Madras Music Academy

The Madras Music Academy is a premier cultural institution located on TTK Road in Royapettah, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Established in 1928, it is renowned as a leading centre for Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance. Its main auditorium hosts the annual December Music Season (Margazhi Festival), attracting leading artists and audiences. The complex includes concert halls, a library and archives, and promotes South Indian classical arts through concerts, conferences and awards.

Visitors can expect a formal concert complex with the large T.T. Krishnamachari Auditorium (main hall) and the smaller Kasturi Srinivasan Hall, both air-conditioned and acoustically designed. The setting is urban, on TTK Road near Royapettah and Alwarpet. During the concert season, visitors can attend Carnatic vocal and instrumental concerts, Bharatanatyam recitals, and lecture-demonstrations. Outside season, the venue hosts occasional concerts, conferences and cultural events. Facilities include a library, canteen during season, and exhibition areas.

Founded in 1928 following the All India Music Conference held in Madras in 1927, the Music Academy was inaugurated on 18 August 1928. It was established to promote and preserve Carnatic music and has since played a central role in institutionalizing the December Music Season, standardizing concert formats, and conferring the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi award.

The Academy is considered the foremost institution for Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam in South India. Its annual December Music Season (Margazhi Festival) is a major cultural event drawing leading musicians, dancers, scholars and audiences from India and abroad, and serves as a platform for preserving, teaching and innovating South Indian classical performing arts.