Latest news with #SOI
Time of India
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Town bides its time for timeless classicsfrom Western canon
The high priests of sound are about to descend upon the city. As a counterpoint to the deafening outdoor celebrations of the festive season, they will summon the hushed attendance of the cognoscenti indoors. On Tuesday, Aug 12, Andrew Litton, the music director of the New York City Ballet, will open the 35th season of the NCPA-based Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) with Wagner's achingly hypnotic Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde followed by the sweeping, emotional arc of Mahler's Fifth Symphony at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre. The following Sunday, Aug 17, Litton will return with the highly regarded Russian-Swiss pianist Konstantin Scherbakov in Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, known around the world for its sweeping opening melody (and, of course, for its thrilling, dramatic passages). The evening will begin, though, with Ravel's Bolero and close with Stravinsky's Firebird Suite. A couple of days later, Scherbakov will take the spotlight for a solo recital at the Experimental Theatre in a programme that will weave through Bach's Chaconne, Schubert's stormy C-minor Sonata, and a selection of Chopin's works, including the Ballade No. 3 and Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante (made famous by the critically-acclaimed 2002 film The Pianist). British conductor Martyn Brabbins, a BBC Proms favourite who will take over as SOI's chief conductor in Jan, will join the season for the final two concerts: Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade followed by Shostakovich's gripping Fifth Symphony on Aug 22; and Elgar's Cockaigne Overture, Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto (with SOI's founding music director, Kazakh virtuoso Marat Bisengaliev, as the soloist) and a selection from Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet on Aug 26. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "It is scarcely believable that the 35th season of the SOI is here," says NCPA chairman Khushroo Suntook. "(This time) while we pay great respect to the masterpieces of classical music, there is a movement towards the introduction of comparatively modern repertoire… The audience (response) is encouraging and we must push on." Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Raksha Bandhan wishes , messages and quotes !
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
American conductor Andrew Litton is all set for his India debut
American conductor Andrew Litton loves to joke about how many think he is British. Perhaps, because, at 23, he became the youngest recipient of the BBC/ Rupert Foundation International Conductors Competition in London. 'I also spent my early career with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in the U.K. My name sounds British too and people put a 'Sir' before my name,' he says. The 66-year-old, New York-based Andrew has also conducted orchestras in the US, Norway and Italy. After four decades in the field, he makes his India debut with two shows for the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), this year's Autumn Season at Mumbai's Jamshed Bhabha Theatre. The August 12 programme will comprise Richard Wagner's 'Prelude and Lieberstod from Tristan Und Isolde' and Gustav Mahler's 'Symphony No 5', while the 17 August programme will have Maurice Ravel's famous Bolero, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 'Piano Concerto No 1' with Russian-Swiss soloist Konstantin Scherbakov, and Igor Stravinsky's 'Suite from The Firebird, 1945 Version'. His other two shows this season — on August 22 and 26 — will feature British conductor Martyn Brabbins, whose repertoire includes Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Dmitri Shostakovich, Edward Elgar, Tchaikovsky and Sergei Prokofiev. Though Andrew started off as a pianist, he was drawn to conducting. He recalls, 'I was about 10 or 11 when I attended these presentations by Leonard Bernstein. The first one didn't make any sense to me as Bernstein used a lot of technical terms. But later, I attended another of his presentations. I saw him jump up-and-down in his usual manner and I was fascinated by some of the things he said. Till that day, I wanted to become a fireman, the kind one sees in movies from the 1960s. Suddenly, I wanted to become a conductor.' Having done his Masters of Music in piano and conducting, and then winning the BBC award, he became an assistant conductor at the Teatro Alla Scala in Milan and later at the National Symphony Orchestra, Washington under noted cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich. He also played the piano with the Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev. 