Hitting the high notes

Soprano Farah Ghadiali, who participated in the Young Talent series of concerts at the Experimental Theatre of the NCPA (National Centre for the Performing Arts) in Bombay on August 12, 2011 along with pianists Yamini Prabhu and Aditya Deshpande, made a mark, hitting the high notes at the concert. Music critic Norma Alfonso described the 29-year-old singer’s performance in the Examiner magazine thus: "Farah has power, a big range and interpretative skills. Her wide choice presented songs by Purcell, Schubert, Caccini and Offenbach in the first part of the concert. Later, she sang Britten’s A charm (agitated dramatic speech), the slow dramatic V’adoro and the lighter Sond­heim’s song, the Vivacious Green Finch and the famous Il bacio where she took the florid writing and vocal pyrotechnic in her stride.”

Farah Ghadiali (top) and (above) at a vocal recital

The Young Talent series was started in 1989 to provide a platform for young, non-professional but highly talented artists under the age of 30 in the field of western music to perform in front of a live and discerning audience. The artists need to have either a performer’s or higher diploma after completing all music grades and be well recommended by their teachers and other artists, Ghadiali explains in an e-mail sent to Parsiana. Many of those who have participated in the series have gone on to study music in foreign conservatories, performing or teaching music.

Ghadiali had won the Francophone award of the Alliance Francaise and TV5 Monde awards in 2007 (see "Golden key for Ghadiali,” Events and Personalities, Parsiana, May 21, 2007). A member of the Stop Gaps Choral Ensemble since 2005, she has represented India at the World Choir Games in China and Asia at the 7th International Choir in Germany as part of the Ensemble. Having been tutored by Alfred D’Souza, Ghadiali is currently training with Minaish Doctor and also taking master classes from renowned singer Patricia Rosario, the e-mail notes. She has completed her ATCL from the Trinity College of London and is preparing for her LTCL next year.

Ghadiali, a marketing specialist who holds a master’s degree in management studies, had stood sixth in the Bombay University and first in her institute. She received the ZOSTA (The Zoroastrian Student Teacher Association) and Mancherji Joshi awards for standing first amongst all the Parsi postgraduates in Maharashtra. She joined the NCPA as a management trainee and has risen to be manager, events marketing in India’s leading cultural center. Pursuing her musical interest more seriously after her master’s degree, Ghadiali began giving vocal exams while singing with the Stop Gaps. It "helped me to unwind after a hard day’s work and gave me the opportunity to perform on stage — an experience I love... For classical music, there are no short cuts — that’s why only the truly passionate survive and excel,” the singer notes in her e-mail.