The scroll
The entrance canopy curls inward, echoing the carved head of the instrument.
The Hall
A monument to music
Chowdiah Memorial Hall is one of India's most extraordinary performance venues — its auditorium designed in the shape of a seven-stringed violin, a tribute to the legendary maestro Tirumakudalu Chowdiah.
The 1,011-seat hall delivers professional-grade acoustics with a flexible stage adaptable to any production scale. Adjustable lighting rigs and modern sound infrastructure support concerts, theatre, dance and conferencing.
Founded to promote classical music and the performing arts, the Academy of Music manages the hall through an elected committee of patrons and cultural leaders.
First in the World
The violin-shaped auditorium is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and the first ever memorial to a musician anywhere in India.
Acoustic Purity
Superbly designed acoustics distribute sound uniformly throughout the auditorium, with unobstructed sightlines from every seat.
Ornamental Splendour
Marble foyer lit with chandeliers, false ceiling inscribed with musical notations and instrument motifs, and glass ceiling lit with concealed illumination.
Surroundings & Grounds
Halogen lamps tracing the violin contour, fountains, green lawns, and expansive open landscaped gardens surrounding the building.
- Auditorium capacity
- 1,011 cushioned push-back seats (unobstructed view)
- Stage dimensions
- 36 ft (L) × 30 ft (D) × 22 ft (H)
- Air-conditioning
- 80 ton centralised plant
- Lighting & Sound
- Near-perfect acoustics with state-of-the-art equipment
- Green rooms
- Attached toilets on either side of the stage
- Facilities
- Conference room, spacious foyer & lounge, canteen
- Power backup
- Uninterrupted power supply (250 KVA generator)
- Parking
- Ample parking area available
Architecture
Every part has a name
The building borrows the violin's anatomy. Once you know where to look, the instrument is everywhere.
The tuning pegs
Circular forms set into the canopy's underside stand in for the pegs.
The fingerboard
The long maroon fascia carries the hall's name in Kannada above the entrance.