A dream come true: bringing the BBC SSO to India

On paper, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra’s tour of India was four years in the making - from the first idea to the final glorious concert in Mumbai.

But really the inspiration for the tour goes back 25 years – to when SSO Director Gavin Reid visited the country as a young music student.

SSO Director Gavin Reid

“It was one of those extraordinary life-changers” says Reid, “I loved the people, the colour and vitality. I remember thinking I was at the ends of the earth and how was I going to get home?”

Reid was a 23-year-old trumpeter with the European Community Youth Orchestra. He toured India with Indian music legends Ravi Shankar and conductor Zubin Metha.

“I always thought would it be brilliant to go back, never really knowing when that might happen," he adds.

“I’d thought about it since I came to the SSO, and the Commonwealth Games provided the opportunity to see if we could make this work. Especially with the link to the Delhi games from 2010.”

With violinist Nicola Benedetti and composer James MacMillan, in April 2014 the SSO visited three cities - Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai.

It was more than just a series of concerts. The SSO’s aim was to have a programme of cultural exchange, and create a lasting musical legacy for both Britain and India.

Alongside the three main concerts, the orchestra was involved in schools performances and student workshops for thousands of young people across the country.

Music education

“We wanted to do something out of the ordinary that could provide interesting experiences for musicians and audiences," says Reid.

“I’ve always been passionate about music education, so we started talking to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and had the idea of taking their students to play with the orchestra.”

The SSO worked with the British Council and classical music agency Intermusica to reach arts venues and build partnerships in India. Reid and Royal Conservatoire Professor Fali Pavri, who is originally from Mumbai, visited India in December 2011 to plan the tour.

“There was enthusiasm and opportunities everywhere, but we knew three cities was as much as we could do.

“Delhi for the Commonwealth Games connection, Mumbai for its arts scene and as the home of the Symphony Orchestra of India, and then we also got to know people in Chennai.”

They met composer AR Rahman, who is known to Western audiences for his Slumdog Millionaire film soundtrack. Rahman established his educational foundation the KM Music Conservatory in Chennai.

In Mumbai, Reid also linked up with the Meli Metha foundation – the family trust of conductor Zubin Metha - which teaches Western classical music to hundreds of children every week.

“It always the intention to develop ongoing relationships with India that would last beyond the tour,” adds Reid. “In future there’s potential for students from Chennai to come here, and for Glasgow students to go out.

“And we hope there will be opportunities for graduates to go and help teach classical music in India”

New audience

Financial support for the tour came from the BBC, British Council, Royal Conservatoire, and the National Centre for Performing Arts in Mumbai.

As well as reaching Indian audiences, the SSO planned a range of programmes for the UK. Ahead of the tour, AR Rahman brought 20 of his vocal students to Glasgow for a concert in January 2014. It was broadcast on the BBC Asian Network as part of the Celtic Connections festival.

BBC Radio 3 held their breakfast show from Mumbai and broadcast that night’s concert live, in addition to other coverage on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. In India the SSO was filmed by public service broadcaster Doordarshan, and the concert from Delhi was heard on all All India Radio.

“They have a reach of around 750million people," says Reid. "I don’t suppose every one of them listened, but if once per cent of them listened that is still 7.5million. Which isn’t bad.“

“The good thing is that their heartland audience is in the rural areas, and we were really trying to reach a new audience.”

At the concerts the SSO played Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5, and Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4. Reid says there was an incredible response from audiences.

“The reaction was amazing - standing ovations. And the musicians without exception loved the experience. I quite genuinely think it exceeded my wildest dreams.

“The tour rates as the highlight of my career. We hope we will have left a footprint for other orchestras to follow.”