Music of India
A tiny one-bedroom flat tucked into a quieter lane of Chennai’s Mandavelli neighbourhood is something of a pilgrimage destination for Carnatic violin students. This is where, overseen by images of dozens of deities, A Kanyakumari, 71, has taught some of the brightest young talent on the concert circuit today.
Interviews
Professor Anthony Bowne’s distinguished career encompasses leadership, education, and creative expertise, notably steering Trinity Laban since 2010. His pivotal role in the merger of Laban and Trinity College of Music formed the largest conservatoire in UK higher education. Anthony’s diverse background includes dance education, economics, and architecture, with
Music of India
The musical heritage of the Indian subcontinent is traditionally categorized into two major classical traditions: Hindustani music from North India and Carnatic music from South India. However, various regions within India boast unique musical traditions independent of these classical forms. Both Hindustani and Carnatic music rely on the framework of
Know Your Composer
The works of the composer Gustav Mahler (1860–1911) are among the most often played in many orchestras’ repertoire. This was not the case during his lifetime, however, when he was much more popular as a conductor than a composer – his critics finding his compositions too different, too complex and,
Features
The SOI Spring 2024 Season brims with the beauty of orchestral music featuring the return of beloved artistes and the India debut of a Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano, a celebrated conductor, and a masterful cellist. We speak to Gergely Madaras, Sasha Cooke and Bryan Cheng ahead of their debut at the
Interviews
Chinese Pipa Master Gao Hong and Flamenco guitarist Ignacio Lusardi Monteverde announce their upcoming album “Alondra,” releasing globally on February 23rd, 2024. Inspired by the Skylark’s intricate melodies, this unique musical journey intertwines Pipa and Flamenco, transcending cultural boundaries. The duo’s first single, “Skylark Calls,” mirrors the bird’
Music of India
Mian Tansen, born as Ramtanu Pandey in the late 15th century, stands as a legendary figure in the realm of Hindustani Classical Music. Renowned as the ‘Sangeet Samrat’ or ‘Monarch of Hindustani Music,’ his life, spanning nearly a century, is a tale of musical brilliance, royal patronage, and a cultural
Throwback Thursday
Rated as one of the most accomplished singers of her time, Toti Dal Monte was born in Venice on 27th June 1893. Her ambition was to become a concert pianist and she entered the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice while still a child. A strained tendon in her left hand
Know Your Composer
Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was born on September 25, 1906, in St. Petersburg, Russia, a city immersed in the cultural and intellectual fervor of the time. Growing up in a family with a deep appreciation for music, young Dmitri showed an early proclivity for the art form. His mother, a pianist,
Music of India
Renowned sitar virtuoso, composer, and nine-time Grammy nominee, Anoushka Shankar, is set to enrapture audiences across India with her transcendent music as part of her global tour. The daughter of the legendary sitar maestro, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Anoushka will showcase fresh compositions from her latest mini-album, Chapter I: Forever, For
News
The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), the country’s only full-time professional orchestra, is set to unveil its Spring 2024 Season on the 2nd of February. Following a celebratory Autumn 2023 Season and the seven-city UK Tour, the eighteen-year-old orchestra, will be welcoming back beloved guest artistes – conductor Martyn Brabbins
News
With a sweeping victory across multiple categories at an international competition in Dubai, students of the SOI Music Academy bring home laurels and memories. The SOI Music Academy, devoted to the resolve of imparting education and training to young, promising musicians, recently completed 10 glorious years. In a land where
