NUVI MEHTA
Navroj (Nuvi) Mehta serves the San Diego Symphony as pre-concert lecturer, "in concert" speaker, multi-media presenter, community outreach resource, and host of the Symphony’s “Symphony Exposé” concert series. Nuvi Mehta joined the Ventura Music Festival in 2004 as Artistic Director, and was formerly conductor for the International Russian Music Piano Competition, as well as Music Director of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra and the Nova Vista Symphony. Mr. Mehta has also been Assistant Conductor and Director of Outreach Programs with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, and he served as apprentice conductor with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. Nuvi Mehta also hosts San Diego Symphony appearances on XLNC 104.9FM and KPBS 89.5FM.
As a violinist, Nuvi Mehta served as concertmaster with the New World Symphony in Miami, and performed for several seasons with the San Diego Symphony. A graduate with honors of Indiana University (BA in Music) and Juilliard (MA in Music), he studied conducting with Charles Bruck and attended conducting seminars with Leonard Bernstein. Nuvi Mehta comes from a long musical tradition. His father, Dady Mehta, studied piano at the Vienna Academy. Simultaneously, Nuvi Mehta’s mother had begun her voice training and his father’s cousin, Zubin Mehta, was studying conducting. Nuvi Mehta’s brother, Bejun Mehta, is a countertenor who has sung with the Metropolitan Opera.
Describing a childhood surrounded by music, Mr. Mehta says: “My mother taught us to sing, and the music from my father playing the piano filled the house. To this day, some of my favorite piano music is that which my father played when I was under five years old. I remember running from wherever I was to get under the piano in time for the final glissando of the first movement of Bartók’s piano sonata.”
Nuvi Mehta’s interest in conducting began at Indiana University. While at Juilliard, he began studying conducting under Otto-Werner Mueller. “New York was a revelation. I went to concerts all the time. Inspiration followed inspiration. I heard Milstein and later had lessons with him. Zubin was a great support to me. He invited me to live in his house while I was there. He took the time to hear me play and gave me access to all his rehearsals and concerts. It was like discovering gold.”
Speaking of powerful influences in his life, Mr. Mehta describes Charles Bruck and Michael Tilson Thomas as wonderful teachers. Leonard Bernstein also had a huge influence on his whole approach to music. “I met him in California at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, when he was guest conductor at Indiana University, and at Juilliard during his last Mahler cycle. I played hooky from Juilliard and practically lived in the Green Room at Avery Fisher Hall. On all of these occasions, he taught me, and what I learned from him was powerful.”
Mr. Mehta has many interests. Married to a former horn player, Karen Park-Mehta, he enjoys cooking, baking, and swimming in the ocean.
