Nuvi Mehta – Of a Musical Dynasty
Credit: Voice of San Diego
Nuvi Mehta belongs to an extraordinary musical dynasty that includes: conductor Zubin Mehta (his cousin), countertenor Bejun Mehta (his brother), pianist Dady Mehta (his father), Zarin Mehta (Zubin’s brother and former executive director of the New York Philharmonic) and the late violinist/conductor Mehli Mehta (Zubin and Zarin’s father). And you thought the Batiste clan, Kanneh-Masons and Jupiter String Quartet were among the only family acts. In conversation, Nuvi Mehta says, “There was constant classical music played and sung in our house, so it was a language we grew up with. We hummed and sang tunes before we spoke. The power of music was a part of daily life.”
Nuvi Mehta is an artist in his own right, too, as a violinist and conductor of the San Diego Symphony, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, among others, and Artistic Director of the Ventura Music Festival since 2003 (VMF). Although being part of a musical legacy may have its perks, it’s not a guarantee of success. He comments that “a career in music, made possible by early lessons, was by no means a foregone conclusion, however. The message we received was that such a career is a very difficult one, though not impossible.” His own ideas about music have been influenced by a selection of prominent artists he studied and worked with including Josef Gingold at Indiana University and Szymon Goldberg at The Juilliard School - in addition to a cultural upbringing. “Our father, Dady Mehta, a pianist, is still playing and recording at 92 years old and our mother is a singer. My father’s performances remain a cornerstone.”
Not surprisingly, Nuvi Mehta has a lot to say about music, which he expresses as a concert commentator for the San Diego Symphony in What’s The Score?, that offers insight about programs du jour. “These talks grew out of score study and wishing to share the details of composers’ story telling techniques with audiences. I found that learning about composers’ lives at the time they penned great works serves to humanize them, pulling them out of ivory towers and making their works that much more compelling. I also like to trace historical developments of music between pieces on a program, which mirror societies’ developments through time.”
Accessibility, perspective and insight are attributes Nuvi Mehta also brings to planning programs for VMF that draw audiences into the July and October series - of which he will be giving A Classical Edge concert-lecture highlighting Mozart during this season. Ventura Music Festival may be among the best kept musical secrets around as an off the beaten path feel makes it a totally real and relevant choice for innovative programming that include a variety of genres such as classical, jazz, blues - and feature artists like Dianne Reeves, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Ukulele Orchestra of Britain. VMF’s 2024-2025 lineup includes Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman Group, Delirium Musicum and guitarist Ottmar Liebert (June 27).
Nuvi Mehta seems to understand what it takes to build and keep audiences coming back for more, which they do to embrace a diverse selection of conventional and trending music and artists that spice up the listening experience. “Variety has become a signature of the Ventura Music Festival. We seek musicians, story tellers, whose artistry leaps out at audiences irrespective of genre.” He again points to an integral connection between music and communication. “At the time I left for college, it surprised me when my straight-laced classical musician parents handed me jazz, pop and folk albums which helped open my eyes to the fact, though I would not have disputed it, that great story telling is not confined to a single genre. I brought this belief to Ventura and have found it fits well.”
Ventura Music Festival and Nuvi Mehta are a good fit. His cousin Zubin Mehta said in an interview, “My job is to make musicians feel comfortable with what they are playing and to do that I believe they have to understand the form of the music.” (The Telegraph, 8.22.2022). As Artistic Director of VMF, violinist and concert lecturer, Nuvi Mehta is continuing a family tradition of making all forms of music available to musicians and audiences. He says, “Every great piece of music tells a story and all great musicians are story tellers.”
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