Who am I?
Musician, Composer, Engineer, Producer, Performer
My musical journey has been an interesting one. I started playing the Santoor when I was just seven years old, learning from Santoor maestro, Ustad Harjinderpal Singh Ji. Since then, I've composed and produced for a wide range of amazing projects. I have performed at various venues across the UK and have given solo's at prestigious venues such as the Barbican and Southbank Centre. For me, the Santoor is a major part of my life and has given me the opportunity to share my music and passion with others.
My Journey
My journey in music began with learning the Santoor under the guidance of Ustad Harjinderpal Singh Ji, a master musician and senior disciple of the late Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, where he spent decades in developing the authentic approach to Santoor technique and repertoire. At the age of 18, I had the privilege of presenting a recital in front of Pt. Shivkumar Sharma himself, a moment that would forever shape my musical trajectory and dedication to this wonderful instrument.
​
Whilst my passion for music continued to grow in the background, I went on to graduate in Biomedical Engineering at King's College London. Fascinated by the power of storytelling, I also co-founded Adrak Studios, an indie animation studio dedicated to bringing rare stories to life through film. As part of this venture, I composed the music score for Adrak Studios' debut short animation "Ru," with which I blended Indian classical techniques with western orchestration to produce a unique new sound. I was recipient of the Arts and Culture Award at the 2023 King’s College London Distinguished Alumni Awards, for his work Ru and composition revival.
​
Performance
As a Santoor player, I have performed in many prestigious venues across the UK, including the Howard Assembly Room, Barbican Centre and Southbank Centre. I have performed solo concerts at renowned festivals like the Darbar Festival - the largest Indian Classical Music festival outside India - and SAA-uk's Summer Solstice Festival, to critical acclaim.​
Currently, I am engrossed in a monumental project called the Suraj Podcast. Here, I am delving deep into the Precolonial epic, the Suraj Parkash by Mahakavi Santokh Singh, and working on blending modern sound design elements with traditional Raag structures and instrumentation. My goal is to create a captivating audio experience that merges my passion for music with my love for storytelling, offering spiritual guidance and lessons through this exploration. This work has lead me to work on my debut EP, Blossoming which is coming out Summer 2024.