Martyn Brabbins Appointed Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of India, Starting January 2026

The Symphony Orchestra of India is delighted to announce the appointment of Martyn Brabbins as its Chief Conductor. His tenure is set to begin on 1st January 2026. He will conduct four programmes each season during the SOI’s Spring and Autumn series. He will also advise the NCPA on matters of artistic strategy, orchestra development and the choice of guest conductors, soloists and repertoire. His arrival, timed to coincide with the orchestra’s 20th anniversary, signals the SOI’s determination to build on its existing artistic qualities and accelerate its development. This will run concurrently with his position as Chief Conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, starting in Autumn 2025.

“It is a great joy and privilege for me to take on this role with the Symphony Orchestra of India,” comments Brabbins. “We have already built a strong relationship through the performances we’ve given together in Mumbai and on tour. The members of the orchestra are always warm, welcoming and so positive, and we’ve had some great musical experiences together. There is such a deep commitment from the management and the players. And it is wonderful to see how this multinational ensemble is reaching out to local musicians and nurturing the next generation of native-born players. India holds such huge potential for developing audiences for symphonic music and the musicians to perform it. I am delighted to join the orchestra at such an exciting time in its history and look forward to being part of this wonderfully passionate and positive enterprise.”

Brabbins’s connection with the SOI arose from his friendship with the orchestra’s founding Music Director, Marat Bisengaliev. They met in 1990 when performing in the Kazakh violinist’s home city of Almaty and subsequently worked together after Bisengaliev moved to the UK. “Marat invited me to conduct the SOI in its early years, but the only available dates always clashed with other commitments. When I finally worked with them for the first time in 2016, we hit it off. We have worked together several times since, including for the orchestra’s first UK tour five years ago. It is one of the most cosmopolitan groups of musicians I know, with players from so many nations and parts of the globe. This melting pot of talent, individual musicianship and ideas is very rich. It means that, from the conductor’s perspective, you have to find fresh ways of drawing all of its parts together while retaining the culture and identity of what is already a very fine ensemble.”

Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook looks forward to the SOI’s development under its new Chief Conductor. “It gives us great pleasure to welcome Martyn Brabbins as Chief Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of India. He has been Music Director of English National Opera and has helmed several orchestras throughout his remarkable career. In addition, he has trained promising students at venerable conservatories for a career in conducting. The SOI has worked with Martyn during its orchestral seasons in Mumbai and on tour in the UK, and we are delighted to strengthen this association. As the SOI prepares to mark the completion of 20 glorious years in 2026, we are certain that Martyn’s guidance will pave the way for the orchestra to reach greater heights and for the NCPA to continue to curate world-class orchestral and operatic experiences in India and across the world.” 

Brabbins pays tribute to Mr. Suntook, the SOI’s co-founder and indefatigable Chairman of the NCPA. He praises his vision and personal drive, attributes that have played a critical part in the development of the NCPA and the evolution of the SOI. “Khushroo is a remarkable man,” notes the conductor. “His energy and dynamism have been crucial to developing the orchestra, the NCPA’s thriving SOI Music Academy and Western classical music in India. The element of bringing this art form to a new, clearly receptive audience is part of the excitement of this project for me and for all those involved with it.”

This piece was originally published by the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, in the November 2024 issue of ON Stage – their monthly arts magazine.