Hyderabad musician Vivek Venugopal’s fusion with the Bolshoi and Russian National Orchestra

Hyderabad musician Vivek Venugopal on working with the Bolshoi and Russian National Orchestra

Composer Vivek Venugopal’s latest album combines two works — ‘Raga Poems, Op. 22’ and ‘Liberation, Op. 18’. Recorded in Moscow with musicians from the Bolshoi Theatre and the Russian National Orchestra, the album is a blend of Indian and Western classical elements.

In this interview, Vivek shares insights into his creative process and how the collaboration came to life. “I composed these pieces and sent the scores to my manager. We then selected musicians from Russia’s prestigious Bolshoi Theatre and the Russian National Orchestra.  I travelled to Moscow last October to oversee the rehearsals and recordings.”

Supervising the rehearsals was not just about perfecting the notes. “During rehearsals, I corrected mistakes, but the real work began when we delved into aspects such as texture, phrasing, balance, and dynamics. The music was recorded at the historic GDRZ Studio — The State House of Broadcasting and Sound Recording.” 

Once back, Vivek mixed the pieces himself and approached renowned German mastering engineer Frederic Stader, who has worked with the likes of Deutsche Grammophon and the Berlin Philharmonic, to master the final tracks.

Vivek considers it a great experience working with musicians from the Bolshoi Theatre and Russian National Orchestra. “They were intrigued at the prospect of playing my music,” recalls Vivek. “I was impressed by how they understood and expressed the Indian classical influences in my pieces. While everyone performed professionally, a few musicians stood out. Flautist Stanislas Yaroshevskiy amazed me with how he adjusted his flute’s sound to mimic the soft, breathy tone of the Indian bansuri, especially in the first movement of Raga Poems. Cellist Dmitry Fastunov played his parts smoothly, capturing a flowing, singing quality similar to Indian classical music. Violinist Dmitry Novikov brought great emotion to his playing, adding subtle slides and microtonal touches that reminded me of Indian music. Their ability to blend these influences into their style made the collaboration truly special.”

When composing for a String Quintet and piano — including the flute — Vivek selected each instrument to achieve a specific sound. He explains, “I wanted six instruments across the spectrum to work with ‘textural hexachords’ (six-note chords). Alternatively, I could also achieve the desired harmonic results on the piano, while using the other instruments to layer multiple melodic phrases at the same time (which is rare or unheard of in Indian music) or for harmonic movement with a primary melody. Orchestration is an art form,” he says, “and each section brings its own unique texture and sonic balance”.

With 10 albums behind him and a new one set to release, how does Vivek feel his music has evolved, especially in blending Indian and Western elements?