Western Classical Music in India (Jazz and Blues)

The spread and following the western classical music in India is almost completely non-existent. This is primarily patronized by the Indian Zoroastrian community and small esoteric orchestras with historical exposure of the western classical music. Another esoteric orchestra with important patronage is the protestant Christian community in Chennai and Banglore. The western music education is also severely neglected and pretty common in India. The western keyboard, drums and guitar instruction being an exception as it has found some interest; primarily in an effort to make artists to service current famous Indian music. Many reasons have been cited for the insignificance of the western classical music in India, a country rich in its musical heritage by its own right, though the two main reasons are an utter lack of exposure and a passive disinterest in what is measured as esoteric at best. Also, the complexity in importing western musical instruments and their rarity has also helped to the insignificance of the classical western music.

source of picture: innerviews.org

Despite more than a century of exposure to the western classical music and the two centuries of British colonialism, the classical music in India has never gained more than marginal fame. Many attempts to popularize the western classical music in India have failed in the past due to disinterest and lack of sustained efforts. Currently, western classical music education has improved with the help of different institutions in India. Institutions like KM Music conservatory established by Oscar winning composer, A.R Rahman, Calcutta school of music, Bangalore school of music, eastern fare music foundation, Delhi school of music, UstaGah foundation, Delhi music academy and many others are dedicated to help the progress or growth and support of the western classical music. In 1930, notable Mehli Mehta set up the Bombay Symphony groups. There is Melody academy in Darjeeling introduced in the early 1980s by Mr. Jiwan Pradhan, who single handedly has brought the western music in the hills of Darjeeling that is very rich in its musical heritage.

The Bombay Chamber Orchestra (BCO) was established in the year 1962. It is the only Indian symphony group that functions and performs on a constant basis with a shows standard performance. The BCO society serves the dual purpose of filling in to some extent, the great void created by the lack of a school or academy of music in the city of Mumbai. In the year 2006, the symphony group of India was established, housed at the NCPA in Mumbai. This has since presented two short shows season each year.

Some of the prominent Indians in western classical music such as Andre de Quadros (Conductor and Music Educator), Zubin Mehta (Conductor), Mehta Mehta (father of Zubin, Violinist and founding conductor of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra), Anil Srinivasan (pianist), IIaiyaraaja (the first Indian to compose a full symphony performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London’s Walthamstow Town Hall), Naresh Sohal (British Indian-born composer), Param Vir (British Indian-born composer), and Karishmeh Felfeli (Indian-born Irani pianist and radio broadcaster).