Because the Olga & Jules Craen Basis (OJCF) celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Younger Musician of the Yr (YMOY) award, it’s a second to honour the distinctive expertise, perseverance, and fervour of younger musicians throughout India. Established in reminiscence of two visionary musicians, Olga & Jules Craen, the award has grown right into a prestigious establishment, providing younger classical musicians alternatives to hone their abilities, acquire publicity, and share their skills with the world. The YMOY program, supported by the Nationwide Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), worldwide music academies, Furtados, and numerous colleges of music and music boards throughout India, has been a platform for inventive expression, recognition, and collaboration.
Primarily based on the broad smiles of concert-goers exiting the Tata Theatre at NCPA Mumbai, it was clear that “YMOYs in Live performance,” celebrating the tenth anniversary of The Olga & Jules Craen Basis, fulfilled its promise to showcase the musicianship of its gifted Younger Musicians of the Yr (YMOYs). Held on twenty ninth September 2024, the live performance date marked a joyous double celebration—it could even have been the eighty fifth wedding ceremony anniversary of Olga & Jules Craen.
The night featured YMOYs accompanied by distinguished musicians from the Symphony Orchestra of India, the dynamic Residing Voices-Mumbai choir led by Professor Blossom Mendonca, and Olga’s internationally acclaimed scholar, Professor Marialena Fernandes, on pianoforte. The various program included classical music carried out on numerous devices, interspersed with semi-classical music and dance by the Residing Voices choir and Bharatnatyam dancers from Divine Nrityalaya, who introduced a spirited efficiency to the track ‘Jerusalema’ sung by Residing Voices.
Reflecting on the legacy of the YMOY award, Tanay Joshi (YMOY 2013), the inaugural winner, notes, “The OJCF has completed an exquisite job of encouraging younger expertise from throughout India, offering a prestigious platform to hone their abilities, showcase their expertise, and acquire recognition.” For Tanay, the award was a springboard to worldwide alternatives, together with summer season packages within the U.Okay., which paved his method towards a full-time research within the U.Okay., giving him a basis of confidence and connections that also enrich his profession.
For Meagan Alphonso Pandian (YMOY 2014), the OJCF performed a important position in increasing her musical horizons. “The OJCF despatched me to the Académie d’Eté de Good in France, the place I used to be launched to the harp and commenced my Harp India journey,” she remembers. Meagan’s profession is now intertwined with this distinctive instrument, because of the mentorship and ongoing assist from OJCF. “The inspiration has been instrumental in recognizing younger expertise, supporting them of their adolescence,” she provides, underscoring the life-changing influence OJCF had on her musical journey.
Shirish Malhotra (YMOY 2015), a flautist, emphasizes how the inspiration’s steadfast dedication made a long-lasting distinction, notably via the challenges posed by the pandemic. “Receiving the award did wonders for my confidence as a principally self-taught musician. OJCF was receptive and cooperative in serving to me pursue my targets,” he displays. Shirish’s gratitude for the chance to carry out a solo flute piece with orchestral accompaniment highlights the inspiration’s adaptability and dedication to nurturing particular person expertise.
For Apurva Devarajan Dutta (YMOY 2016), the award opened doorways to networking with fellow musicians and mentors, fostering a vibrant sense of neighborhood. “The OJCF isn’t solely supportive through the 12 months of the award however goes past by facilitating alternatives to community with different musicians and pedagogues,” she notes, emphasizing the inspiration’s position in constructing a long-lasting community amongst India’s younger musicians.
Subin Sebastian Mathai (YMOY 2017) echoes this sentiment, expressing his appreciation for the efficiency alternatives that helped him attain new audiences and refine his craft.
Kabir Dabholkar (YMOY 2018), a classical guitarist, shares how the inspiration’s assist boosted his confidence, important for “growing one’s personal musical voice and concepts.” He commends the inspiration for sustaining such a program for ten years, noting, “It’s a testomony to its organizers and a privilege to be chosen alongside such gifted musicians.” Kabir’s expertise assembly different YMOYs on the September 2024 live performance left a deep impression, notably because of the professionalism of the SOI members.
