Attracting younger audiences to classical music concerts is a challenge, says A.R. Rahman

Oscar-winning euphony manager A.R. Rahman connected Monday (December 15, 2025) said 1 of the challenges contiguous was however to bring successful younger audiences to performance halls to bask classical music.

Mr. Rahman, who inaugurated the 99th yearly euphony league and concerts of the Music Academy successful Chennai, said helium had expected to spot galore young radical successful the audience, but recovered astir were of his ain property group.

“How bash we get them in? This has been my task for the past 10 years. I person been moving connected publication ideas, however to marque a movie, and each kinds of brainsick ideas I person not told anyone about,” said Mr. Rahman, who presented the M.S. Subbulakshmi Award and the currency prize instituted by The Hindu to violinist R.K. Shriramkumar, the Sangita Kalanidhi designate for 2025.

Mr. Rahman said euphony had to question astir the satellite and beryllium experienced successful a mode that enthralled and immersed audiences. “It is not conscionable the performer oregon the mastery of singing, but besides the hallway and the mode spaces are designed truthful that radical tin bask euphony successful a overmuch amended way,” helium said.

Pointing retired radical contiguous were perpetually “seduced by societal media”, artificial intelligence, and galore different unbelievable influences — some bully and atrocious — the euphony manager said each of this could hap connected a screen.

‘Human experience’

“But tin you sing with the tambura successful tune and clasp an assemblage for 3 hours? That is the question. At the aforesaid time, however tin we grow the experience? The quality acquisition is irreplaceable. Performing arts person a large relation to play and indispensable beryllium reinvented again and again to bring successful audiences, make an economy, and instil pridefulness successful our traditions,” helium said.

Mr. Rahman added that portion the instauration of euphony was 1 aspect, selling it successful a mode that allowed the satellite to bask it was arsenic important.

“My philharmonic acquisition is that I learnt from everyone. I bash not gully borders betwixt traditions. I admit and respect tradition. Everything comes from bhakti, from devotion — whether it is Sufi music, Carnatic music, Hindustani music, oregon gospel music. Everything comes from surrendering to tradition,” helium said.

Describing himself arsenic an “outlaw” arsenic a musician, Mr. Rahman said, “I learnt music, but moved distant from contented to rediscover it, truthful that I gained the state to innovate and collaborate, and the state not to consciousness blameworthy astir breaking rules. I person discovered much quality arsenic I turn older, and present we look a superior challenge.”

Mr. Shriramkumar recalled his archetypal performance astatine the Music Academy, for which helium had borrowed some his instrumentality and his attire. “From past on, my performances astatine the Academy person been an unbroken sequence,” helium said.

He noted Carnatic euphony arsenic a genre was characterised by its unsocial soundscape, gamaka structures, compositional masterpieces, and rhythmic intricacies. “It is of paramount value that this beauteous soundscape is ne'er sacrificed successful performance,” helium said.

‘Man of humility’

N. Murali, president of the Music Academy, said Mr. Rahman had incorporated aggregate classical elements from some the Carnatic and Hindustani streams.

Quoting Australian manager Baz Luhrmann — “the much of AR’s euphony I encountered, the much I was amazed astatine the sheer diverseness of styles, from swinging brass bands to triumphant anthems, from joyous popular to West End musical” — Mr. Murali said Mr. Rahman “remains a antheral of humility and an ambassador of our fantastic city”.

Mr. Murali added a new, world-class, top-of-the-line audio and acoustics strategy from the starring planetary marque L-Acoustics of France had been commissioned astatine the Academy successful June 2025.

Sangita Kalanidhis T.M. Krishna and Bombay Jayashree were present. R. Srinivasan, vice-president of the Academy, projected a ballot of thanks.