'Till then, I was learning to follow sound. This taught me to follow sight as I had to synchronise with the dancer's moves.' Many conducting assignments followed, and at 44, he received the Yale University's Sanford Medal, which is awarded to celebrated concert artistes. He even has a discography of 144 CDs, including a large number of concert recordings. 'I am basically involved in the performing arts. So I'd always prefer to play in front of a thousand people, rather than sit in a studio where there is no audience,' he says. Andrew says that even before the organisers (the National Centre For The Performing Arts) contacted his manager for the Mumbai shows, he had heard about the SOI. 'When they told me they wanted to do Mahler's No 5, I immediately agreed. It's a symphony I have conducted for 30 years, yet each time it offers a fresh challenge,' he adds. According to Andrew , the five movements capture various moods like sorrow, struggle, joy and love. He points out, 'Mahler wrote the famous fourth movement (Adagietto) as a love ode to his wife, Alma Schindler, whom he met when he was going through a rough phase. Unfortunately, that piece, like Elgar's 'Nimrod', is often misinterpreted and played at funerals.' Like any orchestra he's conducting for the first time, Andrew's focus with the SOI is to 'observe them play, listen to them, see what to add or change and produce the best music possible together.' It's also his first time with pianist Scherbakov. He says, 'I'm looking to make good friends with another musician. Though I've conducted Tchaikovsky's piano concertos often, I usually leave it up to the soloist to interpret the piano portions. I will oversee the orchestra but the approach will be different from a symphony.' Of the other pieces, he says, Stravinsky's The Firebird, though written in 1910, is best heard in its 1945 version, which he will play. He explains, 'The composer was best known to keep revising his pieces, and in this version, he had cut off almost 20 minutes, making it more accessible for the audience and playable for any orchestra.' The conductor feels opening any concert with Ravel's Bolero is a 'bizarre thing', but it works well because everyone in the audience knows the tune. He says, 'It can actually be more challenging than the more complex pieces because every musician has to maintain the tempo and ensure that it doesn't suddenly get loud. What's worrisome is that if one makes the slightest mistake in Bolero, the audience will point it out.' Though Andrew admits he isn't familiar with Indian music, he remembers being inspired after attending sitar maestro Ravi Shankar's show years ago. 'Besides the concerts, there are a couple of things I want to do on this visit. One is to meet someone who can explain to me how Indian music functions. Two, I'd like to taste as much Indian cuisine as possible, things we don't get back in New York,' he concludes, with a laugh.
New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
State map in Odisha soon
BHUBANESWAR: The Survey of India (SOI) has sought help of the Odisha government for publishing the correct map of the state in Odia language to increase its outreach among students, educationists and the common men as a whole. Sources said, the SOI has urged the state to nominate one official and one linguistic expert, possibly from a reputed educational institute like Utkal University or RD University with knowledge of Odia language. A committee will be constituted with the director of Odisha and Chhattisgarh geo-spatial directorate as convener and the two nominated officers as members to finalise the correct spelling of place names and correct translation of descriptive remarks in Odia language. Traditionally, SOI had been publishing the state maps in English and Hindi languages. This has been decided for the first time to also release state maps in the regional language in order to increase their outreach to the local population. An officer from the state government will also be nominated for proper coordination between the SOI and the government, the sources said. The map in regional language will provide a comprehensive overview of key geographical and administrative features of the state - typically district boundaries, major cities and towns, transport network, key natural features, tourist sites and cultural landmarks etc.
