December 16, 2022December 16, 2022News & Updates

Registration for the Grand Budapest Concert in August 2023

Registration for the Audition process for the Grand Budapest Concert 2023 is now Open!

Registration: All interested candidates must register first in order to appear for the audition. Here is the form: CLICK HERE

“The very prestigious Indo-European Yout Orchestra is the first Indian orchestra to perform in Europe. The concert was first held at the Danube palace hall on 18th August 2019 in Budapest, Hungary. The Grand Budapest Concert project is an opportunity not easily found, finely curated by Maestro Michael Makhal – it is the greatest musical and cultural adventure for western classical music students and advanced-level musicians from India and around the world.”

We are very excited to inform you that, we are preparing for the 3rd edition of our Grand Budapest Concert in Budapest, Hungary in August 2023. The Indo-European Youth Orchestra will once again enthrall the audience of Budapest with a great lineup of extraordinary pieces that include (tentatively) the work of Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Bach, Elgar, Mozart, Tagore, Michael Makhal, and more. This year in August, we had the Grand Budapest Concert at the Festetics Palace on 14th August 2022. Indo-European Youth Orchestra (IEYO), an ensemble of its own kind, performed in Budapest with selected talented musicians from different parts of India, and also, citizens of the USA, Australia, South Korea, and Hungary. It goes without saying, Indo-European Chamber/Youth Orchestra has successfully made a mark for itself on the map of global chamber/youth orchestras. Our young musicians indeed came back home with a treasure of knowledge, experience, and motivation unparallel to anything. We are extremely glad for the contribution we could make to the lives of these young performers. The concert at the Festetics palace this year was as thrilling for the audience as for all the musicians, everyone enjoyed it from their heart and the audience showered applause generously.

Young musicians always learn the best when they perform with orchestras, they get inspired by their fellow musicians and get motivated to do music with a true passion. Our main goals for this concert and workshop project are to inspire young talents to fall in love with music and do music to the best of their ability, also, gain invaluable experience from playing in an international concert with musicians from different parts of the world including professionals, and be more confident, creative and also, get trained to be a great team player.

Gallery: Click Here

Registration: All interested candidates must register first in order to appear for the audition. Here is the form: https://forms.gle/VttLPnmg8ieAe57o6

Email: makhalsymphony@gmail.com

January 9, 2018October 22, 2019Blog

Symphony Music in Indian Weddings!

How Michael Makhal popularised Mozart and Bach to Indian Weddings along with the famous tunes of Hans Zimmer and Jon Williams. And, of course, the Bollywood Symphonies and evergreen Pop numbers are in the repertoire too.

Wedding in India is not less than any festival. The whole family celebrates the wedding for at least a week nowadays in India. And, such wedding in the family naturally makes it an occasion for great food, gorgeous outfits and lovely live music. Regional music and traditional rhythms are unbreakable part of any Indian wedding no matter its from which community or from what part of the country. However, as Indians have a very sophisticated taste of music, it has been noticed that western music and band music always took a large scale part in Indian wedding receptions, especially, to create a classic ambiance for the guests.

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January 3, 2018May 27, 2018Blog

Aarya – the young Pianist from India

Aarya Ganesan is a 17 year old student from Bangalore, India, studying in Greenwood International High School, pursuing Music as her main subject of the IB curriculum under the guidance of Mr. Omprakash Roy. Aarya was the youngest member from India to participate in the 7th Luci Della Ribalta International Festival and Masterclasses in Narni – Italy in 2017 as a Pianist. She had the privilege to have masterclasses from world famous Serbian Concert Pianist Maestra Nataša Šarčević and also performed a piece of Chopin – her favorite composer in the evening concert in Narni at the end of her course.

Aarya began learning the keyboard at the age of 6, which mainly revolved around Indian Music. She started developing a keen interest in Western Classical Music and started going to Piano classes under Ms. Serena Anthony at the age of 8. She is currently going to be giving her Grade 8 Piano Exam under Trinity in the winter session of 2017. In 2014, she secures 2nd place in the Kawai Junior Piano competition – judged by Ms. Pauline Warjri. She has performed in numerous Student Recitals organized by her teacher, Ms. Anthony, she has performed for the NRI Parents’ Association of Bangalore and at two fundraisers. She also takes part in annual Graduation Day Celebrations amongst other functions at school. Aarya personally enjoys Romantic Music and Contemporary Music. She also takes great interest in Music Composition and Song-writing which she will be pursuing in college.

A well reputed Italian Non Profit organisation L’Associazione Mozart Italy sede de Terni invites Western Classical musicians and students from all over Europe and around the world to take part in the amazing festival and masterclass program in the beautiful city of Narni. The Association brings the most prominent Maestros of Europe to conduct the Masterclasses on various classical musical instruments and voice. The initiative of the noted Indian musician Michael Makhal and renowned Italian opera singer/trainer Ms. Anais Lee – the Director of the Association Mozart Italia to build an alliance between the Association and Michael Makhal Symphony Orchestra certainly opened a new avenue for the Western Classical musicians and and students of India to take part in one of the world’s most reputed festivals – The Luci Della Ribalta International Festival and Masterclasses. Michael believes, “The collaboration will certainly create a bridge between the Western Classical musicians and students of India and Europe and help them building personal and professional network, which could cause to various International exchange programs in the future.” He also says, “International exposure is equally important for students and professional musicians both along with learning and performing music in their home-state. It helps one to be a musician in whole and boost tremendous level of confidence to collaborate, communicate and perform in a broader spectrum. Indeed, touring for learning and performing music is priceless, makes you highly imaginative and creative too.”

