CELLO
The cello (violoncello) is the tenor and bass instrument of the violin family (violin, viola, cello).
In the 19th century the cello advanced along with the violin to become the most important bowed instrument for solo works. In the 20th century cellists began to specialize more, concentrating more on solo, chamber or orchestral playing.It is constructed using the same components as the violin, the only difference being the larger size.The bow is about 2 cm shorter and a quarter as heavy again as the violin bow. Horsehair is stretched between the two ends of the bow, with rosin ensuring that the bow remains in contact with the string.
In terms of its history, construction and sound the cello belongs to the violin family. Nevertheless if differs from the violin and viola in the playing position and fingering.Playing position because of its size the cello is played in the upright position (like the viola da gamba). Nowadays the cellist places the instrument between his legs, where it rest on the floor on a tail-pin (spike). In the past the cellist would hold the instrument between his legs and pressed against his body, or rest it on a chair and play standing up. His left hand grasped the neck. This method of playing meant that only very simple bass figures could be played.Students are taught basics about the instrument and are also sent for exams conducted by ABRSM, London.
FACULTY
Ashis Biswas
At the age of eight, Ashis Biswas attended a symphony in Calcutta and took an immediate liking for cello. Soon after, he started classes with Rev. Fr. Thioder Mathieson at the Oxford School in Calcutta. Four years of training later, an 11-year-old Ashis was part of the quartet that played for Neil Armstrong – the first man to set foot on Moon – during his stay in Calcutta. In that same year he performed with the Delhi Symphony as its youngest member ever. He never looked back after that.
During his initial playing years, Ashis played with the Delhi Symphony, Caclutta Symphony,Calcutta Chamber Orchestra, and the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. He pursued his higher studies in music at the Woodstock School, Dehra Dun. After continuing his training in cello with Anup Kumar Biswas (who now runs the Mathieson Academy in Calcutta ), he stepped into the world of professional performers.
He then went on to perform across the country with the All India Radio as a soloist and in quartets. He frequently performed and recorded several center pieces in the cello repertoire, of which the Solo Cello Suites by J S Bach he has played innumerably. Among his significant recordings are the concertos by Elgar and Vivaldi among others.
Ashis ventured into Indian film music when he recorded for well-known south Indian composer and two-time national award winner Johnson Master in 1981. He continued to play for films till 2007. He has since performed for luminaries such as Satyajit Ray (who wrote music for his own films), RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Ilayaraja and AR Rahman among others.Film music apart, he made several recordings and albums with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Carnatic violin maestro L Shankar (who is now in the mainstream Western music scene as a vocalist),
In 1980, he performed a duet with concert pianist Rita Anand (daughter of late actor Dev Anand) at the Woodstock School.In the 90’s,he performed in Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka for a series of concerts.
In 2003, he was part of an Indo-Sweden exchange program to which he contributed greatly.Between 2003 and 2008, Ashis was a senior faculty with the Bangalore School of Music and taught innumerable young talents who are now full-time performers and teachers.
In 2007, he was the only Indian chosen by the Goodwill Symphony Orchestra in Osaka, Japan to play a series of concerts for world peace and goodwill among citizens
In 2011, Ashis Biswas founded the Philharmonic School of Music in Bangalore with an aim to provide the finest musical education for Western classical music. It is his vision and dream to pass on his musical genius to as many people as he can.
In the 19th century the cello advanced along with the violin to become the most important bowed instrument for solo works. In the 20th century cellists began to specialize more, concentrating more on solo, chamber or orchestral playing.It is constructed using the same components as the violin, the only difference being the larger size.The bow is about 2 cm shorter and a quarter as heavy again as the violin bow. Horsehair is stretched between the two ends of the bow, with rosin ensuring that the bow remains in contact with the string.
In terms of its history, construction and sound the cello belongs to the violin family. Nevertheless if differs from the violin and viola in the playing position and fingering.Playing position because of its size the cello is played in the upright position (like the viola da gamba). Nowadays the cellist places the instrument between his legs, where it rest on the floor on a tail-pin (spike). In the past the cellist would hold the instrument between his legs and pressed against his body, or rest it on a chair and play standing up. His left hand grasped the neck. This method of playing meant that only very simple bass figures could be played.Students are taught basics about the instrument and are also sent for exams conducted by ABRSM, London.
FACULTY
Ashis Biswas
At the age of eight, Ashis Biswas attended a symphony in Calcutta and took an immediate liking for cello. Soon after, he started classes with Rev. Fr. Thioder Mathieson at the Oxford School in Calcutta. Four years of training later, an 11-year-old Ashis was part of the quartet that played for Neil Armstrong – the first man to set foot on Moon – during his stay in Calcutta. In that same year he performed with the Delhi Symphony as its youngest member ever. He never looked back after that.
During his initial playing years, Ashis played with the Delhi Symphony, Caclutta Symphony,Calcutta Chamber Orchestra, and the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. He pursued his higher studies in music at the Woodstock School, Dehra Dun. After continuing his training in cello with Anup Kumar Biswas (who now runs the Mathieson Academy in Calcutta ), he stepped into the world of professional performers.
He then went on to perform across the country with the All India Radio as a soloist and in quartets. He frequently performed and recorded several center pieces in the cello repertoire, of which the Solo Cello Suites by J S Bach he has played innumerably. Among his significant recordings are the concertos by Elgar and Vivaldi among others.
Ashis ventured into Indian film music when he recorded for well-known south Indian composer and two-time national award winner Johnson Master in 1981. He continued to play for films till 2007. He has since performed for luminaries such as Satyajit Ray (who wrote music for his own films), RD Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Ilayaraja and AR Rahman among others.Film music apart, he made several recordings and albums with Pandit Ravi Shankar and Carnatic violin maestro L Shankar (who is now in the mainstream Western music scene as a vocalist),
In 1980, he performed a duet with concert pianist Rita Anand (daughter of late actor Dev Anand) at the Woodstock School.In the 90’s,he performed in Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka for a series of concerts.
In 2003, he was part of an Indo-Sweden exchange program to which he contributed greatly.Between 2003 and 2008, Ashis was a senior faculty with the Bangalore School of Music and taught innumerable young talents who are now full-time performers and teachers.
In 2007, he was the only Indian chosen by the Goodwill Symphony Orchestra in Osaka, Japan to play a series of concerts for world peace and goodwill among citizens
In 2011, Ashis Biswas founded the Philharmonic School of Music in Bangalore with an aim to provide the finest musical education for Western classical music. It is his vision and dream to pass on his musical genius to as many people as he can.