Music Education
Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Contemporary young composers of classical music are frequently taken to task for placing marketability and profit orientation above artistic integrity and compositional skill. In reality, however, placing the emphasis on the profitability of a given composition is not really a 21st century phenomenon
Throwback Thursday
The antique church had an organ played by Mozart. It was small and filled with the faithful waiting for the music to begin. A child danced before the first row, as only children can with abandon regardless of who’s looking – God or parents. The performers then arrived – a baritone
Features
“From the minute a child is taught how to play an instrument, he’s no longer poor” Many years ago, soon after we had set up Child’s Play India Foundation, a music charity inspired hugely by the phenomenal success of Venezuela’s El Sistema movement, a wealthy Bombay socialite
Interviews
Barry Douglas returns to India with Camerata Ireland – the only orchestra to unite musicians from both Northern Ireland and Ireland – to perform Beethoven’s five piano concertos. Interviewed by Cynthia Lewis Barry Douglas is more than just a renowned pianist and conductor. He is a man on a mission to
Throwback Thursday
The opening bars of Mozart’s Fantasia in D minor are a gateway to an inviting sonic escape. Through the sombre arpeggios of the Andante, the weeping Adagio, the fiery Presto, all the way to the final resolution of the Allegretto, one is left surprised, seduced and seeking more. It
Reviews
The Artie’s were back with a bang last month, arriving in India for four recitals in Mumbai and Pune as part of their 21st season of the bi-annual Festival. Most of the musicians have been here before including the outstanding Olivier Patey – principal clarinettist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Know Your Composer
The composer has long been seen as a symbol of divine order. But his music has an unruly obsession with God. “O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” The words of the Psalm look bright on the page, but the music pulls them into
Know Your Composer
An American Original Growing patriotic and nationalistic fervor had virtually inundated all aspects of European society by the middle of the nineteenth century. These political stirrings of national identify and pride not only found their way into all forms of artistic expression, they also found their way across the Atlantic.
Music Education
Composer John Pitts explains the creative process behind the Indian raag compositions for piano solo in his new book “How to Play Indian Sitar Raags on a Piano” So, please indulge me with this imaginary scenario: 1) A sitar player in India who also happens to love European classical music.
Features
The death of English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology, University of Cambridge, Professor Stephen Hawking on 14 March shook the world. Last year, to celebrate his 75th birthday, his Cambridge college – Gonville & Caius – commissioned composer Cheryl Frances-Hoad to write a
Interviews
As the students of the NCPA Special Music Training Programme return from their first concert on foreign shores, Marat Bisengaliev talks to us about the future of the programme. Interviewed by Cynthia Lewis The year 2018 is an important one for the NCPA Special Music Training Programme. The programme was
Reviews
A 4 year old girl sits cross-legged on the floor with a photo album nestled in her lap. She pays no attention to the picture on the cover – a turquoise blue lake with snow white swans gracefully floating on it. She impatiently opens the album and winds up the tiny