“There is nothing like listening to virgin voice: pure, clear voice not coloured by amplification,” said Ramani Ramakrishnan, acoustic designer of the recently inaugurated M.S. Subbulakshmi Auditorium at the Asian College of Journalism campus in Chennai.
A unique addition to the city’s concert venues, the auditorium has been designed to ensure that there is no echo and no delayed reflection of sound. “Everything happens within the first 80 milliseconds,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan, elaborating on the speed of sound travelling within the room.
342-seater venue
The 342-seater venue has ceiling reflectors and a bandshell that help performers listen to themselves, even as they push the sound to the back of the space. Concrete panels on the side and the back walls diffuse the sound in every direction.
“I have to give tremendous credit to Tara Murali and Kalpana Balaji, the architects of this room,” said Mr. Ramakrishnan. “All the crazy things I wanted done from the acoustics they were able to interpret, and make it work.”
He added that it would be a paradigm shift for the performers as well as the audience, observing that the musicians would have to learn to play according to new acoustical needs and the audience would have to adjust to this new way of performing in concerts.
The acoustic designer said that the auditorium creates a joint environment where everyone has to make an effort to listen to each other. “The artist, audience, technicians all have to collaborate and have respect for each other.”
The auditorium was brought alive at the inaugural weekend by Carnatic music performances by Aruna Sairam and vocalist Ramakrishnan Murthy. “Chennai needs this very much,” said Ms. Sairam. “Considering the rich amount of art forms that are prevalent here we need that much diversity in the venues. This is a significant landmark in that direction,” said the vocalist, who has performed without microphones abroad.
Ms. Sairam added that there had been no need for an electronic mediator between the performer and the audience, making it a much more intimate experience. “As the concert progressed it got more and more into the realms of where I could forget myself and perform,” she said.
“We musicians are so used to singing with a microphone and a feedback monitor in front of us that it has influenced the way we sing,” said Mr. Murthy. “This was my first time singing in a microphone-less auditorium. The natural sound is something that is beautiful on its own without any amplification. Once you get acclimatised to this environment the experience is surreal,” he added.
