Milap has crafted the ultimate Indian orchestral experience for SAMYO, packed with sessions that give you unique chances to learn, collaborate, and grow! You’ll get to work with amazing tutors, composers, and conductors, perform at awesome events, and develop essential skills while making great music and new friends.
Residentials
Some of your most memorable times with SAMYO will be at our Summer residentials. Taking place in Easter and at the much-loved Summer Retreat, these events bring together all of your training, collaboration, music-making, and performances into one immersive experience. You will have the chance to live in your musical world for a few days with amazing music leaders, composers, and your fellow orchestra members. SAMYO Summer Retreats were part of MUSIC INDIA from 2004-2019 and will take place again starting in July 2025.
Reunions
Weekend reunions are for our orchestra to come together to train and collaborate, ensuring that you stay in touch with each other’s music and work towards future goals. Our weekend programs are filled with learning experiences, teamwork, preparation for performances, and opportunities to develop repertoire. Each reunion helps build essential skills for your future. Our reunions take place in October (Half-term), February (Half-term) and Easter (during school holidays).
Rehearsals
At various times during the year, you will have exclusive time to rehearse while preparing for concerts, recordings, or online performances. Rehearsing together is an essential skill that builds collaboration and teamwork, while also ensuring you are well-prepared. Rehearsals are led by one of your conductors and orchestra leaders, and you will receive the dates for these at least three months in advance.
Performances
A central part of your SAMYO experience is participating in our annual showcases. Taking place in London and the North West, these events are designed to connect you with audiences in a live concert experience. We also arrange recordings and other performances by smaller SAMYO ensembles at festivals and events organized by Milap.
Discover the transformative power of Indian music with SAMYO and learn more about our unique approach to training and development on our website. Join us and become a part of a new era in the evolution of Indian music!
What a period of Samyo membership might look like:
August – Auditions and recruitment of new ensemble members
October / Autumn Weekend – New ensemble members begin their journey spending a weekend together absorbing new sounds, new tutors, new peers and finding their place within the ensemble
February / Winter Weekender – A weekend full of intense learning and discovery with world renowned musicians and activities to strengthen your bond and skills within the ensemble
April / Easter Weekend – The perfect three day retreat to deepen your learning with workshops, bootcamps and repertoire learning. An opportunity to perform in a chamber concert!
July / Music India – eat, breathe and sleep music for six days in a glorious residential festival of sorts with the who’s who of Indian Music. Packaged with open mic concerts bootcamps, workshops, repertoire and loads of fun activities each day, we end the ensemble calendar on a high!
September 2025 – Annual Concert in north England
October 2025 – Autumn Retreat
Feb 2026 – March 2026 – Winter Retreat followed by Grand Final concert showcase in London
Other incredible benefits of being a Samyo/Sabrang member:
- Musical development within Samyo which works in tandem ongoing training with your music teacher outside of Samyo
- Work with some of the most famous Indian classical musicians in the world! Previous Samyo tutors have included: Bombay Jayashri, Lalgudi GJR Krishnan, Patri Satish Kumar, Shashank, Flute J A Jayanth, Ranajit Sengupta, Rajeeb Chakraborty, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Anil Srinivasan, Tarun Bhattacharya, Abhijit Pohankar, Gaurav Mazumdar, H N Bhaskar, R Prathap, R N Prakash, Jyotsna Srikanth, Manorama Prasad, Dharambir Singh and many many more!
- One year full access subscription to Milap’s soon to be launched online learning platform to supplement and compliment your development within Samyo as well as ongoing training with your music teacher outside of Samyo
- Be part of the only orchestra of its kind in the world!
- Boost your confidence as performer with opportunities to play at top performing arts venues across the country
- Through Samyo, you’ll have the opportunity to explore and engage with other genres of music including jazz, African, Arabic and more.
- Be a part of a highly energetic, challenging and motivating learning environment
- Meet other musicians just like you from across the country and make life-long friends!
- Music production experience
What is my commitment as a member?
Membership of Samyo/Sabrang is for a period of 18 months during which time there will be:
- One week long summer residential retreat (in Liverpool)
- Five weekenders ( February, April, October)
- Additional rehearsals as required in the lead up to a major performance
- In addition to the above, you will be required to play your part as an orchestra member and come well-prepared to rehearsals and all training sessions as well as keeping on top of your learning via Milap’s online platform.
