MUMBAI: The National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) has a plethora of western and Indian musical concerts and workshops in store for February.

Commencing from 3 February, the first concert will be ‘Gurukul’, an Indian music performance by children presented by the Sound Space. Honouring the guru-shishya tradition, Gurukul will introduce the magic of Indian classical music and traditions in a child-friendly fashion. A group of 40-45 children will perform short raga based songs, sargams and bandishes.

A western music recital will be presented on 5 February by Matt Haimovitz (Cello) and Victoria Aja (Piano), followed by a celebration and tribute concert to western music exponents Olga and Jules Craen on 6 February. The audio-visual event will recount the lives of the couple featuring performances by Marialena Fernandes, Roshan Chowna, Minoo Mehta, Ernavaz Bharucha and Zubin Behram-Kamdin.

The second tribute will be presented through the institution of ‘The Olga and Jules Craen Foundation’s Young Musician of the Year’ annual award. The young recipient, chosen from an instrumental or vocal discipline and residing in India, will be nurtured for one year. During this period, guardianship will be in the form of a scholarship offering excellence in training with teachers in India and visiting musicians, financial aid for instruments and books, and assistance in attending master classes and workshops in India and abroad. This year’s winner Tanay Joshi from Ahmedabad was chosen by three international adjudicators in November 2012 and will also perform at the event.

Also holding workshops to educate young music learners, an appreciation course ‘Understanding the Fundamentals of Hindustani Music’ will be conducted by Geetika Varde Qureshi on 8-9 February. It will enable people to familiarize themselves with the basic terminology of Indian music and different musical styles, introducing them to the works of renowned composers and more. Spread over just two days, the course will be conducted in English in two sessions of two hours each. Participants will also receive written material on the subject.

Eminent sitar player Shujaat Husain Khan will host a Hindustani music recital in collaboration with Saroj Jhaveri Foundation on 9 February.

From the 13-22 February, the NCPA will present the annual Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) with a line-up of renowned Indian and international artistes. The first concert will be conducted by Zane Dalal and the all-Beethoven concert will have the Coriolan Overture and the 4th Symphony performed in the first half. Both these works were introduced together to the Viennese audience at the same concert. The orchestra and Dalal will recreate that evening in March 1807 when this music premiered at Prince Lobkowitz’s palace.

Dalal will also conduct a piano concert by Benjamin Frith on 17 February. It will feature Dalal conducting the orchestra in a performance of one of Tchaikovsky’s great masterpieces, his 5th Symphony.

In the midst of the SOI concerts, a Oberon Trio concert by Henja Semmler (Violin), Antoaneta Emanuilova (Cello) and Jonathan Aner (Piano) on 18 February.

A music chamber concert on 19 February will witness virtuoso violinist Marat Bisengaliev performing with Benjamin Frith and Boris Baraz (Cello). The The programme will end with the evergreen Mendelssohn first piano trio in which Baraz, the leader of the cello section of the orchestra, will join in.

NCPA chairman and SOI founder Khushroo N Suntook said, “This season is largely traditional and is especially noteworthy that our conductor-in-residence Zane Dalal will take charge of all the concerts. This is a tribute to his growing popularity and accomplished musicianship. SOI once again charts the new territory with its collaboration with our well-loved icon Zakir Hussain. Great artistes such as Benjamin Frith, Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer also adorn this season.”

A clash of Indian and western music will be witnessed on 22 February with a Hindustani music recital by Deepak Kshirsagar (Indian classical guitar) and Sraboni Chaudhury (Vocal) on one hand, and the final concert of SOI on the other featuring a mix of Marat Bisengaliev (Violin), Bela Fleck (Banjo), Edgar Meyer (Double Bass), Zakir Hussain (Tabla) and Zane Dalal (Conductor).

The evening will start with the Giinka Ruslan and Ludmila overture, one of the most difficult orchestral pieces to perform, followed by the Tchaikovsky Violin concert. Bisengaliev will perform the original unabridged version and present an authentic interpretation of this virtuoso work.

It will also feature tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain’s premiere association with the SOI through the Indian premier of Melody of Rhythm – a three movement jazz-influenced triple concert for Banjo, Double Bass and Tabla.