The Toronto-based National Youth Orchestra of Canada is involved in an intriguing cultural and musical exchange where 32 of its talented young people are flying to Bangalore, India next week to create the Canada-India Youth Orchestra.
The young Canadians and three professional mentors will be working with 35 young Indians, brought together by the Bangalore School of Music. In addition to one-on-one training and master classes, the orchestra players will be working towards a joint concert on May 25, led by regular National Youth Orchestra conductor Alain Trudel.
The exchange, initiated in India, began last year when four chairs in the National Youth Orchestra were filled for the whole summer by players from the subcontinent. This year, there will be three season-long visitors.
The Canadians travelling to India are bringing along instruments and other musical supplies that might be helpful for their Indian colleagues. And, in line with current practice of offering community outreach, the Canada-India Orchestra will also engage with children at a local orphanage in Bangalore.
“We are so proud and honoured to travel to India as cultural ambassadors to mentor and guide these musicians as western classical music develops and grows in India,” said National Youth Orchestra executive director Barbara Smith in a press release.
“We look to an ongoing partnership with the NYOC and aim at building world class young Indian players, who will play at national and international levels in the future,” said Aruna Sunderlal, founder of the Bangalore School of Music. “The NYOC will also be instrumental in building many chamber orchestras in our country and a national youth orchestra in the future.”
You can find out about all of this year’s National Youth Orchestra activities here.
John Terauds