Archive · 12 Sep 2026
How Mumbai Built India’s Only Professional Western Classical Orchestra
Mumbai has built a professional orchestra that plays Western classical music.
The orchestra is known as SOI.
Its chamber group has 40 musicians.
Dion D’Souza has played in the chamber for many years.
He says it was difficult to earn his place.
He also helps write music parts for the orchestra.
SOI now runs an academy for students.
After about seven years of schooling and two years of training, students may earn a place in the chamber.
SOI has a chamber of 40 musicians, including Dion D’Souza.
D’Souza says earning a place in the chamber required extensive work.
He also writes and creates parts of compositions for the orchestra.
When D’Souza joined, SOI had neither an academy nor a formal trainee programme.
SOI now has an academy with 75 students who typically complete about two years of traineeship after nearly seven years of schooling.
- Who
- SOI, its 40 chamber musicians, Dion D’Souza, and the academy’s 75 students.
- What
- SOI developed a professional chamber orchestra and a formal education and traineeship pathway for musicians.
- Where
- Mumbai, India.
- Why
- To train musicians through an academy and traineeship before they seek places in the chamber.
- Orchestra
- SOI
- Chamber size
- 40 musicians
- Academy enrollment
- 75 students
- Schooling before traineeship
- Almost seven years
- Traineeship length
- About two years
- Musician featured
- Dion D’Souza