Mysore T. Chowdiah

T. Chowdiah was born in 1895 to Agastya Gowda and Sundaramma. His early schooling was stopped so he could concentrate on music, and his mother imparted his first lessons. His uncle then took him to learn under the veteran musician Bidaram Krishnappa of Mysore.

In the second and third decades of the twentieth century, Chowdiah noticed that vocalists were lowering their adhara shruti. Since amplification was not yet common, the violin accompanist was at a disadvantage because the sound did not carry sufficiently to the audience.

With the help of a craftsman, Chowdiah fashioned a seven-stringed violin whose sound was agreeable and voluminous. Handling the instrument required skill, and he showed how it could be tailored to Carnatic music. His disciples and later violinists followed this path.

Chowdiah accompanied leading musicians including Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar, Ariyakudi Ramanuja Iyengar, the Alathur Brothers, G. N. Balasubramaniam, Musiri Subramania Iyer, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, and Madurai Mani Iyer.

He became Mysore Asthana Vidwan in 1939 and received honours including Sangita Ratna, the Presidential Award, Sangita Kalanidhi, Gana Kala Sindhu, and Sangita Ratnakara. He opened the Ayyanar College of Music in Mysore and Bangalore and trained several students.