Barbara Poplawska, a 29-year-old conductor from the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), recently visited Bengaluru, bringing her passion for Western classical music to the city that has embraced diverse musical traditions. The group presented A Classical Christmas featuring many typical season’s delights including Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, Strauss’s iconic The Blue Danube, besides the traditional Christmas carols.
In an interview with The Hindu, Poplawska shared her unique journey from Kazakhstan to Poland and eventually to India, where she joined the SOI at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) as an assistant conductor before taking centrestage.
“In places like Europe, the audience is not very responsive and needs more time. But in India, right from the first piece, you start feeling a connection.”
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Poplawska speaks fondly of the enthusiastic reception she has experienced from Indian audiences, noting their warmth and responsiveness compared to their European counterparts. She also highlighted the importance of nurturing young audiences’ connection to music.
Despite challenges like acoustics and limited freedom to experiment, she praised the resilience and adaptability of orchestras, citing their survival through wars and pandemics. Looking to the future, Poplawska remains optimistic about the growth of Western classical music in India and across the world. She believes in the transformative magic of orchestras and the importance of preserving their rich legacy while embracing new artistic expressions.
How did your journey with classical music and conducting start in India?
It was an accident. I was in Poland with a master’s degree in music and a couple of projects, but I did not have a permanent job. One of the chiefs of NCPA is from Kazakhstan, and I was born there. Somehow I found him and got in touch with him. NCPA invited me here a couple of years ago, and I started off as an assistant conductor. It was more of a practice work when I joined, and as I started building connections within SOI, I started working as a conductor.
How receptive are Indian audience to orchestras, Bengaluru in particular?
Ever since my first concert here, I have experienced that in India, and cities like Bengaluru and Mumbai, the audience is very open. In places like Europe, the audience is not very responsive and needs more time. But in India, right from the first piece, you start feeling a connection and support from the audience, which is very helpful and gives us a lot of energy.
You had a special session for children during your recent visit to Bengaluru. How receptive are Indian towards Western Classical music?
I guess children across the world react the same way and at the end of the day they are all children. For them, it is always interesting. Most children get the opportunity to watch live orchestras very rarely, and when they do, they get a chance to look at the instruments live, hear how they sound, and learn to differentiate between each instrument. I really appreciate orchestras that perform for children, as it is very important for children to build a connection with music from a very young age.
Do people in general across the world have patience for classical forms since they involve cultivating a taste with patience?
The one thing I truly realised after a few years of being in the music industry is that music be it Western classical, popular, Indian classical or any form, is an expression of musicians. These expressions have to touch our hearts, and you will connect with them no matter what the genre is. But some may like it, and some may not. I am always surprised when I conduct modern classical because there are some people from the classical world who are still not open to it. Every music is an expression, and audiences have to be open to it.
Are Indian auditoria suited for Western orchestra in terms of acoustics?
To be honest, I realised that most of us, the younger generation of musicians, try not to categorise auditoria and we try to make the best of our music. When we give the right emotions, it will not really matter how good or bad the place of performance is. We take it as a challenge, to convey our work to the audience through whatever limitations or facilities we have.
As someone who is expected to perform Western Classical music on a regular basis, do you have the freedom to create new music or experiment in your field?
When I was in Poland there always was a set of rules for orchestras, which made sure there was some percentage of classical and a little bit of modern music. In an orchestra, it really depends on how open the manager is to making changes. But of course, we play Western classical music not only because we are obligated to, but also because of the rich history and legacy that has been left behind. We love to keep the legacy going and leave it etched in peoples’ memories.
Classical music faces unique challenges in contemporary times. How do you see the future of orchestras, especially in India?
Orchestra or Western classical music has survived multiple wars, the pandemic and a lot more, it will continue to survive and thrive in the coming days too. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when it seemed like it was the end of everything, musicians across the world came together to find ways to perform. I believe that when a group of people come together to perform it will always survive no matter what. This is one of the reasons why I decided to become a conductor because I believe that the process of working with a group of different people, opinions, and artistes, is really magical. Contemporising art is a form of growth, but classical musical will continue to survive.
Published – December 27, 2024 08:00 am IST
