Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra commences India tour at NCPA, Mumbai

(India tour to cover Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai)
In wake of a gamut of events, initiatives and programmes to commemorate the 60th year of diplomatic ties between India and Germany, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra today commenced its India tour in Mumbai at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. The tour is part of the ongoing programme series "Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities" which commenced in September this year. Many more such events and programmes are planned during the course of this series. Founded in 1945, the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra has been at the top of the international orchestral scene for more than 65 years. As the world’s oldest professional chamber orchestra, it undoubtedly serves as a model for others and has therefore been selected as part of the cultural exchange under the ongoing India – Germany diplomatic ties commemoration. Having made its debut in India in the year 1956, the present tour is the orchestra’s fourth one, the third being in the year 2010. The Orchestra’s repeated performances are the result of continuous collaborations with event hosts in India who time and again welcome and support their concerts in the subcontinent. During its present chapter the orchestra will tour three cities in India – Mumbai on December 1 and 2, 2011, Bangalore on December 3, 2011 and Chennai on December 4, 2011. Sponsored by the Bosch and "Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities", the Orchestra’s tour has a new feature. This feature is the ensemble’s association with an India Orchestra namely the Symphony Orchestra of India. One of the two-day performances at Mumbai will have the Symphony Orchestra of India performing along with the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. The Symphony Orchestra of India musicians will continue to perform with the ensemble at Bangalore and Chennai as well Founded in August 2006 by the National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Symphony Orchestra of India is the country‘s first fully professional symphony.orchestra. Despite recruiting musicians from the international field, the orchestra places great emphasis on developing musical potential within India itself. With 16 Indian players in the ensemble, it is based in Mumbai but tours nationally. The first concert in Mumbai will commence with an immortal, epoch-defining concerto grosso by two Baroque masters – Corelli and Handel, touch upon yet another Baroque genius – Vivaldi, progress into the Classical (Mozart), the Classical-Romantic (Hummel), the Romantic (Mendelssohn) periods and end with the works of archetypal, yet completely diverse modern composers – Shoshtakovitch and Britten. Bach, ever-beloved, omnipresent, indispensable, is celebrated, en route, with a Reger transcription of the chorale, “Oh Man, bewail your great sins” (on December 1) and by the rarely heard Concerto for three violins (on December 2). Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Sanjay Chakravarty, Head, Corporate Communications, Bosch Group India said “It is indeed an honour for Bosch to facilitate and be part of such cultural exchange, we hope to support and see many more of such initiatives.” The Chairman of the NCPA, Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook, says, “The NCPA, welcome back the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra. We are certain that this great ensemble will enthrall our audiences with fine musicianship.” As per Mr. Max Wagner, Managing Director of Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra,” We are the only western orchestra that tours India regularly. We hope that this tradition will go on for a long time. We are also thankful to NCPA, Bosch and the programme series "Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities" for supporting us for this tour. This tour would have not been possible without their assistance.”