THE BOMBAY CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
(affiliated to the World Federation of Amateur Orchestras)
The Bombay Chamber Orchestra (BCO) celebrated it Golden Jubilee in 2012, having completed 50 years of continuous activity in pursuing its mission of providing FREE training in the techniques of playing orchestral instruments to young talent of the city. It has regaled Mumbai audiences with over 200 concerts. Its programmes feature a wide variety of orchestral, chamber and choral works from the vast repertoire of classical and light classical music, ranging from the baroque era, through the classic and romantic periods to contemporary works. The orchestra has also performed in several other cities in India as well as in Sri Lanka. The concerts have featured several international and local conductors and soloists and have been received with acclaim from both, audiences and critics, wherever it has performed. The Society regularly receives requests from overseas musicians and conductors to come to India and perform with the orchestra. Some eminent musicians and musical companies who have performed with the orchestra include : pianists Walter Gieseking, Kendall Taylor and Piers Lane; violinists Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Nigel Kennedy, Christina Edinger, Bijan Khadem Missagh and Leon Spierer; the Verdehr Trio, the Sadlers Wells Ballet Company and the Viennese Light Operatic Company. Besides providing Mumbai’s music-lovers the opportunity to enjoy music performed by their city orchestra, the BCO Society serves the dual purpose of filling in the great void created by the lack of a school or academy of music in the city of Mumbai. It offers free coaching to young students interested in studying orchestral instruments and also aims to create an environment and incentive to encourage young talent to work at the instruments of their choice. It organises and conducts periodic workshops and masterclasses by visiting international musicians. In many cases, instruments are loaned to students as these are often too expensive for students or their parents to invest in. Several young students who made their performing debuts with the orchestra have established themselves in successful careers as professional musicians throughout the world. The BCO is an amateur orchestra and is the only symphony orchestra comprising predominantly of Indian musicians that functions and performs on a regular basis with a concert standard of performance. It performs 3-4 concerts a year in Mumbai, often in collaboration with international guest conductors and soloists, and has also performed in Sri Lanka and several other cities in India. These concerts provide our musicians the experience and opportunity, as well as training, in orchestral performance. The orchestra also presents concerts in collaboration with choirs and other musical organisations. Members of the orchestra perform chamber music programmes from time to time. The orchestra receives no financial support from the Government and the opportunities that young talent enjoy in other countries are totally lacking. That so much has been achieved, despite the lack of a school of music in the city, has drawn great admiration from the visiting artistes who have performed with the orchestra.
