The Hyderabad jazz concert is set to make history as the city hosts what organisers describe as India’s first full-scale big band jazz performance. Scheduled for June 24 at the RNR Auditorium in Filmnagar, the event will feature a 14-piece ensemble comprising acclaimed musicians from India and the United States, reflecting a growing ambition to position Hyderabad as one of India’s leading destinations for international performing arts.
Curated by concert pianist, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad Adjunct Professor and ArtHome Foundation founder Timothy Marthand, the big band jazz performance will be led by Boston’s 2025 Jazz Artist of the Year, Dr. Jared Sims. Joining him are renowned trumpeter Doug Olsen, trombonist Reggie Watkins, and Indian jazz saxophonist Ryan Sadri, who helped assemble the Indian musicians participating in the landmark event.
Organisers believe the Hyderabad jazz concert represents far more than a single evening of music. They see it as an important milestone in the city’s evolving cultural identity and an opportunity to introduce audiences to a format rarely experienced in India.
Big band jazz arrives in India on an unprecedented scale
According to Timothy Marthand, the decision to organise a big band jazz concert in Hyderabad follows more than two decades of building an audience for live performing arts in the city. He indicated that the foundations had already been laid through years of cultivating concert-goers, strengthening artistic networks and investing in quality programming.
He explained that while big band performances are common in many parts of the world, they have never previously been presented in India on this scale. Rather than viewing the event as a risk, he suggested it was the natural next step after years of developing Hyderabad’s arts ecosystem. In his view, the city already possessed the audience, relationships and infrastructure needed to support such an ambitious production.
The India big band initiative also required assembling musicians capable of performing in an environment where improvisation and collaboration are essential. Marthand noted that technical excellence alone would not be enough, as performers also needed the ability to adapt instantly to one another during a limited rehearsal period.
Hyderabad’s cultural ambitions extend beyond business
The Hyderabad jazz concert also reflects broader conversations about the city’s cultural future. While Hyderabad has earned international recognition for its technology industry, pharmaceuticals sector and rapid economic growth, Marthand believes the city’s artistic identity is now entering a significant phase of development.
He suggested that every globally recognised city eventually reaches a stage where it must define itself through culture as well as commerce. According to him, Hyderabad has already established the economic foundations necessary to become a cultural destination, but continued investment in world-class programming and performance venues will determine how successfully that ambition is realised.
Arts policy experts have frequently argued that thriving cultural institutions contribute significantly to tourism, creative industries and urban development. Studies published by organisations including UNESCO have found that sustained investment in performing arts infrastructure can strengthen local economies while expanding international cultural exchanges.
International collaboration defines the concert
One of the defining features of the Hyderabad jazz concert is the collaboration between accomplished American and Indian musicians. Rather than presenting one musical tradition over another, organisers say the performance has been designed as a conversation between different improvisational styles.
Marthand indicated that the participating artists would not attempt to imitate one another. Instead, they would develop a shared musical language through live performance, allowing audiences to witness creativity unfolding in real time.
He also credited Ryan Sadri for helping identify Indian musicians capable of working comfortably alongside experienced international jazz performers, noting that Sadri understands both Indian and Western jazz traditions.
The inclusion of internationally recognised musicians such as Dr. Jared Sims, Doug Olsen and Reggie Watkins is expected to expose local audiences to performance standards commonly associated with major jazz festivals across North America and Europe.
Vision extends beyond one concert
Although the Hyderabad jazz concert is attracting attention as India’s first big band jazz event of its kind, Marthand views it as one step in a much larger effort to strengthen India’s performing arts infrastructure.
He explained that every concert produced by the ArtHome Foundation contributes toward a long-term vision of creating performance spaces capable of meeting international acoustic standards. According to him, India currently lacks a purpose-built concert hall comparable with leading venues elsewhere in the world, a gap he believes should eventually be addressed.
Performing arts experts have long emphasised that dedicated concert halls play an important role in developing professional musicians, attracting international productions and improving audience experiences. High-quality acoustics, specialised stage design and advanced technical facilities are widely regarded as essential components of globally competitive arts infrastructure.
Hyderabad jazz concert welcomes new audiences
For audiences attending a jazz performance for the first time, organisers believe prior musical knowledge is unnecessary. Marthand suggested that the experience of hearing fourteen musicians creating music together in real time offers something fundamentally different from listening through digital platforms or recorded performances.
He believes the spontaneous interaction between performers allows audiences to experience improvisation as it happens, creating an atmosphere that cannot be replicated outside a live venue.
As Hyderabad continues investing in cultural programming alongside its economic development, the Hyderabad jazz concert could become a defining moment in the city’s artistic evolution. Whether viewed as a landmark big band jazz performance or as a symbol of India’s expanding cultural ambitions, the event represents a significant step towards positioning Hyderabad among the country’s leading centres for international performing arts.