Margazhi Music and Dance Season, Chennai
மார்கழி இசை விழா
15 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027
கார்த்திகை 29 15 DecThe Music Academy and sabhas across Chennai
Chennai's December Season: hundreds of Carnatic music and classical dance performances at the Music Academy and sabhas across the city.
Music Academy 100th annual concerts and conference; other sabhas run from late November into January.
Every December and early January, around the Tamil month of Margazhi, Chennai hosts the December Season (also the Madras Music Season), one of the largest classical music festivals in the world. It grew from the annual conference of the Music Academy, founded in 1928, and today dozens of sabhas run their own festivals in Mylapore, Alwarpet, T. Nagar, Mambalam and nearby areas.
A day can start with lecture-demonstrations in the morning, move through free afternoon concerts by young musicians, and end with ticketed evening concerts by senior artists. The programme covers vocal and instrumental Carnatic music (veena, violin, flute, nadaswaram, mridangam), Bharatanatyam and other dance, as well as Harikatha and thematic presentations. The Music Academy's 2026–27 season is its 100th annual conference.
Sabha canteens, run by caterers who appear only for the season, are part of the experience, serving tiffin and filter coffee between concerts. In the early mornings of Margazhi, neighbourhoods also wake to large kolams on the streets and temple recitals of the Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai.
Good to know
- Morning and afternoon concerts at most sabhas are free; evening concerts by well-known artists are ticketed and sell out, so book online when the schedule is released.
- Arrive early for free concerts; seats are first come, first served.
- Etiquette: keep phones silent, do not record, avoid talking during a piece and enter or leave between items.
- Sabhas are close together in Mylapore and Alwarpet; autos and cabs are easier than parking.
- Evenings are pleasant in December, but auditoriums are air-conditioned; carry a light shawl.
