Season of symphonies

Upcoming western music festival to feature orchestral performance of classical pieces.

Western classical music aficionados can enjoy four days of prodigious classical renditions as the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) performs at its 15th edition that starts from September 20 at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA). Known for featuring ballets, operas and other symphonic works, this season of SOI will boast of an unusual repertoire, including compositions by Beethoven, Sibelius, Mussorgsky, J Strauss, among others.

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The orchestra will be conducted by Switzerland's Charles Dutoit and Lior Shambadal from Israel. “It’s my first visit to India, and I am extremely enthusiastic about it. India is known for its impressive culture, which I am yet to explore. I know this country is fond of diverse music, and it’s great that there’s a western orchestra here,” says Shambadal.

The first two days of the concert (September 20 and 21) will open with an orchestral concert conducted by Dutoit, along with violinist Marat Bisengaliev. It will feature Beethoven’s Symphony No1, Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition and the Sibelius Violin Concerto.

The concert on September 26 will be conducted by Shambadal, who is also the chief conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra. The programme will feature French and Russian repertoire by Debussy, Dukas and Mussorgsky and culminate with Shostakovich’s powerful, Fifth symphony. “Shostakovich is one of the most important composers of the 20th century. When you listen to his, Fifth symphony, you feel jubilant and peaceful. Though this composition is a combination of his the personal vision from his time, it still has a modern feel to it,” says Shambadal.