American conductor Andrew Litton likes to make fun of how British he is. Perhaps, because, at the age of 23, he became the youngest recipient of the BBC/ Rupert Foundation International Conductor Competition in London. He says, “I have also spent my early career in UK with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bornmouth Symphony Orchestra, my name also looks British and people put a ‘head’ before my name,” he says.
66 -year -old, New York -based Andrew has also operated the orchestra in the US, Norway and Italy. After four decades at the ground, he makes his India debut with two shows for Symphony Orchestra (SOI) in this year’s autumn season at the Jamshed Bhabha Theater in Mumbai. Richard will attend the August 12 program from Wagner’s Prelude and Laborsted Triston ignores‘And Gustav Mahler’s’ Symphony No. 5′, while Maurice will be famous in the 17 August program BoleroPyotr Iiliich TchaiKovsky’s’ Piano Concerto No. 1 ‘with Russian-Swiss Soloist Concentine Sherbakov, and Igor Strawinsky’ suite ‘suite’ The firebird[1945edition’
This season will feature his other two shows-22 and 26 August-Bitish conductor Martin Brabins, whose performances include Nikolai Rimsky-Korskov, Dimitri Shostkovic, Edward Edward Elgar, Tchikovski and Sergei Prokofiv.
He often jokes about many thinking that he is British. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Although Andrew started as a pianist, he was ready to conduct. He recalls, “I was about 10 or 11 years old when I participated in these presentations by Leonard Bernstein. The first one did not mean me because Bernstein used a lot of technical words. But later, I participated in another performance. I saw him jumping in my normal way and I became fascinated by some things.”
After performing its masters and operations of music in Piano and then winning the BBC Award, he became an assistant conductor in Titro Alla Skala in Milan and later in the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington. He also played a piano with Russian Ballet Dancer Rudolf Noorv. “Till then, I was learning to follow the sound. It taught me to follow the vision because I had to synchronize with the dance of the dancer.”
Several operation assignments were followed, and at the age of 44, he won the Sanford Medal of the University of Yale, which is honored to the concert artists celebrated. He even has a 144 CD discography, including a large number of concert recording. “I am originally involved in performing arts. So I would always like to play in front of a thousand people, instead to sit in a studio where there is no audience,” he says.
Andrew says that even before the organizers (National Center for the Performing Arts), he contacted his manager for the Mumbai show, he had heard about Soi. “When they told me that they wanted to do number 5 of Mahal, I immediately agreed. It’s a symphony that I have held for 30 years, yet every time it provides a new challenge,” he says.
According to Andrew, five movements capture different moods such as grief, struggle, joy and love. He explains, “Mahler wrote the fourth movement (Edagato), a famous fourth movement for his wife, Alma Shindleer, from whom he met when he was undergoing a thick stage. Unfortunately, that piece, that piece, is often misunderstood like Elgar’s ‘Nimrode’, is often misrepresented and played in the funeral.”
Like any orchestra he is organizing for the first time, Andrew’s attention with Soi “play them, listen to them, what to add or change them and produce the best music together.” This is also the first time with pianbist Scherbakov. He says, “I want to make good friends with another musician. Although I have often operated Tchikovsky’s piano concertos, I usually leave it to a single artist to interpret piano parts. I will look after the orchestra but the approach will be different from a symphony.”
Among other pieces, he says, Stravinski’s Firebird, Although it was written in 1910, The best is heard in its 1945 edition, which he will play. He explains, “The composer was best known to modify his pieces, and in this version, he cut in about 20 minutes, making it more accessible to the audience and played for any orchestra.”
Conductor experiences opening any concert with Ravel Bolero There is a “strange thing”, but it works well because everyone in the audience knows the tune. He says, “This can be more challenging than really more complex pieces because each musician has to maintain the tempo and make sure that it does not suddenly get loud. What is worrying if someone makes a little mistake. Bolero, The audience will indicate it. ,
Andrew feels that any concert is to be opened with Ravel Bolero is challenging. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Although Andrew admits that he is not familiar with Indian music, he remembers that he was inspired after Sitar Mestro Ravi Shankar attended the show years ago. “Apart from the concert, there are some things that I want to do on this trip. A person is to meet someone who can explain to me how Indian music works.
Published – 08 August, 2025 12:43 pm IST
