2026
About the Orchestra
Symphony Orchestra of India
Khushroo N. Suntook, NCPA Chairman & SOI Co-Founder
Marat Bisengaliev, SOI Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Martyn Brabbins, Chief Conductor
“A world-class ensemble.”
– The Spectator
“A very fine orchestra that can be compared with a lot of good ensembles all over the world.”
– Maestro Zubin Mehta
“This is clearly an orchestra that’s going places.”
– Miranda Heggie, The Arts Desk, on the SOI’s UK tour
The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), housed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, is India’s first and only professional orchestra. It was founded in 2006 by NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook and violin virtuoso Marat Bisengaliev, who serves as the Orchestra’s Artistic Director. Martyn Brabbins has been appointed as the SOI’s Chief Conductor, since January 2026.
The SOI has worked with such renowned conductors as Zubin Mehta, Martyn Brabbins, Carlo Rizzi, Charles Dutoit, Karl Jenkins and more. Soloists appearing with the SOI have included Maria João Pires, Augustin Dumay, Simon O’Neill, Stephen Hough, Angel Blue, Zakir Hussain, Barry Douglas amongst others.
International tours have seen the SOI perform in the Hall of Columns in Moscow; the Royal Opera House, Muscat; the Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi; the Tonhalle, Zurich; Victoria Hall, Geneva; the Tonhalle, St. Gallen; and at prestigious venues across the
United Kingdom.
Apart from the mainstays of the symphonic repertoire, the NCPA and SOI have also presented large-scale productions, including fully staged opera productions of Tosca, Cavalleria rusitcana / Pagliacci, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème and Die Fledermaus in 2022 in collaboration with the Hungarian State Opera. In 2024, the NCPA had the honour of hosting the 31st edition of the world’s foremost opera competition – Operalia, founded by world renowned tenor Plácido Domingo, in South Asia for the very first time. The SOI accompanied the finalists under the baton of Plácido Domingo.
The orchestra comprises a core group of resident musicians who form the SOI Chamber Orchestra. It enjoys a year-round busy performing schedule with regular series of concerts performed at the NCPA as well as other venues across Mumbai and India.
The SOI also places great emphasis on education, with many of the SOI musicians doubling as teachers to develop the musical potential of young people in India. An In-house traineeship programmes, workshops, masterclasses, and teacher-training programmes in various cities form an integral part of this endeavour. Chief amongst the Orchestra’s educational initiatives is the SOI Music Academy which brings a professional level of teaching to gifted young musicians. Several graduates of the Academy have gone on to pursue music in leading conservatories around the world, often coming back full circle to perform as part of the SOI.
Khushroo N. Suntook, NCPA Chairman & SOI Co-Founder
Marat Bisengaliev, SOI Co-Founder & Artistic Director
Martyn Brabbins, Chief Conductor
“A world-class ensemble.”
– The Spectator
“A very fine orchestra that can be compared with a lot of good ensembles all over the world.”
– Maestro Zubin Mehta
“This is clearly an orchestra that’s going places.”
– Miranda Heggie, The Arts Desk, on the SOI’s UK tour
The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), housed at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, is India’s first and only professional orchestra. It was founded in 2006 by NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook and violin virtuoso Marat Bisengaliev, who serves as the Orchestra’s Artistic Director. Martyn Brabbins has been appointed as the SOI’s Chief Conductor, since January 2026.
The SOI has worked with such renowned conductors as Zubin Mehta, Martyn Brabbins, Carlo Rizzi, Charles Dutoit, Karl Jenkins and more. Soloists appearing with the SOI have included Maria João Pires, Augustin Dumay, Simon O’Neill, Stephen Hough, Angel Blue, Zakir Hussain, Barry Douglas amongst others.
International tours have seen the SOI perform in the Hall of Columns in Moscow; the Royal Opera House, Muscat; the Emirates Palace Auditorium, Abu Dhabi; the Tonhalle, Zurich; Victoria Hall, Geneva; the Tonhalle, St. Gallen; and at prestigious venues across the
United Kingdom.
Apart from the mainstays of the symphonic repertoire, the NCPA and SOI have also presented large-scale productions, including fully staged opera productions of Tosca, Cavalleria rusitcana / Pagliacci, Madama Butterfly, La Bohème and Die Fledermaus in 2022 in collaboration with the Hungarian State Opera. In 2024, the NCPA had the honour of hosting the 31st edition of the world’s foremost opera competition – Operalia, founded by world renowned tenor Plácido Domingo, in South Asia for the very first time. The SOI accompanied the finalists under the baton of Plácido Domingo.
The orchestra comprises a core group of resident musicians who form the SOI Chamber Orchestra. It enjoys a year-round busy performing schedule with regular series of concerts performed at the NCPA as well as other venues across Mumbai and India.
The SOI also places great emphasis on education, with many of the SOI musicians doubling as teachers to develop the musical potential of young people in India. An In-house traineeship programmes, workshops, masterclasses, and teacher-training programmes in various cities form an integral part of this endeavour. Chief amongst the Orchestra’s educational initiatives is the SOI Music Academy which brings a professional level of teaching to gifted young musicians. Several graduates of the Academy have gone on to pursue music in leading conservatories around the world, often coming back full circle to perform as part of the SOI.
