Calcutta School of Music

The Calcutta School of Music established in 1915 by Phillipe Sandre is an institution in India, in the field of Western Classical music and Contemporary classical music. It was established in the year 1915 by Phillipé Sandré, a musician of considerable calibre, and a contemporary and friend of the famous composer Saint-Saëns. It has a wide-ranging canvas of musical disciplines covering both Indian and Western music, dance, speech training, elocution, and drama. The School provides liberal instruction in musical subjects on one hand, and also arranging orchestral, chamber and solo music training and concerts, as well as music appreciation sessions throughout the year. Many visiting luminaries of the musical world have visited the School throughout its existence. this include maestros Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern and Mstislav Rostropovich. The great sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar inaugurated the faculty of Indian Music & Dance during the year 1975.

Location
The School was originally located at Wellesley Street in Central Calcutta. In the year 1972, the school moved into its own premises at Sunny Park. Its 90th anniversary is being celebrated in 2005–06. The school operates as a non-profit organization, and is managed by the principal under the guidance of the Governing Committee. His Excellency the Governor of West Bengal is a patron of the school

Faculty
Piano Mr. Kaushik Das            Ms. Mousoomi Nandi Ms. Chaitali Ganguly       Mr. Tapan Hazra Mr. Avijit Kundu           Ms. Arpita Chatterjee Mr. Arup R. Mitra          Mr. Ritayan Biswas Ms. Sandhya R. Varma       Mr. Biswajit Samaddar Mr. Alistair M. Quadra     Mr. Pallab Pramanick Ms. Sanghamitra Mukherjee  Mr. Amitava Chatterjee Mr. Savio Menezes

Violin Mr. Subhashis Dey Mr. Sandip Halder Mr. Pallab Pramanick Mr. Tilak Chatterjee Mr. Joseph Rozario Mr. Alistair M. Quadra

Electronic Keyboard Mr. Alistair M. Quadra Mr. Savio Menezes Mr. Tapan Hazra Mr. Amitava Chatterjee Mr. Kaushik Das Mr. Sanjib Kumar Das Mr. Sankhadip Sengupta Mr. Biswajit Samaddar Mr. Attreyo Bhattacharya Ms. Srobona Chakraborty

Saxophone, Flute and Recorder Mr. Anup Chatterjee

Kodaly Junior Music Classes Ms. Chaitali Ganguly

Pre Ballet, Modern Contemporary Dance and Salsa Mr. Sudipta Kundu (Peddro)

Senior and Junior Choir Ms. Chaitali Ganguly

Western Contemporary Vocals Mr. Amitava Chatterjee

Communication Skills Ms. Debjani Gupta

Speech and Drama Ms. Shuktara Lal Ms. Katy Lai Roy Ms. Debjani Gupta

Drum Kit Mr. Darren Manuel Mr. Premjit Dutta Mr. Dipayan Chakraborty

Viola Mr. Joseph Rozario

Cello Mr. Suraj K. Dolui

Guitar Non Classical (including Bass Guitar)   Classical Mr. Cyrus J. Tata                       Ms. Sraddha Sanghvi Mr. Soumitra Chatterjee                 Mr. Shyamal K. De Mr. Gokul Podder                         Ms. Sohini De Mr. Debasish Sanyal                      Mr. Rajib Ranjit

Indian Music and Performing Arts Section: Classical Vocal: Mr. Nabhodeep Chakraborty

The Calcutta Chamber Orchestra
The Calcutta School of Music financially supports a full time orchestra, the Calcutta Chamber Orchestra (CCO), made up of a full fledged string ensemble of professional musicians. The school pays each musician a stipend for each practice session and an honorarium for concert performances. The school tries to organise trainers from overseas to further the skills of these musicians. Conductors have come and stayed for medium term to work with the orchestra on a chosen repertoire culminating in a concert.

The CCO has been performing several times a year at prestigious events and for eminent personalities and foreign dignitaries. It has played for a documentary film for the famous film director Mr. Gautam Ghosh. The Orchestra has recorded a CD with SaReGaMa, sponsored by M Junction, which was released by H.E. The Governor of West Bengal, Shri M.K. Narayanan, on 1 December 2010. The members of the CCO have played in operas like Fakir of Benaras, The Pearl Fishers and La Traviata, produced by the Neemrana Foundation. Members of the CCO have joined in and performed with orchestras in many other cities of India. Selected members of the CCO regularly perform at the lounges of ITC Sonar, Taj Bengal and Park Plaza.