Indian music with its rich legacy of over three millennia, has always had a place of pride in the art world. The NCPA embraces all the major strands of Indian music and continues to feature a wide spectrum of artistes – from up-and-coming to top-ranking and living legends. The range of genres is equally diverse – from pure classical, and semi-classical to devotional, light, regional, folk and cross-over music.

The unique thematic element associated with each property makes it exclusive. Over the past decade, NCPA’s thematically curated Indian music festivals have been appreciated by artistes as well as audiences worldwide.

Upcoming Events in October 2023:

Avinashi Avinash    

An NCPA Presentation

In association with the Kilachand Foundation & Ashwin C. Shroff    

When: Friday, 6th October- 6.30 PM 

Where:  Tata Theatre

Duration: 2 hrs 

Age Suitability: 6+

Language: Gujarati 

Compere: Mukesh Joshi   Name of the artistes: Ashit Desai, Hema Desai, Alaap Desai & others  

Tickets: BookMyShow

About the Show: Music composer, lyricist and singer, Avinash Vyas (1912-1984), left an indelible mark on the world of Gujarati sugam sangeet (light music) through nearly 10,000 songs that he composed during the course of his career. Having had the privilege of being groomed under the legendary sarod maestro Allauddin Khan of Maihar, he went on to compose around 1,200 songs covering a wide range of subjects and moods for over 190 Gujarati films. Some well-known films for which he scored music were: Mahasati Ansuya (1943, with Allarakha), Gunsundari (1948, in Gujarati and Hindi), Bhagyawan (1953),  Andher Nagari Chaupat Raja (1955), Grihalakshmi (1959), Mehendi Rang Lagyo (1960), Hawa Mahal (1962), Taqat aur Talwar (1972), Santu Rangili (1976), Maa Baap (1977), Garvi Nar Gunaratan (1981) and Kanku ni Kimat (1983), amongst others. Besides using mainstream male and female singers, he was equally comfortable working with new talent. In fact, he was instrumental in introducing Geeta Dutt to Gujarati films.  

This presentation will showcase a wide range of his songs in Gujarati along with a garba sequence, providing a glimpse of the versatility of the award-winning music composer.   One World Many Musics: Celebrating Artistic Plurality An NCPA Presentation

About the presentation: The world that we live in is buzzing with myriad traditions and musical forms across various indigenous cultures. It is natural that various musical styles from around the world tend to influence each other, leading to newer forms that keep evolving.   This festival, showcasing varied musical forms, reaffirms the peaceful co-existence of cultural and artistic plurality in the world. With this event, we celebrate the power of music as a healing force that promotes cross-cultural understanding and reminds people of all cultures and religions that we share a common humanity.  

#Dipesh Varma Collective

When: Friday, 13 October- 7.00 pm 

Where: Experimental Theatre           

Duration: 2 hrs 

Language: English, Hindi

Tickets: BookMyShow

About the show: Led by Dipesh Varma (percussion & djembe), the ensemble includes Sridhar Parthasarthy, a senior percussionist (mridangam, kanjira, morsing), along with a younger team comprising Sandeep Mishra (sarangi), Harmeet Singh (tabla), Abhay Nayampally (guitar) and Amit Padhye (harmonium & keyboard). Besides having a mix of artistes trained in North and South Indian music traditions, the ethnic diversity of instruments adds to the appeal of the band.

The collaborative endeavour of the band strives to blend purposefully some conventional Hindustani and Carnatic melodies and rhythms with contemporary elements, resulting in an exciting sonic experience.

#When Chai Met Toast

When: Sunday, 22 October- 7.00 pm 

where: Tata Theatre 

Age Suitability: 6+

Duration: 2 hrs

Language: English, Hindi

Tickets: BookMyshow

About the show: After having met at music circles in Kerala, the quartet—comprising Ashwin Gopakumar, Achyuth Jaigopal, Palee Francis and Pai Sailesh—went on to form the pop band, When Chai Met Toast. Debuting with ‘Joy of Little Things’ in 2017, followed by hits like ‘Believe’ and ‘When We Feel Young’ and others, the band has established its identity which can be described as a mix of indie folk and alternative rock. Having performed at numerous concerts worldwide, today, the band enjoys a wide following among global audiences.

