About CCA - Christian Cultural Academy in Trustpuram, Kodambakkam, Chennai 600 024, Chennai

CCA - Christian Cultural Academy was founded by Dr. T. Samuel Joseph, well-known as Shyaam in Indian film music industry. While at the pinnacle of his career in film music, he felt a deep conviction of the need to help the physically challenged persons to learn music. CCA was founded with this vision in 1986, with many noble objectives to help, encourage and develop young talents among the physically challenged, in the art of singing, especially semi-classical music.

History: "Shyaam', along with a few like-minded college mates and friends, founded CCA in 1986 to support the physically challenged persons, especially the blind, through music; and his anxiety was to revive traditional music such as "Keerthanas" in the society. The Late Bishop M. Azariah, Mr. Clement Felix, Mrs. Bharathi Paul, Mrs. Uma David, Mrs. Violet Samuel and Mr. Philp Eapen were the other Founding Members of CCA.
CCA has been, in the past years, regularly training youngsters, (boys and girls) in choral singing and in "four-part harmony" along with professional orchestra and playback artistes and pre-recorded music. The First Concert was performed in 1988 at the "Narada Gana Sabha", Chennai, conducted by the Founder-Composer, with 60 professional musicians and a 50 voice-choir. Every year, during the Lenten Season and Christmas, CCA Choir has been performing in different Churches and musical organizations.
During the past 25 years, the CCA has been endeavoring to generate the needed resources to carry on many of its projects. Every year CCA has been organizing musical concerts on large scale and raise donations to help the physically challenged and the downtrodden. Hundreds of physically challenged persons have been helped with Tri-cycles, Wheel-chairs, Sewing Machines, Braille Watches, mobility canes, musical instruments, clothes and other needed appliances.
All this was possible only because of the benevolent support of a circle of ardent Donors, most of whom have remained anonymous, and who, year after year, have come forward to help these unfortunate neighbors, spontaneously and with great sense of delight. In order to help the younger generation to learn music properly, Dr. Shyaam compiled a Music Book, 'YESU PUGAZH PAADUVOM' with both Indian and Western notations. Later he brought out a DVD on the life of Christ, 'Rose of Sharon'. And, on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of CCA in 2011, a CD, 'VENN PURAA' (White Dove) was released.
The endearment of the Founder in the music field has brought great music stalwarts such as M. S. Viswanathan, P.B. Sreenivas, K. J. Yesudas, S. P. Balasubramaniam, P. Susheela, S.Janaki, Usha Uthup, Vani Jeyaram, Chitra, Sharrath, Jolee Abraham, O. S. Arun, Krishnakumar, Unni Menon, Hema John, Ganesh, Unni Krishnan, Alka Ajith, Swetha, Vinitha, Tippu, Krishna Chandran, Krishnakumar, Kalpana, A.V.Ramanan, Uma Ramanan, Sivamani, Stephen Devassy and others to be associated with CCA. Lyric writers such as Vairamuthu, Pirai Sudan, Rajan, Puthumai Pithan, Muthulingam, Kruthyas, Rev. Devaputhiran and many others have contributed to the success of CCA's musical journey through the years.
The next Project in the Agenda of CCA is to start a School of Music where all children, including the physically challenged will be taught the various aspects of music, such as singing, playing musical instruments and so on.
CCA is grateful to all the supporters of CCA over all these years and exhort them to continue to extend the same support to enable CCA to carry forward its noble objectives.

About: Dr.T.Samuel Joseph: Dr Shyaam was born in 1937 to a Tamil Christian family in Guindy in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His parents were both teachers and Shyaam learnt music from his mother who used to play organ in the Church. He was passionate with the string instruments, especially the violin, which his father bought for him.
Shyaam started playing violin in some drama troupes during his early career. He was introduced to film music by the great M.S.Viswanathan, fondly called as MSV. He first played violin for Music Director C.N Pandurangan and was in the last row in the team. Later he made to the lead row, ending as a soloist. Thus he earned a good reputation as a violinist and had worked with many famous music personalities of that time, such as, V. Dakshinamoorthy, Baburaj, Devarajan, S. M. Subbaiah Naidu, T. K. Ramamoorthy etc. Noted North Indian Music Director, Salil Chowdhury used to rely on him and the relationship developed deep that he had worked with him in many Malayalam movies, including Chemmeen. He has scored music for over 300 films including Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada, Tamil and Hindi languages. He has composed hundreds of Christian devotional songs which are popular among all churches in South India.
Shyaam emerged as a Music Director in his own right, for the Tamil film 'Appa Amma'. During these times he also worked as Assistant Music Director for Salil Choudhury, and he continued music direction for various Tamil hit-films. It was the popular Malayalam actress Sheela who introduced him in the Malayalam film 'Manya Shree Vishwamitran' directed by the versatile Malayalam actor Madhu. The songs in the film became super hits; "Kettile Kottayathoru Mutha Pullachan" in the movie was an all-time hit. Thus he became popular throughout Kerala. Since then he never had to look back and he started composing many films in Malayalam and other south Indian languages. He is one of the few composers in Mollywood who had worked in both the Black & White as well as Colour film eras. He is considered as one of the all time Best Music Directors in Malayalam film industry.
His work for the Malayalam film, 'Daisy' was very well recognized and, all the songs in the film were all-time chartbusters. His notable works during his active years are, 'Nadodikattu', 'Nirakkoottu', 'New Delhi', 'Kanamarayathu'. He is also famous for creating outstanding film theme music and his theme music for the film, 'Oru CBI Diary Kurippu' is popular even today. The 2009 Malayalam movie, 'Sagar Alias Jacky' Reloaded, has the theme music extracted from his movie 'Irupatham Nootrandu'.
He is married to Violet Shyaam, and blessed with two sons and a daughter.