Jini Dinshaw on the Bombay Chamber Orchestra

Nikhil Sardana: When did you set up the Bombay Chamber Orchestra, and what was your inspiration behind this initiative?

Jini Dinshaw: The Bombay Chamber Orchestra (BCO) was founded in 1962. On my return from the UK, I discovered that the Bombay Symphony Orchestra and the Bombay Philharmonia were no longer functioning. I was invited to an evening concert and was impressed by the performance level of the young students. Unfortunately, beyond the limited repertoire, mainly based on examination works, the young talent did not possess knowledge of chamber music compositions or orchestral repertoire. This was due to the lack of music schools in the city, where students, besides their instrumental coaching, could receive instruction in chamber music and orchestral playing.

The BCO Society was therefore founded not only to teach students orchestral playing techniques, but also to introduce them to the great symphonies and solo concert repertoire. The BCO is the only Indian symphony orchestra of young Indian members that has survived for over five decades.

NS: Tell us about some of the great musicians and historic events organised by the BCO.

JD: Over these 53 years, the orchestra members have had the privilege of being directed and trained by international conductors from the UK, Germany, Austria, Russia, Israel, Japan, and the USA. The conductors and soloists have generously offered their services, forgoing their honoraria in admiration of what has been achieved.

International soloists who have performed with the orchestra include Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Leon Spierer, Kendall Taylor, Nigel Kennedy, Khadem Missagh, and many others, most of whom were heard performing in India for the first time.

NS: How many performances do you organise in a year? Tell us about your repertoire.

JD: The BCO generally gives four concerts a year. The repertoire consists of symphonic classics, concertos, and Broadway hits. We also work on operatic and ballet pieces for our visiting companies.

NS: What plans do you have for the BCO in the near future?

JD: The BCO will continue to offer free coaching to young talent. It is unfortunate that the Government of India does not realise that music and culture play an essential role in establishing values that transcend national barriers and bring people of the world closer together.

Countries of the Far East, such as China, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia, each have their own culture, yet their governments have built music schools and offered coaching to young students under guest teachers from Russia and Europe. In the last 15 years, they have developed professional symphony orchestras that have reached world-class levels in their performances.