NCPA Announces Symphony Orchestra Of India’s Autumn 2026 Season Celebrating 20 Years

The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has unveiled the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) Autumn 2026 Season, scheduled to take place from 16 to 30 August 2026, marking the orchestra's 20th anniversary. The season will feature four symphonic concerts and two chamber recitals, celebrating two decades of India's first and only professional orchestra.

The anniversary programme brings together an international line-up of conductors and soloists, with Martyn Brabbins, the newly appointed SOI Chief Conductor, leading two concerts. Alessandro Bonato, Principal Conductor of the Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento, will make his SOI and India debut by conducting two programmes.

The season will also introduce three artists making their SOI debuts,Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe, Italian violinist Francesca Dego, and conductor Alessandro Bonato. Award-winning cellist Bryan Cheng, who last performed with the orchestra during its Spring 2024 Season, returns for this year's programme.

As part of the orchestra's ongoing Beethoven Symphony Cycle, launched ahead of the composer's 200th death anniversary in 2027, audiences will hear Beethoven's Symphonies No. 2 and No. 8, along with his celebrated Violin Concerto. The season's repertoire also includes works by Mozart, Richard Strauss, Wagner, Elgar, Rossini, Mendelssohn, Respighi and Tchaikovsky.

Complementing the orchestral concerts are two chamber music recitals. The internationally acclaimed Cheng²Duo, featuring Bryan Cheng and pianist Silvie Cheng, will perform works by Janá?ek, Boulanger, Poulenc and a special arrangement of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Later in the season, Francesca Dego will join pianist Francesca Leonardi for a recital featuring compositions by Tartini, Berio, Debussy, Respighi and Ravel.

Commenting on the milestone, Khushroo N. Suntook, Chairman of the NCPA and Co-founder of the Symphony Orchestra of India, reflected on the orchestra's journey over the past two decades. He said the SOI was established to create a world-class orchestra and music academy in India, and expressed confidence that, under the leadership of Chief Conductor Martyn Brabbins and Artistic Director Marat Bisengaliev, the orchestra will continue expanding its international presence while nurturing more Indian musicians through the SOI Music Academy.

Founded in 2006 by Khushroo N. Suntook and violinist Marat Bisengaliev, the Symphony Orchestra of India has played a pivotal role in shaping the country's orchestral music ecosystem. Over the years, the orchestra has collaborated with globally renowned conductors and soloists, toured internationally, staged large-scale opera productions, and invested in music education through its academy and outreach initiatives. The Autumn 2026 Season celebrates both the orchestra's legacy and its continued commitment to artistic excellence.