NCPA-HSBC Music Workshop - Understanding live sound, its fundamentals and possibilities

Supported by HSBC A free online workshop on Zoom by Ashwin Jyoti

When: Saturday, October 14 - 11.30 am

How to Register: BookMyShow

About the workshop: With the advancement in the technology that is available today to control and influence sound, it becomes imperative for all personnel involved in a live event to have some basic knowledge about the fundamentals governing the live sound as well as the possibilities for enhancing the sound quality in such scenario. This workshop is aimed at not only musicians but also technical personnel like budding sound engineers who have aspirations to join the live sound industry.  

The session will specifically deal with issues related to the behaviour of sound in real time, during a live stage performance. It is designed to introduce participants to various devices used, such as microphones, speakers, mixers etc., that influence the quality of sound. The role and impact of each of these devices will be explained and demonstrated with the help of live ensembles of vocal and instrumental music. This will enable participants to understand how to achieve the best sound during performance, within the given acoustic conditions such as the architecture of the hall and the size of the audience.

Ashwin Jyoti has trained in audio engineering and has vast experience in managing “live” sound. Having worked with a variety of PA systems, he specialises in setting up sound and rigging PA for huge audiences, both indoor and outdoor. An amateur singer himself, he has knowledge about mixing for events across various genres. Presently, he heads the team for live sound at the NCPA.

The Saga of Songstress 

An NCPA PresentationReminiscing the artistry of Gauhar Jan, Janki Bai, Zohra Bai & Begum Akhtar by Chandra Chakraborty Accompanied by Farooq Lateef Khan (sarangi), Sudhanshu Gharpure (harmonium), Tejas Burse (tabla) Narrators: Dr. Giorgia Caspani & Dr. Sid Kargupta When: Thursday, 19th October- 6.30 pm Where: Experimental Theatre  

Language: English, Hindi

Duration: 2 hrs

Age Suitability: 6+

Tickets: BookMyShow

About the show: The contribution made to Indian music by talented women of the courtesan community is indeed laudable. Although society at large preferred to ignore their contribution and even sought to abolish them from the performing space, research points to the ways in which these songstresses overcame social taboos and logistical challenges of recording and contributed immensely to the documentation and propagation of traditional classical and semi-classical repertoire.

Naturally endowed with tuneful and delicate voices, coupled with systematic training and arduous practice, they became custodians of an unusually large repertoire ranging from khayal, thumri, dadra, tappa and hori to ghazal. With a unique combination of beauty, brains and musical talent, they ruled the world of classical and semi-classical Indian music in the early 20th century.   About the Artistes: Chandra Chakraborty has trained at the prestigious ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, with stalwarts like A. Kanan, Malabika Kanan and Girija Devi. She is an AIR gold medalist and a National Scholar in Music. Besides performing at many prestigious venues across the world and producing cross-cultural events, she has been closely associated with several organisations promoting Indian music in the U.K.  

This presentation seeks to revisit the mystery and magic of the untold, unheard stories of some of the evergreen melody queens of Indian music. Researched, scripted, directed and performed by Chakraborty, the production portrays the tales of four songstresses in particular: Gauhar Jan (1873-1930) of Kolkata, Janki Bai (1880-1934) of Allahabad, Zohra Bai (1868-1930) of Agra and Begum Akhtar (1914-1974) of Lucknow.  

Citi-NCPA Urja – Presenting young talent  

Supported by Citi

When: Friday, 20th October-6.30 pm

Where: Little Theatre

Duration:90 mins (approx)

Entry: on a first-come, first-served basis.

Name of the artistes: Manas Kumar (Violin), Gayathry Krishnachandran (Carnatic Vocal)