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Legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja is back at it! After the huge success of his first western classical symphony earlier this year, he’s ready to start work on his second. This news comes hot on the heels of his Dubai Opera performance, where fans and music lovers gave him a warm, enthusiastic welcome. On Diwali, Ilaiyaraaja shared a video with fans, revealing he’ll kick off his next symphony after his mother’s death anniversary. He also teased another piece called Symphonic Dancers. “Wish you all a happy Deepavali. On this sweet Deepavali day, there is another piece of information I want to share with you all. I intend to start writing my next symphony after observing my mother’s death anniversary. Along with that, I am to write a new piece called Symphonic Dancers,” he said. He also thanked the audience in Dubai for their love and support, writing, “Thankful for the love, warmth, and energy from everyone who joined me for the symphony Valiant performance in Dubai Opera. Your appreciation and emotions made the night truly special…Thank you, Dubai.” Earlier this year, Ilaiyaraaja made history with his first western classical symphony, Valiant, performed by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra at London’s Eventim Apollo. He plans to take Valiant to 13 countries, sharing it with fans around the world. “In the world of music, this is something at the top. So, I want my people, who have so much of love for me, to listen to it,” he said, also praising conductor Mikel Toms for the London performance. Ilaiyaraaja is a legendary Indian composer, musician, conductor, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, lyricist, and playback singer, renowned for his work in Tamil cinema as well as Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi films. Known as “Isaignani” (the musical sage) and widely called “Maestro” by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London, he has composed over 8,600 songs, scored around 1,523 films in nine languages, and performed in more than 20,000 concerts over a career spanning nearly five decades. A pioneer in blending Western classical music with Indian cinema, Ilaiyaraaja is the first Indian and Asian to compose, record, and perform a full Western classical symphony live. He was also the first Indian composer to use computer technology for a film soundtrack (Vikram, 1986) and created Thiruvasagam in Symphony (2006), India’s first oratorio. His contributions have earned him global recognition: CNN-IBN named him India’s greatest music composer in a 2013 poll, and Taste of Cinema ranked him 9th among the 25 greatest film composers worldwide, the only Indian to feature alongside legends like Ennio Morricone and John Williams. Ilaiyaraaja has received numerous accolades, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2012), the Padma Bhushan (2010), and the Padma Vibhushan (2018). He has served as a nominated Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since July 2022. A biographical film on his life, titled Ilaiyaraaja, was announced in March 2024.