Hamilton Spectator
17-06-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
SOI Foundation Celebrates 25 Years of Transformative Expeditions with Global Alumni Gathering
GATINEAU, QC, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Students on Ice (SOI) Foundation is proud to celebrate 25 years of educating and inspiring youth through expeditions to the Arctic, Antarctic, and beyond. Since its founding in 2000, SOI has taken more than 4,500 young people and educators to the greatest classrooms on Earth. To mark this milestone, SOI is launching a series of initiatives that reflect on the impact of its expeditions and the contributions of its global alumni network. A key part of the celebrations is the SOI Alumni Summit, a multi-day virtual gathering that will bring together alumni to reconnect, share experiences, and engage in meaningful dialogue. This will be followed by an in-person gathering in October 2025, welcoming alumni, partners, and supporters for an evening of storytelling, celebration, and connection. 'As we celebrate 25 years of Students on Ice, I'm filled with gratitude for the thousands of youth, educators, and partners who've shaped this journey,' said Geoff Green, founder and president of the SOI Foundation. 'This anniversary is not just a celebration of where we've been, but a commitment to the future, ensuring the next generation of youth have access to the same experiences that have shaped so many lives.' The centrepiece of SOI's 25th year is its 2025 Arctic expeditions, which will bring together youth from around the world to experience the changing Arctic firsthand. Expeditions will see SOI charter two ships this season: the MV Polar Prince, which will travel through Inuit Nunangat in the Eastern Arctic, and the MS Ocean Endeavour, which will connect youth to the landscapes and communities of Iceland, Greenland, and northern Canada. Together, youth, educators, scientists, Indigenous Elders, artists, and leaders will explore the interconnected challenges and opportunities shaping the Arctic today. These journeys are endorsed as part of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Additional anniversary initiatives include a new podcast series, The Greatest Classroom on Earth, hosted by Green and featuring candid conversations with SOI alumni. The first five episodes are available now on major podcast platforms, with new episodes released monthly. SOI's network continues to drive positive change in ocean conservation, climate action, and Indigenous-led stewardship initiatives. Looking ahead, the SOI Foundation remains deeply committed to amplifying youth voices, strengthening community connections, and empowering the next generation of leaders working toward a sustainable future. For more information about SOI's 25th-anniversary events, visit . About the SOI Foundation For 25 years, the Students on Ice Foundation has led the way in expeditionary education, connecting diverse youth with transformative learning experiences in the Polar Regions and beyond. We bring together youth and educators to deepen understanding of global challenges and foster leadership and collaboration across cultures and disciplines. Our programs educate, inspire, connect, and empower youth to develop the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a sustainable future. We have guided more than 4,500 youth and educators from over 52 countries on educational journeys from pole to pole. Our programming has been recognized by the United Nations as an official action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, and in 2022, SOI received Viceregal Patronage from the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon. For more information, visit . Attachment
Japan Forward
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Forward
Exclusive: Retired Star Satoko Miyahara Still Seeking Future Path
Satoko Miyahara took time from her busy tour schedule to discuss her illustrious career, current work, and thoughts about the future in an exclusive interview. Satoko Miyahara dazzles during her performance in one of the 2025 Rock Stars on Ice tour stops. (©TRI NGUYEN) SAN JOSE, California ― Three years removed from her competitive career, Satoko Miyahara is just entering the prime of her life and the possibilities going forward are limitless. The 27-year-old Miyahara recently completed a grueling month-long tour of Canada and the United States with "Rock Stars on Ice." This marked the fourth year that the four-time Japan champion has skated with the group, which included the likes of two-time world champion Ilia Malinin and fellow world titlist Alysa Liu. Miyahara took time out from the busy tour schedule for an exclusive interview with Ice Time, where she discussed her illustrious career, current work, and thoughts about the future. Ice Time asked the two-time world medalist how she came to be the only Japanese skater with the Stars on Ice troupe. "When I retired from competition, I really wanted to do shows overseas," Miyahara stated in a quiet room inside the SAP Center before a Sunday afternoon show. "I was skating as a guest skater in Stars on Ice Japan. That was the very first connection. My agent contacted the producer of SOI and asked if I could join the Canadian tour, and the answer was positive." Satoko Miyahara in a recent file photo. (SATOKO MIYAHARA/via INSTAGRAM) Renowned for her beautiful line and edge on the ice, I wondered whether she enjoyed competitions or show skating more. "I think I like shows better, but I really like the training process toward competitions," Miyahara commented. "So it's hard to decide which. Just talking about the actual performance, I like to perform in shows. "I think at competitions I pressure myself too much and I never thought that I did my best programs at competitions. But when it comes to shows, it is more about how you perform, and you can do the programs you really want to do." Satoko Miyahara (JACK GALLAGHER) Her successful career has brought her a legion of fans in various parts of the globe, and along the way she has earned several nicknames. Ice Time wanted to know which one was her favorite. "I adore them all," Miyahara remarked. " 'Satopi' is from (former training partner) Ayaka Hosoda and it's my oldest nickname. 