Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) returns to Bengaluru with a promising western classical music concert at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts

Bangalore (Karnataka): Following the debut of its off-campus initiative – NCPA@thePark in March, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, returns to Bengaluru with yet another unique concert by the Symphony Orchestra of India featuring child prodigy Ayaan Deshpande, at the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts. While the SOI has performed several times in Bengaluru and continues to return owing to encouraging audience response, this is the first time ten-year old Ayaan will be playing the piano in the city. 

The SOI, founded in 2006 by NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook and violin virtuoso Marat Bisengaliev, has worked with renowned international conductors like Zubin Mehta, Carlo Rizzi, Martyn Brabbins, Charles Dutoit, Yuri Simonov, Jacek Kaspszyk, Rafael Payare, Richard Farnes, and soloists like Zakir Hussain, Barry Douglas, Benjamin Grosvenor, Pavel Kolesnikov, Angel Blue amongst others. In its past 18 years, the SOI has achieved great feat through its ambitious seasons, national and global tours and collaborations with musicians to create world-class musical experiences. The orchestra’s core group of musicians is resident at the NCPA all year round and forms the SOI Chamber Orchestra. Additional players are recruited from a talented pool of professionals from around the world. The SOI Chamber Orchestra performs a regular series of concerts through the year at the NCPA and at other venues around Mumbai and India. Additionally, the orchestra places great emphasis on education and many of the SOI musicians are also teachers, working to develop the musical potential amongst young people in India. Together, these programmes aim to raise the standard of Western classical music performance in India and grow the number of Indian musicians in the SOI. Ayaan Deshpande is one such student of the SOI Music Academy who is now celebrated as a 10-year-old piano prodigy.

Ayaan Deshpande has been studying the piano at the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Music Academy, NCPA, Mumbai since May 2021. He has performed at several national and global stages in the past few years. He was selected as a winner at the Golden Key Music Festival of Vienna, 2023 in both piano performance and composition categories. He performed during the festival at Palais Ehrbar and the Bӧsendorfer Hall in Mozarthaus. Ayaan has performed in front of Maestro Zubin Mehta as well as the jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Dianne Reeves at the NCPA, Mumbai. In his upcoming concert in Bengaluru, he will perform Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21. Ayaan is also a budding composer and has composed the cadenzas of the concerto himself. The concert will also feature Rossini’s String Sonata No. 3 and Respighi’s Ancient Air and Dances, Suite No. 3 amongst other works to be played by the SOI Chamber Orchestra.

Speaking about NCPA’s first association with Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook, Chairman, NCPA and Co-founder, SOI, said,“Bengaluru is one of the most culturally flourishing cities in the country and we are delighted to join hands with the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts for a musical evening with the SOI. The SOI has played to capacity audience in the past in the city, which has been very encouraging. We look forward to welcoming audience members to join us in supporting our SOI Music Academy’s Ayaan Deshpande, who has been making the country proud at such a young age. Through such concerts, we hope to take the SOI to different parts of the country and curate world-class orchestral experiences.” 

“At Prestige Group and Forum Malls, we believe in the transformative power of the performing arts and creating spaces that inspire and nurture artistic expression. Partnering with the prestigious National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), as a strategic ally that amplifies this vision, allowing us to bring world-class performances to our patrons in Bengaluru, specifically South Bengaluru. As the debut performance of this strategic relationship, we are particularly honoured to host the illustrious SOI Chamber Orchestra and child prodigy Ayaan Deshpande, whose exceptional talent and passion embody the pinnacle of musical achievement further enhances the caliber of our cultural offerings. Together, we are not just presenting performances; we are crafting moments of magic that will resonate and inspire artists in years to come”, expressed Mr. Irfan Razack, Chairman and MD, Prestige Group. 
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