India, Feb. 7 -- At 20, an orchestra is neither a prodigy nor quite a grown-up. It is an age of intent rather than arrival, of appetite sharpened by experience. As the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) marks two decades of music-making with a landmark Spring 2026 season at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), the moment feels less like a victory lap and more like a turning of the page.

The celebratory gloss is unmistakable , not least in the return of internationally acclaimed Italian maestro Carlo Rizzi for two concerts, but the deeper intrigue lies with Martyn Brabbins, who debuts this season as chief conductor of the SOI. His two concerts, the NCPA notes, "signal continuity, confidence and a long view."

For UK-based Br...