Sangat, the western classical chamber music festival, organised by the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation every December, is back this week, in its 17th edition.

This year, Sangat will feature 12 musicians from around the world, playing works by composers such as Schubert, Bach and Mozart. “Chamber music is the heart and soul of music. Some of the greatest classical compositions have been written for chamber ensembles,” said Mehroo Jeejeebhoy, trustee, Mehli Mehta Music Foundation.

This year, Sangat musicians will also perform an original composition by American pianist and composer Marc Neikrug, titled ‘Death row—memoirs of an extra-terrestrial’. “It is the story of a man on the death row who is inhabited by an alien,” says Neikrug, who will be performing at Sangat for the third time. 

The musicians have been training local music students for the past week. “This is our way of giving back and developing local talent,” said Harvey D’Souza,  festival director and violinist.