MUSIC FOR THE SOUL
Three globally recognised pianists — Zane Dalal, Barry Douglas, and the young prodigy, Lydian Nadhaswaram, talk about performing together and creating magic on stage
Music serves many purposes in one’s life — entertainment, healing and motivation, to name a few. But when you’re witness to a huge orchestra performing onstage with passion and love for music, it just creates an everlasting impact. They don’t just compose music, they create emotions on stage. On the occasion of National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) celebrating 50 years, the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), featuring renowned conductors and soloists, are all set for their concluding performance of this season, today.
Talking about the event, Zane Dalal, associate music director of the SOI and a globally acclaimed pianistconductor, says that this year’s event is a wonderful mix of variety of music. “Khushroo N Suntook, (music director; chairman) and I sat and decided that we needed to create a music programme that will suit not only the audience, but also the growing needs of the orchestra. We also need to push the orchestra to do more than what they have done before — to play at a better standard and improve technical qualities,” he says. Explaining his performance, he adds, “I bring the larger canvas of music-making, because I am presenting to the audience in Mumbai, for the first time in many cases the large Wagner Opera. The Wagner is known for large forces with almost 100 people performing on stage. There will be extraordinary moments from high German Opera, which are so forceful, compelling and penetrating that we all need to be a part of this live experience. This is special. This kind of music will not come back every time. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for every music-loving Mumbaikar.”
Irish pianist Barry Douglas, a favourite among Mumbai’s music aficionados, in a recent performance, played Johannes Brahms’ (German musician) Piano Concerto No 2, along with Igor Stravinsky’s (Russian musician) brash, bold, and exciting suite from the ballet, Petrushka. Douglas says, “This is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written and it is a landscape of human endeavour and sensitivity, which touches us all with its strength and vulnerability. My solo pieces are also a kaleidoscope of beauty — Mussorgsky (Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, Russian composer) through its characterisation of the human condition and the beauty and humour of every day existence, it inspires us all to laugh at ourselves and also wonder at the complexity of who we are.”
The season concludes with SOI welcoming to the stage the young Indian pianist, Lydian Nadhaswaram, from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, who went viral this year as the winner of the television show, The World’s Best. Lydian will be performing to Joseph Haydn’s Piano Concerto No 11, and the show will be led by Alexander Lazarev, who will open with excerpts from Aram Khachaturian’s ballet, Spartacus and will also feature Symphony No 5 — Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s one of the most popular works. Apart from music, Lydian has also appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’s show, where he completely wooed the audience. He says that he always knew he’s going to be famous. “It is my first performance with NCPA and with the SOI. It is going to be a memorable performance for me, as well as, for all the music lovers. I started learning when I was two-years-old, and yes, of course, I knew that one day I will be recognised globally. I felt very happy after winning the World’s Best title but nothing much has changed other than being more responsible in my musicality and practice. I honestly feel that I have achieved nothing. There are many years ahead, so I have to work more on music to achieve something big in my career,” says Lydian.
Since the event is a large scale collaboration, naturally, the rehearsal must be hectic. Adding to that, Dalal says, “The orchestra comes from a place where they are used to the European style rehearsals. We get hardly two to three days to get done with everything from scratch. This requires us to work very smartly. 3pm to 6pm is usually the timing with just a 20 minutes break in between. The rehearsals are usually very intense. It’s like an athletic and cerebral endeavour, all at once. It requires a huge amount of concentration from the musicians, as well as, the conductor.”
While for Dalal, the rehearsals are about the team, for Douglas, it is more of a personal experience. “This is like getting to know someone. Also, when you work with the conductor, you get to know the hall — and you feel comfortable. I would say it is a great journey of discovery. Then all this work comes to fruition. And, finally, you meet the audience and you hope they will love it because you have done this great work with your fellow musicians. With the orchestra, it is usually six hours of rehearsals. But of course, I rehearse and practice for many hours before coming to the hall. These pieces, of course, I have been playing for many years, and so, it is a lot of work over the years. But it’s always a pleasure,” says Douglas.
Lydian rehearses for five hours a day and loves watching motivational videos and learning new languages in his spare time. When asked about shifting base from India, now that he is popular internationally, he says that there is so much to learn from this country first before going abroad. “I have no inclination of shifting out of Chennai as of now, because there is a lot that I have to learn and do for our country. Maybe after that, I might think of shifting from Chennai,” the young musician concludes.
his is like getting to know someone. Also, when you work ith the conductor, you get to know the hall — and you feel omfortable. I would say it is a great journey of discovery. hen all this work comes to fruition. And, finally, you meet the udience and you hope they will love it because you have done this great work with your fellow musicians.
BARRY DOUGLAS, PIANIST