Mediating Tradition and Modernity in Chennai: Notes on Carnatic Classical Music in Contemporary India

South Indian classical music in contemporary Chennai presents an array of traditional and modern musical and social practices. To be sure, the act of maintaining tradition and exploring innovative ideas in music is not a new phenomenon, and is a long-standing creative process in the history of Carnatic music. That said, it is not an exaggeration to suggest that the relationship between tradition and modernization has been remarkably tenuous since the twentieth century in response to rapid changes in society. In this paper, I explore the dynamics between tradition and modernity in Carnatic vocal music from the perspectives of teaching, performance, and audience reception. I focus specifically on the notion of spirituality to examine the ways in which this deep-rooted aspect of Carnatic music is negotiated by teachers, performers, and audience in the contemporary context.