'Satton' comes next because one of my friends who trained with me gave me that name. "It's so funny, to say our nicknames in Western Japan, it's a very Kansai nickname. The pronunciation is Sat-ton, but the people in Kanto cannot really pronounce it right. Even between skaters we always have fun talking about that." The final moniker is believed to have been originally bestowed upon her by foreign fans. " 'Tiny Queen' I love because my fans gave me that name and it always brings me the feeling that I should be honored about myself and be like a tiny queen. I tend to shrink and feel like I am not good enough. 'Tiny Queen' brings the feeling that I should be proud of myself and show my best." Satoko Miyahara Added Miyahara, "I don't know if it was foreign fans or Japanese fans who came up with the nickname, but everybody knows it means me." Satoko Miyahara competes in the women's short program at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. (©SANKEI) When one has had as decorated a career as Miyahara has, I was interested in hearing her memories of the Pyeongchang Olympics, where she came in fourth in 2018. "I was very, very, very happy with both the team event (Japan finished fifth) and my individual event," Miyahara proclaimed. "Both were a great result. For me, the Olympics were the biggest goal, so I was so happy that I was able to get that opportunity to participate in the competition. The whole event felt like I was in a wonderland. That is my biggest memory." Ice Time was in Pyeongchang and vividly remembers Miyahara's outstanding performance, where she finished behind Russians Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva, and Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond. From left, runner-up Satoko Miyahara, gold medalist Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and third-place finisher Elena Radionova in the women's singles competition at the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai. (DAVID W CARMICHAEL/CC BY-SA 3.0/via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) Miyahara, a two-time Grand Prix Final medalist, considers the 2018 Games to have been the pinnacle of her career, but also cited a couple of other competitions as being high on her list of favorites. "The Pyeongchang Olympics was my highlight," Miyahara recalled. "Also, the very first worlds (2015), where I got the silver medal, those were my two highlights, thinking of the results. "But program-wise, the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona (where she placed second in 2016)," she continued. "I really felt like I was doing my programs without any doubts, [and] I felt really free. Program-wise, performance-wise, that was my best." Rock Stars on Ice performer Satoko Miyahara has participated in its shows in North America since 2022. (JAMES BENNETT) After addressing the glorious moments of a career that earned her seven medals at the Japan Championships, Ice Time wanted to know if she had any competitive regrets. "I don't have any competitions that I regret, but if I can say one, the very last season of my career," Miyahara remembered, referring to her fifth-place finish at the 2021 Japan Championships. "It was the selection competition for the Olympics. I fell on my [triple] lutz and, I don't know, but if I landed it, I might have been selected for the Beijing Olympics." Miyahara continued: "I still question if I had landed it, but it is what it is and I don't regret it at all. I'm so happy right now, so I have no regrets." Satoko Miyahara in 2018. (ⒸSANKEI) To call Miyahara's family successful is a bit of an understatement, as both of her parents are doctors. Ice Time asked for specifics on their fields of practice. "My mom is a hematologist and my father is a lung surgeon," Miyahara noted. Growing up around that high level of professional achievement, I wondered if she felt any anxiety about life after skating. "I don't feel any pressure, because my parents really respect my opinions," Miyahara commented. "They say, 'You should do whatever you want to do.' " She then said, "They support me a lot. Maybe a tiny bit they would like me to attend medical school. I don't know. This is my guess. They really respect me and I respect them." Miyahara, who won the Four Continents Championships in 2016, confessed that she does not have a firm plan about her future path at this time. "I actually do not know what I want to do," Miyahara remarked, adding, "I just want to experience whatever I can. Whatever comes along my path, I would like to try everything and see what I want to do and what I don't want to do. I am searching for what I want to do." Added Miyahara, "I just have to see what I want to do in the future. I think because I don't know what I want to do after skating, that is making me feel worried a little bit." Satoko Miyahara (front row, center) and other members of the 2025 Rock Stars on Ice tour. (SATOKO MIYAHARA/via INSTAGRAM) As