To bring worlds together through music

Eminent flutist Uberto Orlando gave a lecture-demonstration on the ‘Development of Western Music’ at an event held in Goethe-Zentrum on Friday. The event was in collaboration with the Hyderabad Western Musical Foundation. Talking about the locals’ observance and interest in western music, Orlando said, “The audience is amazing, very attentive. I did not expect such an interest in western music among Indians.”

This is Uberto’s fourth visit to the country, where he is giving a series of performances in collaboration with the foundation. Calling himself an ambassador of western music in India, the musician aims to promote western music in the country through education. “There are many good and talented young musicians in India who learn Western classical music and yearn to take it forward.

However, there are neither enough institutions nor highly experienced teachers,” the musician said. To fill this knowledge gap, Orlando discussed his plan to establish a project at Calcutta School of Music – one of the few Indian music schools teaching western music. In project talented young musicians from Britain or Europe will come to Kolkata and share their knowledge and insight.

“This collaboration will go far beyond music,” he said, adding, “Western music students will learn not only music - playing together, they will also learn how to interact and perform as a team.” Besides, it would be an enriching cultural experience both for the students and teachers. “Indian and western societies experience music in a different way. Here it is more about improvisation and performance, there, in the west – we have to write down all the music and follow the rules,” the soloist explained.

“But in the end, the goal of the performer is the same; to make people come together and to bring music from the paper... to the audience,” Orlando exclaimed. Uberto Orlando will be performing at a fund-raising concert in Kolkata to help the victims of Nepal earthquake.