Classical music is remarkably underdeveloped in India, both relative to other Asian countries as well as Europe and the US. Classical music performances appear to be few and far between and attract only a niche audience (primarily expats and the wealthy).
This is changing, albeit slowly, and India's first symphony orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra of India, was set up in 2006. The orchestra is based in Mumbai and plays here for two seasons each year (comprising four concerts this time) in September and February, and is now in its 15th season. As well as bringing classical music to Indian audiences, the orchestra runs initiatives to introduce instrumental lessons in schools, particularly for the less financially-able, although this is in its early stages. Violin lessons have been going for a while but piano and woodwind started only last year. The mood seems positive though and access to classic music in India does seem to be widening.
We spent last weekend in Kerala and Phil travelled a night before me, so I decided to have a trip to the National Centre for Performing Arts at Nariman Point to see a concert in the September season. I went with a work colleague (Megha) who had never seen live classic music before so it was a fun trip to introduce her to orchestral music, and me to classical music in India.
I wasn't sure what to expect but ended up having a great evening and was impressed by the quality of the venue and performance. It probably helped that I really liked the programme (Debussy, Dukas, Mussorgsky, Shostakovich) but the quality of the playing was high and the orchestra attracts international conductors (Charles Dutoit had been conducting earlier in the week).
The venue reminds me a lot of the Barbican (it was built in the late 1960s..) and, when inside watching the performance, I could have easily been watching an orchestra anywhere in the world. Unusually, the venue had a remarkable lack of bonkers-ness; it was clean, well-ordered and genuinely felt like any western theatre. Only one mobile phone went off during the performance (this is unheard of in India, they are usually ringing constantly) and I felt genuinely relaxed after an evening out at the NCPA. One difference from the UK though is that you can get two delicious samosas for 30 rupees in the interval (much needed as we'd come straight from work) from the NCPA bar. It's a long shot, but I'd be very happy if the Barbican or Albert Hall decided to introduce this snack system too.
The composition of the orchestra was interesting. The musicians are primarily from overseas; my guess from the names in the programme is that the string players are mainly Eastern European and the woodwind / brass players are from the UK and US. The programme highlighted which players are of Indian origin (there are several in the orchestra, though definitely a minority) and the programme explained that one of the orchestra's goals is to increase this proportion.
The NCPA is working hard to improve access and widen its audiences and I wish it all the best. The resident conductor spoke for 10 minutes at the start of the concert to provide a background to each piece in the programme which was excellent and really helped Megha. Although the composition of the audience is drawn from a narrow sector of society, I hope that this can broaden and I personally found the concert very welcoming. The theatre was pretty full, and deservedly in my opinion.
My biggest learning point from this experience was understanding the extent to which western classical music is excluded from the education of a typical Indian child. Megha explained that she knows what a piano and violin are, but not much more, and hadn't been exposed to any other instruments or classical music at her (I guess very good) Indian school. Indian instruments and music are taught (voice is very important) but classical music is in its infancy.
So would I go again? Definitely. I will be back for the next season in February.
This is changing, albeit slowly, and India's first symphony orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra of India, was set up in 2006. The orchestra is based in Mumbai and plays here for two seasons each year (comprising four concerts this time) in September and February, and is now in its 15th season. As well as bringing classical music to Indian audiences, the orchestra runs initiatives to introduce instrumental lessons in schools, particularly for the less financially-able, although this is in its early stages. Violin lessons have been going for a while but piano and woodwind started only last year. The mood seems positive though and access to classic music in India does seem to be widening.
We spent last weekend in Kerala and Phil travelled a night before me, so I decided to have a trip to the National Centre for Performing Arts at Nariman Point to see a concert in the September season. I went with a work colleague (Megha) who had never seen live classic music before so it was a fun trip to introduce her to orchestral music, and me to classical music in India.
I wasn't sure what to expect but ended up having a great evening and was impressed by the quality of the venue and performance. It probably helped that I really liked the programme (Debussy, Dukas, Mussorgsky, Shostakovich) but the quality of the playing was high and the orchestra attracts international conductors (Charles Dutoit had been conducting earlier in the week).
The venue reminds me a lot of the Barbican (it was built in the late 1960s..) and, when inside watching the performance, I could have easily been watching an orchestra anywhere in the world. Unusually, the venue had a remarkable lack of bonkers-ness; it was clean, well-ordered and genuinely felt like any western theatre. Only one mobile phone went off during the performance (this is unheard of in India, they are usually ringing constantly) and I felt genuinely relaxed after an evening out at the NCPA. One difference from the UK though is that you can get two delicious samosas for 30 rupees in the interval (much needed as we'd come straight from work) from the NCPA bar. It's a long shot, but I'd be very happy if the Barbican or Albert Hall decided to introduce this snack system too.
View from my 800 rupee (£8) seat
The composition of the orchestra was interesting. The musicians are primarily from overseas; my guess from the names in the programme is that the string players are mainly Eastern European and the woodwind / brass players are from the UK and US. The programme highlighted which players are of Indian origin (there are several in the orchestra, though definitely a minority) and the programme explained that one of the orchestra's goals is to increase this proportion.
The NCPA is working hard to improve access and widen its audiences and I wish it all the best. The resident conductor spoke for 10 minutes at the start of the concert to provide a background to each piece in the programme which was excellent and really helped Megha. Although the composition of the audience is drawn from a narrow sector of society, I hope that this can broaden and I personally found the concert very welcoming. The theatre was pretty full, and deservedly in my opinion.
My biggest learning point from this experience was understanding the extent to which western classical music is excluded from the education of a typical Indian child. Megha explained that she knows what a piano and violin are, but not much more, and hadn't been exposed to any other instruments or classical music at her (I guess very good) Indian school. Indian instruments and music are taught (voice is very important) but classical music is in its infancy.
So would I go again? Definitely. I will be back for the next season in February.
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