Balthazar Fernandes – Bollywood’s best kept secret
I am Balthazar Fernandes, son of Manuel & Rosa Maria Fernandes of Madel Chorao, Ilhas Goa. I was born on the 12th of June, 1941, in Bombay. My Parents and I moved to Goa within a year of my birth, where I spent my childhood. The Portuguese ruled Goa then. The parochial churches had their own schools and education was sponsored by the church. Here, students were provided with a basic knowledge of reading and writing Portuguese books and music. Education in Music included simple exercises of singing and writing in solfeggio. Besides this, schools trained students in singing parts or vocal voicing for hymns and two part harmonies. Goan folk music, hymns and songs in general incorporate this training and thus are mainly sung in two parts (in 3rds or 6ths), or one voice ascending and the other voice descending in thirds or sixths, or counter parts.


MUSICAL INFLUENCES?
– The church & my father were a major influence.
– Playing with the Bombay Chamber Orchestra was inspirational.
– In the Film Industry we would have to record up to 60 musicians, which was very inspiring, also recording for CMA or orchestrating.
MUSICAL PREFERENCES AND STYLES?
Western Classical music with many parts and variations, counter pointal melodic compositions.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT MUSIC?
Polyphonic music in an orchestra, the music or sound coming from all sides.
FAVOURITE MUSICIANS?
Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Itzhak Perlman and Yehudi Menuhin
MEMORABLE GIG?
The Swan Lake Ballet: Soloist & performing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
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