From the grandeur of opera houses to the intimacy of jazz bars, and from festival stages to experimental collaborations, Western instruments in India are captivating new audiences in unexpected ways.
Namrata Kohli New Delhi
Celebrated musician Shantanu Moitra started his musical journey with piano while still in school. Says Shantanu- “I loved the sound of a piano. I knew guitar and at the age of eleven, I started learning piano while studying at Springdale in New Delhi. It took me around 4-5 years and this is such a beautiful musical instrument.” Ask him why he loved this instrument so much and Moitra says – “To me, Piano is life which comes with black and white notes. It cannot just be the whites- only when you make a melody in white and include the black, there is impact. That’s how life is- you have to embrace the dark moments also.”
Western classical music typically features a diverse range of instruments grouped into several families such as String family (violin, viola), woodwind family (clarinet, flute), brass family (trumpet, French horn), Percussion Family (drum, xylophone) and Keyboard Instruments such as piano, organ. Each of these instruments contributes its own unique voice to the rich tapestry of Western classical music.
According to TechSci Research’s latest report, the India Western Musical Instruments Market was valued at approximately USD 150.45 million in 2024 and is projected to reach around USD 260.89 million by 2030. There is a growing appetite for fresh, innovative, and immersive live events. In line with this, the performance of Western instruments is moving beyond their isolated silos of tradition to engage with newer and younger audiences.
According to Asad Lalljee SVP, Essar Group and CEO of Avid Learning and Curator, Royal Opera House, Mumbai and Member, FICCI Culture & Tourism Committee, “At the Royal Opera House, Mumbai, we are witnessing an increasing appreciation for multidisciplinary experiences—where Western instruments, such as the piano and saxophone, are seamlessly integrated with visual storytelling, jazz improvisation, and even Indian classical influences. The upcoming Néoréalité Tour by award-winning pianist Steve Barakatt is a testament to this shift, blending breathtaking solo piano compositions with stunning visual projections to create a truly immersive concert experience.” He adds that western instruments in India have long been woven into unique cultural narratives. A fascinating example is ‘Spirit of New Orleans Jazz,’ which we presented last year at the Royal Opera House, Mumbai. It brought together globally acclaimed musicians like pianist Charu Suri, one of the few women composers from India to perform at Carnegie Hall with Joe Lastie, a Preservation Hall drummer from New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. Pianist Sahil Vasudeva, who was part of this year’s Lollapalooza line-up, premiered his work, ‘The Un-Reictal’ at the Royal Opera House in 2018.
What is so special about piano when compared with other instruments. According to Mumbai based pianist Kersi Gazdar with over three decades of experience in playing piano, “In most instruments like flute, you can only play one note at a time. But in piano, you can play multiple notes together because you've got ten fingers and hence you can play nine to ten notes at the same time. There are 88 notes in a piano. And your one hand could be playing harmonic notes and the other be playing chords.”
Piano is trending in music circles globally and even in India. A lot of international schools have music as a curriculum and piano as an instrument, and there's a lot more awareness with YouTube and other streaming platforms. Plus it's available in five star lobbies and people are seeing a lot more piano in advertisements, billboards.
How to maintain a piano. Says Kersi Gardar, “If you keep a piano away from humidity, especially in the monsoon, if you can keep a dehumidifier or an AC running. And tune at once in six to nine eight months, the piano will be well maintained.”
An upright acoustic piano would start at 3 lakhs and a Steinway concert nine-foot grand piano is now over 4 crores.
Be Blown Away By Trumpet
How does a simple metal tube transform into a magnificent sound that engages the listeners? The trumpet is an instrument offering versatility, portability, and a rich musical history. Whether you want to play in a band, perform solo, or explore different music genres, the trumpet provides countless opportunities for growth and enjoyment.
Trumpet makes a regular occurrence in military bands but now it is in mainstream music orchestras. “Trumpet is not like a piano which you will start playing. Initially, it is very difficult. It takes five years at least to understand this. Many people fail or they get stuck at run of the mill playing,” says Robin Fargose, who has been playing trumpet for 25 years for famous artists such as Mohit Chauhan, Sachin Jigar, Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal and the Indian Idol show. “Today there is demand for innovative trumpet players in both the film industry and music videos. But make sure your teeth are good, not protruding out. If they are not aligned correctly, then you cannot pitch the sound.
Today every band needs trumpet players such as Navy band, Railway band, Police band, Army band- and they all require 4-5 trumpets in each band. Fargose says that on an average artists get paid Rs 10,000 per show to even 45,000. He says he is a good percussionist, a good pianist also and a very good singer and then a very good trumpet player.
What about the cost of the instrument? The basic cost is Rs 15,000 but the likes of Fargose use professionally, an instrument costing Rs 6 lakhs. But basic instruments are coming in 15,000, maybe 20,000.
The Versatile Clarinet
You can play many styles and genres of music on the Clarinet. The Clarinets diversity in sound allows it to sit comfortably in a Jazz Band, a Classical Wind Ensemble, a traditional Orchestra or common varieties of Folk Music. Like all Woodwind instruments, you are free to express yourself on the Clarinet and can have a lot of fun improvising, either by yourself or with others
Take the case of Mumbai based artist Ashton Colaço who got introduced to Clarinet and “learned it for free” at Don Bosco Matunga school in Mumbai which has a full . traditional brass band. He says – “It’s a bit difficult to find and access teachers and training institutes for clarinets. Typically, they might even be in what we call as funeral bands. A proper teacher in earlier days were priests and brothers who used to play instruments.”
As for demand, he says that in India, we don't have a strong western instrument Culture. Only now, we have got a professional symphony called, SOI, Symphony Orchestra of India composed of more foreign instrumentalists than Indian. And typically, in the western classical orchestra, you would have three seats for clarinet. So you're competing for the three chairs. In addition to this, there is demand in chamber music, where you have one clarinet.
The cost of a Chinese variant is Rs 25,000 to 30,000. But the best ones are Made in France brands like Buffet Crampon, Paris and Henri Selmer, Paris which cost 8-9 lakhs.
And how much is the remuneration per concert? “If I was not a CA and was playing the clarinet, it would be difficult to sustain.”
What much does it cost to learn?
When selecting an institution or platform, consider factors such as the qualifications of instructors, class structure (individual vs. group), curriculum, and how well the schedule aligns with your availability. It's advisable to contact the institutions or tutors directly to obtain the most current information on course offerings and fees.
Fees for one-on-one classes range from Rs 500 to Rs 1500 per hour and can even go upto Rs 3,000 per hour, while group classes range from Rs 400 to Rs 800 per hour. Monthly fees vary based on the number of classes.
If you're seeking institutions in India that offer instruction in piano, trumpet, and clarinet, some of the prestigious institutions are Delhi School of Music (New Delhi) which offers Western classical music training in various instruments, including piano and clarinet. The Calcutta School of Music at Kolkata offers comprehensive music education covering instruments such as piano and clarinet. Then there are institutes with multiple branches across India such as Furtados School of Music, Bridge Music Academy. Online music platforms like UrbanPro, Artium Academy, tonebase.
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