Striking High Notes

The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) has been in existence for a mere four years and is already the subject of much discussion in classical music circles abroad. The Mumbai-based orchestra has now notched up a new score — in June,SOI has been invited to perform at the prestigious Moscow Festival.

Conductor Zane Dalal,who’s been working with the orchestra for three years,says that SOI has managed to get quite a lot of experience in its early stage. “The orchestra recently played with the well-known Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and the musicians held their own,” he says.

It all comes down to picking the musicians with care,says conductor and violinist Marat Bisengaliev. “We cannot afford to slip up there. We’re doing is not just grooming musicians; we’re also actively engaged in building a fan base for this music.” Even as SOI enjoys its fame,it is time to start practising for Moscow.