Ragas and symphonies: Indian maestro Ilaiyaraaja is still reshaping music 50 years on
Summary
Ilaiyaraaja, a music composer from Tamil Nadu, India, has created music for over 1,000 films in nine languages during his 50-year career. He is known for blending Indian classical music with Western symphony styles and has influenced Indian film music greatly.Key Facts
- Ilaiyaraaja has composed music for more than 1,000 films across nine Indian languages.
- He began his career in 1976 with the film Annakili, which changed Tamil film music.
- His music combines Indian folk, classical traditions, and Western symphonic elements.
- He has created over 8,000 songs and also composed film background scores.
- In 2023, he became the first Indian to perform a Western classical symphony with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London.
- Born in 1943 in Tamil Nadu, he was raised in a poor family and started learning music young.
- He moved to Chennai in 1968, studied Western music, and learned instruments like guitar and piano.
- Early in his career, he worked as an assistant to the composer GK Venkatesh before becoming a leading composer himself.
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