector’s volume was released by Dr. C.Rangarajan, Chairman, Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council at a special function on December 11, 2009. Sangita Kalanidhis Shri R.K.Srikantan and Smt. R.Vedavalli received the first copies. It is available to members at a special price of Rs.1200/- and to all others at a concessional price of Rs.1800/- during the season. Following the function, a special GNB Centenary Concert was rendered by his eminent disciple Vidvan Trichur Shri V.Ramachandran.

“Four Score and More” commemorates eighty years of one of India’s foremost cultural institutions. As the Music Academy marches ahead, in its quest to meet the expectations of future generations, this will prove an invaluable account of the saga of sacrifices and all that went into its making, its eventful journey and its present pre-eminence.

A high quality book of this kind richly illustrated by photographs taken from various sources is not possible to bring out without sponsorship support which has come in good measure from Shri R.Srinivasan, one of our Vice Presidents whom we gratefully acknowledge.

During the season, The Music Academy confers special honours on outstanding individuals who have contributed immensely to the preservation and enrichment of the fine tradition of classical fine arts. This year the Academy is proud to have chosen for its prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi title a tavil vidvan for the first time ever in its eight decade long history. Tavil maestro Valayapatti Shri AR. Subramaniam wil preside over the conference and receive the title of Sangita Kalanidhi at the Sadas on January 1, 2010.

This also represents another peak for percussion itself as this is the first time the Academy is recognising with its highest honour a percussion instrument other than the mridangam. The Academy has thus come a very long way from its stance during its early years that upa-pakkavadyams were not necessary for a concert and were in fact allowed in a concert only after 1947.

Most deservedly the highest recognition for the first time by the Academy for upa-pakkavadyam goes to tavil maestro Valayapatti Shri AR. Subramaniam. His name has become synonymous with the instrument itself.

Valayapatti, as he is fondly referred to in the field of music began his music training on nagaswaram under guidance of his father nagaswaram Vidvan Shri PL. Arumugam at the age of nine. His training on the tavil began subsequently with his elder brother Valayapatti Palanivel and Mannargudi Rajagopala Pillai, a disciple of Needamangalam Meenakshisundaram Pillai. He gave his debut performance on the tavil at the age of twelve at a nagaswaram concert held at the Mannargudi Sri Vidya Rajagopalaswami temple. In a career spanning over 60 years, he has accompanied numerous top-ranking nagaswaram artistes.

Valayapatti has pioneered tavil accompaniment for violin, vocal and Bharatanatyam performances. He has participated in percussion ensembles and has the honour of being the first tavil artiste to record a solo performance for a recording company. He has also organized tavil ensembles, on occasions with 100-200 instruments performing simultaneously. He organizes a music and dance festival every year under the banner of Valayapatti Nadalaya Trust.

He is the recipient of several titles, awards and accolades. His mastery over tavil has come in for high praise from such stalwarts as Sri Palghat Mani Iyer, Sri Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Smt. M.S.Subbulakshmi, Smt. MLV, Dr. M.Balamuralikrishna and Smt. Balasaraswathi. Shri Semmangudi even described him as “Nandhi Incarnate”.

In recognition of his pioneering efforts and his service to carnatic music and in particular to the enrichment of tala and laya, The Music Academy Madras takes special pride and pleasure in the choice of Vidvan Valayapatti Shri AR.Subramaniam for its highest award.

Commencing from the year 2005, THE HINDU instituted an annual award of Rs.1 lakh in the memory of the legendary Shrimathi M.S.Subbulakshmi to be given to the Sangita Kalanidhi elect at the inaugural function. Shri Viswanathan Anand will be giving away the “Sangita Kalanidhi M.S.Subbulakshmi Award” to Vidvan Valayapatti Shri AR.Subramaniam later today.

The Sangita Kala Acharya Award goes to Veena Vidvan Trivandrum Shri R.Venkataraman and to Bharata Natyam Guru Smt. N.S.Jayalakshmi. Both have contributed tremendously to their respective disciplines.

The two recipients of the TTK Memorial award are the exponent of the percussive art of Konnakkol, Vidvan Trichy Shri R.Thayumanavan and violinist Vidvan Shri Akella Mallikarjuna Sharma. Their meritorious contribution to carnatic music is being recognized by The Music Academy.

 

The Musicologist Award which was introduced last year would go to Shri B.M.Sundaram, the eminent musicologist and scholar.

These five awardees will also get “The T.T.Vasu Memorial Award” which is a siginificant cash award instituted by the family of late Shri T.T.Vasu two years ago.

As in the recent years we are presenting in this year’s programme over 80 performances featuring stalwarts as well as young and promising artistes who are all set to give their best at the Academy’s hallowed, and just renovated stage.

An earnest attempt has been made by the Convenor of the Experts’ Advisory Committee, Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao with the help of the eminent members of that committee to bring back the flavour, depth, variety and high standards of the morning conference sessions of our vintage years. This year’s programme builds on the success of last year’s widely appreciated sessions and promises to be even more interesting. A heartening feature deserving a special mention is the inclusion of younger, top performing musicians into this academic mainstream.

Shri P.Chidambaram, Honourable Union Home Minister has kindly consented to preside over the Sadas on January 1, 2010 and confer the awards.

The fourth edition of our highly successful Dance Festival is being held between January 3 and January 9, 2010.

The birth centenary of two stalwarts of the past who have enriched our glorious tradition of classical fine arts is being observed in the current year. Sangita Kalanidhi Shri G.N.Balasubramaniam or GNB as he was universally known, was a giant among musicians and also a composer. We salute his unforgettable contribution and support to The Music Academy throughout his brilliant career. We also salute the contribution of Sangita Kalanidhi Shri Embar Vijayaraghavachariar, a doyen among Harikatha exponents who too was a long standing supporter of the Academy. This year the world of music lost a very great carnatic vocalist-Sangita Kalanidhi Smt. D.K.Pattammal whose long association and support to The Music Academy is a matter of pride for all of us. Sangita Kalanidhi laureate of 2007, mridangam maestro Sri Palghat Raghu also left us earlier this year and we honour his memory.

On behalf of our entire team, I wish you all a very enjoyable and soulful music season and a dance festival and a happy and much brighter New Year.

Thank you.