Con Brio: the festival of music

Music has the incredible power to transcend boundaries, stir up emotions, and bring people together like nothing else. It is a universal language that connects souls, bringing diverse musicians and music lovers together to create magic and harmony. Con Brio is one such cherished music event that has been a national favourite of both performers and audiences alike.

This is a 2-part blog series where we explore the magically musical world of the Con Brio competition and festival. We will delve into what Con Brio is, a one-time Con Brio winner's experience at the competition, and an audience perspective of the festival.

This first blog will give you an insight into what Con Brio is all about. So, regardless of whether you're a first timer learning about the festival or you've attended it for years, stay tuned!

What is Con Brio?

Con Brio started out in 2010 as an annual festival and competition for pianists across the nation. Although primarily a festival centred around the Piano, Con Brio set out to provide an expansive platform for Indian musicians not only to perform, but also to reach for higher levels of mastery. The festival is presented by Furtados and directed by Parvesh Java, and has been a much anticipated event by musicians every year.

The main focus of the Con Brio festival is on local talent, and on providing a medium for pianists and other Western Classical musicians across diverse backgrounds to form strong connections. The term 'Con Brio' means "with vigour" or "with spirit" and is the perfect name for this competition and festival that functions on the idea of vigorous collaboration between various artists from all over India and abroad to produce musical performances, and also educational projects including music lessons, workshops and masterclasses.

Although from when it was started, there were competitions only held in the Piano category, in 2023, Con Brio will feature festivals in Piano, Violin, and Voice. The competition this year promises to unite Aural and Visual Arts, and provide special emphasis on visual imagery along with music.

The History of Con Brio

The beloved Con Brio festival was born out of Anthony Gomes' desire to add a national piano competition in memory of his late father John Gomes.

Con Brio 2023

Con Brio 2023 will take place from 15th to 17th September at the Experimental Theatre of the NCPA, Mumbai.

Make sure you have yourself some tickets for one of India's most awaited music festivals!