Neecia Majolly

Neecia Majolly is an Indian concert pianist, conductor, singer, teacher and composer, who has emerged as one of the most dynamic musical forces in India.

Biography

Neecia Majolly’s development as a musician includes piano studies with her parents in Brunei Darussalam (where she was born and brought up), and with Vivien Ngo (Singapore) and Dr. John Roberts (Perth, Australia), and vocal studies with Shelagh Molyneax (Singapore). In 1992, Neecia was awarded the Stephanie Coleman Prize for Best Graduating Pianist from the Western Australian Conservatorium of Music, Perth, the Rex Hobcroft Award in 1991 for Best Pianist at the Inaugural Chamber Music Competition (Western Australian Conservatorium of Music, Perth), and in 2001, the Edgar Fewkes Memorial Award for outstanding musician (voice) in the southern Indian region.

Giving her first public performance at the age of 6, and having been involved in various radio and television programmes in Brunei Darussalam, Neecia has several successful solo performances to her credit in Malaysia, Singapore, Western Australia, Brunei and India, and is also accompanist to Russian-American violinist Galina Heifetz in India.

Neecia is also in demand as a music educator having taught at the Delhi School of Music, the Bangalore School of Music (as well as being Head of the Assessment Panel there), Technics Music School (Sabah, Malaysia), and is presently teaching piano and vocal studies privately in Bangalore (including vocal training and interpretative workshops), where she has been living for the past 12 ½ years.

Under her baton, two choirs, Madrigals, Etc. (specializing in music from the Renaissance period) and the Camerata, have earned a firm reputation in India for being unique in their choice of repertoire and quality of presentation. The year 2001 saw the historic performance of Handel’s “Messiah” for choir, soloists and full – fledged orchestra, the likes of which had never been experienced in India before. The former choir has now the distinction of being the first to launch, in October 2009, the first ever Western Classical Music Album in India, 'the renaissance begins', which has received excellent appreciation.

As co-founder and ex-president of the Bangalore Society for Performing Arts, a non – profit organisation set up in 2000 for the promotion of music, theatre and dance in India[1], Neecia has been vigorous in encouraging young artistes in their pursuit of the performing arts. The organization unfortunately has had to close down due to pressing circumstances.

At present, Neecia is the Founder-Trustee of the Majolly Music Trust, that aims to raise the standard of Western Classical Music in India through the highest standards of music teaching and performance. The Trust is proud to have begun a pension fund for aged and infirm musicians, and is the first organisation in the country to do so, due to absence of any framework of social security in India.

Neecia is presently the all-Karnataka representative of the LCME (London College of Music Examinations) that offer a range of subjects like classical music performance and theory, pop music performance and theory, electronic keyboard, jazz performance, teaching, composition, thesis, conducting, church music, drama, music theatre, chamber ensemble and early learning to name a few. Examinations in electric and bass guitars are offered in partnership with the Registry of Guitar Tutors (RGT) whose board of patrons include the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Hank Marvin, David Gilmour and Ronnie Wood among others.

Neecia is also Artistic Advisor to the National Philharmonic of India (based in Japan), and has also worked as radio presenter of Western Classical Music in New Delhi, India, as well as critiquing for two major newspapers in India.

In addition, she holds an ALS (Associate of La Salle - SIA College of the Arts, Singapore) in both performance and principles of teaching, ALCM (Associate of the London College of Music) in music theatre, LTCL (Licentiate of the Trinity College, London) in piano, voice and principles of teaching, LRSM (Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music, London) in piano, and the prestigious FTCL (Fellowship of the Trinity College, London) in piano.

She now has a piano album released on i-tunes, 'Gold Spa'by Universal Audio, USA, which is believed to be the first western classical album released by an Indian pianist.

Trivia

• First public performance at age 6, followed by numerous radio and television appearances on Brunei radio and television
• Holder of prestigious diplomas such as the LRSM and FTCL, as well as B.Mus from the Western Australian Conservatorium, Perth (Australia) and awarded the Stephanie Coleman Prize for Best Graduating Pianist.
• Australian premieres of new works
• International debut as concert pianist in 1996, going on to other successful solo performances
• Accompanist to Russian – American violinist, Galina Heifetz in India
• Co-founder and ex- director of the Bangalore Society for Performing Arts
• Conductor and director of two acclaimed choirs, Madrigals, Etc. and the Camerata including ground – breaking performances in India.
• Artistic advisor to the National Philharmonic of India (Japan)
• London College of Music Examinations (LCME) representative for Karnataka, India.

Quotes

• “A brilliant virtuoso, her choice of the Waldstein Sonata in C Op.53 of Beethoven showed the clarity and command she has over the keyboard”. – The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 18 September 1998
• “Neecia Majolly’s recital reached a high level. If expressed briefly, it was the performer’s natural flair for the instrument and also her utter clarity of conception and expression that was her most impressive quality”. – The Hindu, Chennai, 2 October 1998
• “’Madrigals, Etc.’ …..is one of the best vocal combos….” – Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 6 September 1999
• “….the vocal and chamber ensemble, Madrigals, Etc., once again claimed kudos as one of the city’s most polished performing groups of Western art music….Majolly held her audience throughout the two-hour recital by carefully varying the moods, textures, and tempo of successive selection of the 15 – item programme…..Her playing emphasized dynamics, technical virtuosity, sheer speed and stamina, impressive as it was, this type of brio only exhibits a small part of the expressive range she showed as a singer and accompanist”. – Deccan Herald, Bamgalore, 3 July 2000
• “Neecia Majolly, known for her virtuosity at the piano and as the conductor of the Madrigals Choir, must be congratulated for her effort in bringing forth this production (‘Messiah’)

The choir was truly magnificent” – The Sunday Times of India, Bangalore, 5 August 2001

• “Musical history was made in Bangalore recently. One of the masterpieces in western classical music – Handel’s Messiah – was performed in full by a 45 strong group here.”

- The Economic Times, Bangalore, 12 August 2001

• “Opening the evening with a very positive performance of the Shostakovich Prelude and Fugue in e minor, she established herself effortlessly in perfect control…with the two Brahms Rhapsodies…., the performer was in her element….the performance was a treat for the listener.” – The Hindu, Chennai, 15 November 2002
• “Most people are unaware of Renaissance music, but now, thanks to the work done by Neecia and Madrigals, Etc., people are learning to appreciate and understand it.” – The Times of India, Bangalore, 28 June 2003

References

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article1502079.ece?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d6f88798defd51f%2C0

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=QkdNSVIvMjAxMC8wNy8wNCNBcjAxMDAw&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom

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Name	Majolly, Neecia
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