The festival takes place in beautiful Italian town called Narni, in Italy. Narni is an ancient hill-town and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,385 inhabitants. At an altitude of 240 m, it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. Narni-Amelia (the train station) is little more than 1 hour in train from Roma Termini.

MMSO is the official representative of the L’Associazione Mozart Italy for selecting the right candidate from India for the festival and help them to understand how the Luci Della Ribalta International Festival and Masterclasses functions and also, guide them to prepare for the audition and the respective masterclasses. The Western Classical music students and professionals who desire to participate in the festival and attend the masterclasses, are requested to contact Mr. Makhal for the upcoming audition. The first level audition will be conducted every year from January in free of cost. Once the candidates are selected, they will introduced to the secretory of the Association in Italy to initiate the formalities. Please keep your eyes on our Facebook Page India Italy Music Connection for all the upcoming updates. You can also visit the website of the Association to know about the course fee and learn all about the festival and masterclasses, click here. You can always mail us for further details at makhalsymphony@gmail.com

December 30, 2017May 27, 2018Blog

Best Wishes from Zubin Mehta

A Note from Maestro

In a fine morning, I woke up with the news in the daily, that, Maestro Zubin Mehta is in Town (Hyderabad). The first thing hit the core of my belly was, can I meet him? Thats it, I was hooked to that urge for few minutes and couldn’t help but googling to find out where he has put up in Hyderabad. It didn’t take long and I found that he is staying in the Taj Falaknuma Palace.

I rang the TFP number and the receptionist picked up the call. I, very politely asked her if I could speak to Mr. Zubin Mehta and she said, please hold on Sir I am connecting the call to him. O boy, I was not prepared for that, not at all. I thought, they will say No and I will have to struggle to speak to him and by the time I will get him on line I will be ready with my words. But, probably the man with a great heart had that hot-line open for friends and well-wishers to call and have a chat with him. When I was thinking all these, a Tenor voice appeared from the other side, “Hello” and I, with great humility greeted the Maestro and before he could speak anything, I reeled out everything what was in my heart: About my father Ananta Makhal, who was a conductor of Calcutta Chamber Orchestra, which was also an orchestra where Mr. Mehta’s father Meli Mehta has worked before moved back to Mumabi. I told him about my orchestra and what my plans are, how things are difficult here to promote western classical music, how I am getting musicians and doing shows in private events and how I want to take it to the next level etc. etc. etc. and if I could meet him for a little while to talk more about my orchestra and future plans. He listened all with great patience and replied me with great humility, that, he is here for two days only and would have loved to meet me, but the schedules are already overloaded, so meeting seems to be very tough. After a short pause, he said, Michael – I like what you are doing and I would be happy to write a short note – kind of a recommendation note for you if you think that would help you in any ways. I jumped on my chair, but controlled myself in a fraction of a second and told him: Mr. Mehta, that would be wonderful, it will really help me in the journey. He said, come tomorrow and collect it from the reception. I did that, couldn’t sleep whole night and next day, when I reached the Taj Falaknuma Palace, the receptionist handed me over this note, written by the Maestro on a TFP notepad just like the good old royal musicians: “To whom it may concern, I have heard that Mr. Michael Rupam Makhal has the intention of forming a Chamber Orchestra in Hyderabad – I endorse the project wholeheartedly and wish him all the best”.

The truth is, I hardly showed this letter to anyone for any benefit of the orchestra or any other purpose. I shared it on social networking sites for my friends and family. It is more like a priceless souvenir to me. I will definitely use it for the purpose Maestro spared his precious time and wrote it with such great love and humility when I will come across such apt opportunity. I am striving for that day, working hard, to make Mr. Mehta feel proud of his pledge he made for a project based on the words of a person he never seen or met. The thought of such humility gets me every time I think about it. God bless Mr. Mehta, a great musician and moreover, an amazing role model and an exceptionally humble human.

– Michael Makhal

December 30, 2017May 27, 2018Blog

Italy International Festival 2018

The 8th Luci Della Ribalta International Festival 2018 – Audition is On!

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April 3, 2016December 30, 2017Blog

Happy Birthday Maestro Mstislav Rostropovich

Mstislav Rostropovich in Kolkata

Legendary Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich was born on this day in 1927 – 89 years ago | Passing away in 2007, Mr Rostropovich is widely regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time.

In this photo, Maestro Rostropovich is posing with Ananta Makhal and his two students in Oxford Mission Calcutta many years ago during his trip to India. Ananta Makhal was the Conductor of Calcutta Chamber Orchestra and Music Director OM Orchestra. He was also Principal 2nd Violinist for the Delhi Symphony Orchestra for many decades. Ananta was father of Michael Makhal.

March 23, 2016December 30, 2017Blog

Mozart’s 40th Symphony

The 40th Symphony of Mozart

The 40th Symphony was completed on 25 July 1788. The composition occupied an exceptionally productive period of just a few weeks in 1788, during which time he also completed the 39th and 41st symphonies (26 June and 10 August, respectively). Nikolaus Harnoncourt argues that Mozart composed the three symphonies as a unified work, pointing, among other things, to the fact that the Symphony No. 40, as the middle work, has no introduction (unlike No. 39) and does not have a finale of the scale of No. 41’s.