ABRSM’s India Tour 2026 Strengthens Musical Communities Across the Country

In March and April 2026 ABRSM delivered a nationwide tour of workshops and interactive sessions across India for music teachers, students and parents. Led by ABRSM examiner Ryan Lewis alongside ABRSM representatives Sonia Khan and Stephen D’Cruz, with support from Asiya Ayoob and Carlton Mendez, the tour helped to strengthen musical communities in Lucknow, Shillong, Gangtok, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kozhikode and Kochi.

Reflecting on the workshop series, Ryan said: 

“It was wonderful to interact with so many teachers, students, and parents across different parts of India. The workshops included meaningful discussions around the foundations of music learning and a great opportunity to build community amongst music teachers and parents. To get an idea of the knowledge in the room, we asked all teachers how many years they taught and therefore how much could be learned from one another. Across the whole tour, there were 1,849 years of teaching experience amongst the participants, so plenty to share and talk about!” 

In Lucknow, hosted by Kunskapsskolan School, Ryan and Sonia presented to around 40 teachers and 30 parents. Teachers engaged actively with many creative suggestions arising, while parents were keen to know how to better support their children’s music learning journey. 

The events in Shillong were hosted by St. Anthony's College and were packed with many teachers and university students, all keen to forge stronger careers in music and music education. Parents were interested to understand how exams could provide structure and goals for progress in music. In Shillong, student Olivia found the workshop “highly beneficial especially for students who are preparing for the ABRSM exams”, while Sedevii, a teacher, valued learning about the “key elements that help one improve their musicianship, various ways and techniques that can be used to help young children learn music. Overall, it was an enriching experience.”

Hosted by Remanti Sangeet Academy in the heights of Gangtok, the teachers were very thoughtful and interested about ways to motivate students learning, while parents enjoyed discussing the value of music in their children’s lives.

Ryan and Sonia delivered a series of workshops across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and New Panvel, hosted by Dr Pillai Global Academy, Mehli Mehta Music Foundation and Bsharp School of Music. Hundreds of children enjoyed discovering the fundamentals of music learning through a fun and interactive workshop, while parents learned about how they can do musical activities at home to support their children’s learning journey. We also had the joy of higher-grade singers and pianists presenting their songs and pieces, with interesting discussions on musical assessment for advanced levels. One parent in Mumbai reflected: “The session was well-structured, informative, interactive and engaging. Your guidance helped us understand the learning process and the importance of nurturing musical skills in children.The workshop reflected a high level of professionalism and dedication by Mr. Ryan Lewis and Ms. Sonia Khan and we are grateful for the effort invested in making it both meaningful and enriching for the parents. We thank Bsharp Music School for their expertise, enthusiasm and commitment to fostering a deeper appreciation for music education.”

In Bengaluru, hosted by Urban Raga, teachers took away many new tips and ideas to get creative and motivate students further, while parents were keen to understand different aspects of musical progression.

Bidyut Chakraborty, Director of Urban Raga Music School, praised the “wonderful and highly insightful ABRSM workshop conducted by Mr. Ryan Lewis and Ms. Sonia Khan, [who] shared excellent teaching approaches and demonstrated how supporting materials and engaging classroom activities such as rhythm games, staff notation exercises, memorization techniques, and sight-reading practices can help students understand music concepts more effectively. These ideas were extremely valuable and practical for all teachers in enhancing their classroom sessions. Ms. Sonia Khan also conducted an outstanding session for parents and students, filled with knowledge, clarity, and valuable insights about music education and the ABRSM learning journey. It was truly an inspiring and enriching experience for everyone who attended.”

We were delighted to hold our first ever workshop in Calicut and meet new teachers across the local area and thinking about ways to inspire young learners! 

The tour finished in Cochin, where we had the largest amount of teaching experience in one room – a combined 494 years! Familiar and new faces, it was a joy to interact with so many passionate teachers and share ABRSM’s vision to inspire a life with music.