Legato School of Music strikes a chord for young talent with fundraising concert
How do you ask a deaf and broken world for help? Well, you let music do the talking instead. For beneath the funky beats, rhythm and melody is an anthem of hope, opening doors to those still waiting by the threshold for a chance. The Legato School of Music is offering just that. Founded with the intent to give every student a space to foster their musical talent, technique and confidence, the institution has curated for the city Notes of Hope — an event featuring an ensemble of multiple choirs and an array of musical performances for the crowd to indulge and enjoy. The driving purpose behind this event is simple: to offer support for young musicians who dream of learning but lack the financial means, with the proceeds of the evening going towards scholarships, instruments and educational opportunities. In conversation with Abishek Gnanaraj, founder of Legato School of Music, we get to gloss over the upcoming event, life at Legato and his approach towards music.
Abishek, are you a musician yourself? Maybe you could tell us a little bit about your journey with music and Legato?
By profession, I am an entrepreneur and Head of Strategy and Business Development at Design Collaborative, an architecture firm. By music, I am a pianist and choir director. It was my parents’ wish; they always wanted me to play and sing, so my musical journey began in the church. Music was first an offering before it became a passion. It was never about performing well — it was about giving something to a room that needed it. A philosophy that continues to shape everything Legato does — and it’s something I often repeat to my own students as well: that, at the end of the day, musicianship isn’t measured by applause, but by the sincerity behind the sound.
The event is titled Notes of Hope. How has the preparation been for it? What are the different choirs and songs, especially from Legato, that the audience can expect to hear?
Notes of Hope is Legato’s upcoming concert, supported by the Bangalore School of Music. Rather than a single ensemble performance, the evening is shaping up as something closer to a reunion, bringing together groups and communities that are personally connected to my own journey. The lineup includes the Sophia High School Junior Choir — where I served as the school’s music teacher and conductor — Fingersmith Collective, the BSM Chorale, The Counterpoint Crew, Chikka Strings, Curious Caterpillars — a young children’s group Legato has been quietly training — and the LSM Chorale. Bringing these different voices, some seasoned and some just beginning, together on one stage has been the heart of the preparation. That means audiences can expect a wide-ranging programme, spanning classical, pop and musical theatre, all in a single evening.
How does music, according to you, instil that hope?
There are moments when someone feels lonely, or low, or like the world has gone quiet on them — and that’s exactly where music steps in. It doesn’t ask questions or demand explanations. It simply meets you where you are and gives you something to hold on to, even if just for the length of a song and that, for me, is hope in its simplest form.
Why is this cause so important for you? What was the thought process and need for community that led to curating this fundraiser?
Quality music education has quietly become expensive, almost a privilege for those who can afford it and that never sat right with me. Notes of Hope was conceived as a direct response — a fundraiser aimed at students who love music as much as anyone else but lack access to good training. This exists so we can bring them in rather than leave them out, so they get to enjoy music fully, without cost standing in the way. This concert, for me, is as much about community as it is about music itself. As I look at Legato’s younger students, it shows how being part of a group builds more than technical skill. It teaches them focus and discipline that carries far beyond music. It shapes how they carry themselves in everything they do. Community doesn’t just build better musicians — it builds more grounded people.
What do you hope the audience will carry back with them from this performance?
If there’s one thing I hope the audience carries with them after the final note fades, it’s the belief that music belongs to everyone. It shouldn’t matter how old you are, where you’re from, how educated you are, or how much you can afford. Music is universal and everyone deserves the chance to access it fully.
INR 599 onwards. August 30, 5 pm. At Alliance Française de Bangalore, Thimmaiah Road.
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