National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will present the 30th edition of Artie’s Festival India, its annual chamber music festival known for its Western Classical Music presentations and international collaborations.
Founded at the NCPA in Mumbai in 2008, Artie’s Festival has expanded over the years to the Gulf, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Curated by acclaimed cellist Gauthier Herrmann and NCPA Chairman and SOI co-founder Khushroo N. Suntook, the festival continues its focus on presenting a diverse range of chamber music performances.
Ahead of legendary composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s 200th death anniversary, this special edition titled ‘Mostly Beethoven’ will feature the entire cycle of Beethoven’s string quartets. The festival will be spread across four months between 2026 and 2027, beginning in May, followed by editions in December, June, and November.
While the concerts will centre around Beethoven’s string quartets, the programming will also include works by other composers. This May, the festival will feature rising clarinettist Joë Christophe performing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet alongside the Artie’s ensemble.
The ‘Mostly Beethoven’ series will feature performances by Nathan Mierdl and Emma Gibout on violin, Violaine Despeyroux on viola, and Gauthier Herrmann on cello, with Joë Christophe joining on clarinet for the second concert. Rather than presenting Beethoven’s quartets chronologically, each concert will showcase works from different phases of the composer’s career, offering audiences a wider perspective on his musical journey.
The festival is also being positioned as one of the widest-ranging celebrations of Beethoven at the NCPA, while highlighting chamber music, a genre that continues to build a growing audience in India alongside the more widely followed symphonic format.
Over the years, the Artie’s ensemble has travelled across India, performing in schools, orphanages, and communities including Dharavi, with the aim of introducing Western classical music to diverse audiences. The festival welcomes both newcomers and classical music enthusiasts to experience chamber music in an accessible format.