For Anuvrat Choudhary (joint-YMOY 2019), the award was each “beneficiant and nurturing,” serving to him construct connections with musicians and pedagogues who guided him in his Grasp’s research at Trinity Laban. He highlights the significant collaboration with Yulia Gallyamova and Nuraly Kungaliev in performing Beethoven’s Gassenhauer Trio. “They had been extraordinarily supportive and stuffed with pleasure, including to the light-heartedness and playfulness of the trio,” he remembers, describing an expertise that added depth to his efficiency abilities.
Anuvrat’s joint laureate in 2019, Samyuktha Rajagopal, credit OJCF for her transformative journey in music. “Profitable the YMOY award was pivotal, enabling me to attend the Worldwide Menuhin Music Academy’s summer season masterclass and later be a part of its three-year diploma program,” she says. Now a Grasp’s scholar in London, Samyuktha views OJCF as a household that has been supportive of her profession in innumerable methods. “Assembly the opposite YMOYs was a pleasure, and sharing our data from over time has been immensely rewarding.”
Udit Gupta (YMOY 2020) describes the status of successful the award as “a uncommon honour” for any classical musician in India, evaluating it to a footballer successful the Ballon d’Or. Udit appreciates how the rigorous choice course of challenged him to achieve new inventive ranges, not solely as a musician but in addition as a performer.
After a two-year hiatus resulting from COVID-19, the YMOY award resumed in 2023, with Fateen Ahmed entering into the highlight. “Profitable the YMOY award has been a gamechanger for me,” Fateen says. The award allowed him to attend Chetham’s Piano Summer season College, which uncovered him to world-renowned pianists and a vibrant tradition of musical excellence. Performing his dream Grieg Concerto with the SOI musicians, Fateen provides, “It was the top and an exhilarating expertise, fostering inventive progress and unforgettable reminiscences.” He’s grateful to the OJCF for the extraordinary rehearsals with conductor Barbara Poplawska, describing the grand finale as “etched in my thoughts eternally.”
The newest recipient, Neil Sajnani (YMOY 2024), values the OJCF for a private motive—his trainer was as soon as a scholar of Olga Craen herself. “Learning items that my trainer had labored on with Olga Craen introduced her insights into my very own taking part in,” he displays. By way of the inspiration’s assist, Neil attended the Worldwide Summer season Piano Academy in Switzerland, which he regards as a “large alternative.” He appears to be like ahead to solo recitals throughout main cities in India, made doable via the OJCF’s unceasing assist.
In his tackle, Khushroo Suntook, Chairman of NCPA, paid tribute to Madame Olga Craen, who was his trainer too, lamenting that she didn’t obtain the popularity she actually deserved. He acknowledged his pleasure at seeing so many younger artists performing admirably and urged Company India and the federal government to assist music and the humanities extra robustly within the nation as we speak.
On behalf of the Basis, Zinnia Mehta Khajotia thanked all current for his or her attendance, noting that with out them, the occasion couldn’t have been a hit. She appreciated all its donors and advertisers of the previous decade, its service suppliers, and the varied Faculties of Music and music fora across the nation that provided its YMOYs their main efficiency platforms. She recommended the YMOYs for his or her achievements, for being the OJCF’s raison d’être, and exhorted them to proceed to enthrall and treasure the very treasured legacy entrusted to them—that of Olga & Jules Craen, who, aside from their very own performances in Europe and India, devoted their lives to instructing Western Classical Music to younger Indian musicians for half a century!
The tenth anniversary celebration of the OJCF YMOY award underscores the legacy of Olga & Jules Craen, whose dedication to nurturing younger expertise stays alive in every laureate’s journey. The inspiration has achieved greater than the cultivation of musical expertise—it has constructed a neighborhood the place the change of concepts, mentorship, and camaraderie thrive. This community of assist continues to encourage the subsequent era of Indian classical musicians, who, like Tanay, Meagan, Shirish, Apurva, Subin, Kabir, Anuvrat, Samyuktha, Udit, Fateen, and Neil, carry ahead the torch of excellence.
All of the night’s performers, together with the YMOYs and their accompanists, gathered on stage for the finale. A rousing rendition of “Battle Hymn of the Republic” concluded the occasion, with the viewers enthusiastically collaborating within the refrain. Every YMOY recipient has left an indelible mark on India’s classical music panorama, and because the OJCF appears to be like to the longer term, it’s clear that the inspiration’s work will resonate for years to come back, fostering a wealthy cultural heritage that celebrates inventive expertise, perseverance, and fervour.
