Catch a Gala inaugural concert by the Bangalore School of Music Chamber Orchestra on February 25 at 7pm at Vivanta by Taj. The BSM Chamber Orchestra has developed to a high standard of performance over the last decade, and is today counted as one of the best Chamber Orchestras in the country. The Orchestra led by ‘NS’ or Maestro as he is known, has been in existence for over 15 years and enthralled audiences in Bangalore with its wide repertoire of musical masterpieces from the Baroque period to the 20th Century popular music. As a flagship brand of The Bangalore School of Music, the Chamber Orchestra has extended its footprint in India and performed to standing ovations in other major cities and our own.
The core Chamber group consists of faculty members, senior students and associates of the Music School, while professional long term associates join for major presentations as this. The age ranges from young artistes of 12 to seniors. The BSM Chamber Orchestra has been lauded for its virtuosic performances, as was witnessed at the East West Encounter 2004 and others that followed. Members joined the Amsterdam Chamber Orchestra to perform Schubert’s Symphony No 5, closing with great applause and appreciation. They have also accompanied numerous visiting Soloists in Concertos, performed at 19 International Festivals and presented numerous public Concerts. In 2009 we ventured to Chennai, in 2010 to Goa and recently to Delhi, courtesy the ICCR.
To celebrate their 25th Anniversary, the Orchestra will perform Mozart’s Symphony No.25 in G minor, his Overture from the ‘Marriage of Figaro’, Hungarian Dance No.5 and popular light classics. Conductor Narayanaswamy V was born in a traditional South Indian family rooted in Carnatic Music, Narayanaswamy, fondly known as ‘NS’ or ‘Maestro’ to his students and admirers, has a degree in mechanical engineering. While in College he was invited to join a City Brass Band and mastered the art of playing several brass and woodwind instruments in a short period of time. He also took up playing string instruments such as violin and double bass, playing in ensembles and orchestras. Music soon became his passion.
He has benefited by the master classes in conducting with Professor Neil Thompson of the Royal Academy UK in 2003, in Sweden under the Indo-Swedish Exchange Projects and had intense conducting lessons at the Royal college of Music Stockholm, under the Finnish ‘maestro’ Professor Jorma Panula, Professor Per Andersberg and Professor Jonas Dominique. He remains one of the few resident Conductors of a Chamber Orchestra in the country. N S has been with the Music School for the past two decades as a Conductor and developing the small string ensemble of 1990 into a full- ledged Chamber Orchestra. He is Musical Director at the BSM and also Music Head at Frank Anthony Public School.