(February29, 2024) When an 8-year-old Alpesh Chauhan returned from his school with a cello tucked under his arm, his parents were quite surprised. Immigrating to the UK from East Africa, his parents had no inclination towards music. So, seeing their son with a cello left them a little baffled. This sudden fascination for the cello dawned on him when he first heard local music teacher and cellist Veronica Raven from Birmingham Music Service perform during his morning assembly at Hall Green Junior School. “She’s a bit of a legend and I remember it was amazing to listen to her. From that moment I knew it was what I wanted to do. I spoke to her – and the next thing is that I was given a cello to take home,” he said in an interview. Years later after he fell in love with the cello, he is conducting some of the greatest orchestras in the world.
Being tipped as the next Sir Simon Rattle, Alpesh, the Music Director of Birmingham Opera Company, was recently nominated in the Conductor category at the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in the UK.
Alpesh Chauhan
Welcome to the world of orchestra and symphony
Alpesh grew up on a rich diet of Bollywood films whose soundtracks he found to be orchestral and instrumental, thus helping him lean towards the sound and orchestral world. Already learning the cello, it was at age 14 that he discovered the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) through friends who encouraged him to give it a shot. “That’s when I started discovering orchestral music. It certainly wasn’t a culture I was familiar with in my own house. But to me, at that moment, it just seemed so amazing,” said the Birmingham resident.
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Keeping up with his passion for music, he was a cello student at the Royal Northern College of Music, and later enrolled in Manchester College’s masters conducting course. It was here that he was spotted by the CBSO chief who presented a golden opportunity to him. Impressed with Alpesh’s conducting skills, he was offered the post of fellow conductor which he held until he was promoted to associate conductor in 2014. Later, he took up the position of principal conductor, conducting his own full programmes.
Tiptoeing into the professional world
His debut occurred alongside the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra during a Radio 3 live broadcast featuring Vasks’ Violin Concerto “Distant Light” and Brahms’ Symphony No. 3. Subsequently, he was invited back to conduct the orchestra for the Ten Pieces Secondary film. In May and June 2015, he substituted for two live Radio 3 broadcasts with the BBC Scottish and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestras, both garnering significant acclaims.
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But being a young principal conductor came with its own set of challenges. His age often translated into a lack of experience. “Conductors often give the best concerts of their lives when they are well into their 60s, 70s or even 80s. It’s a field where age and experience only improve your conducting. This experience includes life experience, to understand better the plethora of emotions that composers strive to achieve in their music,” he revealed. However, the Global Indian knew that he could always help himself by working hard. “You have to study and always strive to go deeper and deeper into scores so that when standing in front of an orchestra, you know the music as well as you can on that day,” added Alpesh, who was named the associate conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
In 2022, Alpesh received an OBE in HRH The Queen’s New Year’s Honours for his services to the Arts.
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A star in the making
“I started out conducting little groups of musicians at school.” Now, he directs substantially larger ensembles, whether it be in Birmingham or throughout the UK and Europe.
It was perseverance and hardwork that led him to great heights in the world of symphony and he advises the same for youngsters who plan to tread the waters. “Once you know what you’re getting yourself into, focus! Focus, focus, focus! It’s a hard world – people often comment on just how difficult it is to be employed and to be successful in the music business. However, it isn’t that scary if you are committed and have the passion and drive to thrive,” he said.
Alpesh Chauhan’s remarkable journey to prominence in the world of orchestral conducting speaks volumes about his extraordinary talent and dedication. Being nominated in the Conductor category at the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Society Awards in the UK solidifies his status as a rising star in the realm of classical music. Despite his young age, Alpesh has already established himself as a name to reckon with, captivating audiences and earning the respect of his peers with his exceptional skill and musical insight. As he continues to inspire and elevate the art of orchestral performance, Alpesh’s future in shaping the landscape of symphony appears incredibly promising, heralding a new era of brilliance and innovation in the world of music.
