The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Teachers' College of Music celebrates platinum jubilee

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 27, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Teachers' College of Music celebrates platinum jubilee

Staff Reporter

Veteran music teachers honoured

CHENNAI: In the past, studying Carnatic music in a Gurukulavasam helped students learn not just the art but also the heart of a true musician through the process of psychological study, musician B. Rajam Iyer, former principal, Teachers' College of Music, The Music Academy, Chennai, said on Friday.

At the inauguration of the platinum jubilee of the college, he said only a fourth of the knowledge gained comes from learning music by rote. The rest comes from listening to concerts, practising devotion to the guru, and through observation. "Hard work is the first and last word in music," he said. Chengalpattu Ranganathan, principal of the college, reiterated that no system of learning matched that of the Gurukulavasam. Malathi Rangaswami, correspondent, welcomed the gathering.

Music recital

The inauguration was followed by a music recital by the students and teachers of the college, and later by a question-and-answer session with T.M. Krishna.

Senior musicians and teachers of the college were honoured on Saturday.

N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu, who presented the mementos, traced the history of the institution,which was inaugurated on October 20, 1931. The patronage that fine arts received encouraged Madras University to include music in its curriculum, Mr. Murali said. With the setting up of a college the need for trained teachers became the focus. Those honoured were Rajam Iyer, who had served as principal for 16 years after serving in the Government College of Music, S.R. Janakiraman, Chengalpattu Ranganathan, Maithreyi Ramachandran, Malathi Rangaswamy, C. Vasanth Kumar and Nandini Ramani. Senior teachers currently serving and others who had since then retired were also honoured.

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