No Filter: Expat pianist Adam says he was thrilled to play with Australian World Orchestra

On Sunday, I attended a brilliant night of music by the Australian World Orchestra and much to my surprise, they had invited one of Chennai’s very own to join them for a performance. As Adam Greig walked onto the stage wearing an outfit that combined designs by Sidney Sladen and Vivek Karunakaran, you could tell that he had embraced the city he calls home as much as it had him. Amidst cheers and applause from students and friends in the audience, he began to play the piano. 

I decided then and there that I wanted to talk to him for my coloumn. I met him after his performance that received thunderous applause and even a few whistles in true Chennai style. He was still shaking and couldn’t believe what had actually transpired. He kept repeating that this was indeed the highlight of his performing career and this would have never happened had he not moved to Chennai.

A couple of days later when I reached out  for a detailed conversation, just by the various musical instruments and the singing in the background I could tell that he was still at work as the Academic Coordinator for KM Music Conservatory. He told me how the past two weeks had been incredibly busy for him — he walked the ramp at the One Love show, which celebrated the repealing of Section 377, and performed at three other occasions. 

Rewinding into his past, he says, “I intended to come to Chennai for just a year and eight years later, this is home. When I do go back to the UK it feels like I’m on holiday. My job brought me here and I fell for the quirky culture. It can feel like a big bustling city and also have a relaxed seaside town vibe. The people are incredible and my job is so exciting. I was fresh out of my PhD — the job offer should have gone to someone with a lot more experience but they were happy with my work, which is why I stayed.” He adds, “Western classical music education is still in its nascent stages in India so there is room for experiments and breaking the rules that it’s exciting. This is a dream position for me.”

I have known Adam for a few years and he has always been too busy to perform. So, I was wondering who managed to convince him to get back on stage. “Krish Kumar from Lady Andal approached me regarding performing with the Australian World Orchestra. I was petrified  and even my mother, a concert pianist, advised me against it — but I said yes anyway. Sometimes, there are certain once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that come your way and you can’t say no. I’m always telling my students to push past their fears and doubts to perform and I had to practice what I preach,” he says.

It’s heart-warming to see that someone who teaches music for a living still gets nervous performing on a big stage. What’s even nicer is that the other faculty members, who haven’t performed till date citing that they have too much work on their plates, have been inspired by Adam and are planning to perform too. So Chennaiites, we know who to thank for adding several musical events to the city calendar!