she continues her career as a professional skater, Miyahara has begun to dabble in choreography, including creating a new exhibition program for three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto. Ice Time wanted to learn the origin of that arrangement. "I recently started to work with some kids and I did one show program with a senior girl, Miyabi Oba," Miyahara stated. "She's my great, great friend. Because I did that a lot of skaters thought, 'Oh, you do choreography?' Kaori was one of the skaters, and she just texted me, 'Is it OK if I ask you to make my exhibition program?' "I was like, 'It is such an honor, but are you sure that you want me to make your exhibition program?' Miyahara recalled. "And she was like, 'I would love you to.' " Miyahara admitted she had some trepidation about the task. "I was a bit nervous, but I wanted to take on that challenge," Miyahara said, adding, "I really love Kaori, so I accepted it." While she enjoys doing choreography, Miyahara isn't considering it as a primary vocation looking ahead. "I don't see myself doing choreography as a main job in the future. But as a life experience and to bring it to my next career," Miyahara stated. "I think it is going to be a great opportunity and experience. For now, I really enjoy working on choreography and studying about it. It could be a side job in the future." The 152-cm Miyahara was coached by Mie Hamada for her entire career. Ice Time asked for her thoughts on the legendary mentor, who is still going strong. Mie Hamada (KYODO) "She started coaching me when I was seven and a half," and "basically brought me to the Olympics. Baby to the Olympics. She taught me all the basic skills and skating skills, and how to practice, how to train, how to train off ice." Satoko Miyahara on mentor Mie Hamada Added Miyahara, "She brought me to all the amazing choreographers overseas, jump coaches, spin coaches. [And] she took me everywhere that we could go. I think that made me a good skater. I really appreciate her." Having learned under a prominent coach for so many years, the question of whether Miyahara would someday like to coach herself was broached. "Not for now," Miyahara stated. "I have been thinking about if I really want to coach after finishing competing. But so far, I never felt that I wanted to be a coach. It is very difficult." One new assignment that Miyahara has taken on is that of a director for the Japan Skating Federation, which she assumed in September 2024. I asked how that opportunity came about and what it entails. "Ito-san (JSF chief Hidehito Ito) called me and he asked me if I would like to try or not," Miyahara recalled. "He asked if it was OK if he selected me as a director. I had no idea at that time what I could do. [And] I thought it might be a good chance to contribute to the skating world. So I thought I would like to try it." Miyahara then gave a brief description of what her role with the JSF is. "There are a few faculties in the JSF," she noted. "I am in the headquarters. There are meetings and I attend those meetings. We talk about events and how the event went. We discuss how we can make things better. That is what I am doing now. I am still learning about how it all works. We meet once a month, in Tokyo or online." Miyahara's popularity among the skating public and her fellow skaters is well known. Her sublime skating skills, dedication to her craft, and ability to interact with her fellow competitors through the years have made her a highly respected figure in the sport. Kaori Sakamoto (left) and Satoko Miyahara are seen at the Fantasy on Ice show at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on May 31. (KYODO) Ice Time queried Miyahara on who she considered her best friends in skating after all these years. "That is such a hard question," Miyahara replied. "In Japan, probably Kaori, Wakaba [Higuchi] and Rika Hongo. Those three are the closest. Of the boys, Kazuki [Tomono] and Koshiro [Shimada]. I am pretty close to them." Miyahara then said, "I grew up competing with Shoma [Uno], so I know a lot about him. I am very close with [coach and choreographer] Stephane Lambiel, [and] I am also close with the Stars on Ice family members." From left, Japanese skaters Yuzuru Hanyu, Satoko Miyahara, Akiko Suzuki and Takahito Mura are seen in this commemorative photo at a Noto Peninsula reconstruction charity performance in September 2024 in Kanazawa. (©Toru Yaguchi/via SANKEI) Miyahara said she has enjoyed the annual multi-city tours of Canada and the United States with the SOI team. "It's really fun because I like to travel and see the city," Miyahara commented before adding, "it's very interesting to see all the places. I don't really know exactly on the map which city is where, but it's so amazing that I can see all the places and skate there. It's hard to say which city is the best." Miyahara mentioned that the evening performances give her a chance to explore the different stops on the tours. "It's amazing because I get to see all the different venues and rinks," she noted. "We have the shows. Usually Sundays are matinees. Weekdays it is from 7 PM, so I have time during the mornings to walk around." Having spent so much time outside Japan for training, competitions, and shows in her career, Ice Time wanted to know if she was interested in living abroad at some point in the future. "I would like to have the chance to live overseas someday," Miyahara replied with a smile. Author: Jack Gallagher The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page , and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan .
