One of the UK’s finest Sitar players is coming to the Tung Auditorium this November, returning to Liverpool for an evening of soulful South Asian sounds.
Roopa Panesar is considered one of the finest sitar players to emerge from the UK. Embracing Indian Classical as well as Jazz and Western Classical music, Roopa takes audiences on a soulful journey that spans traditional Indian Ragas, virtuosic improvisation and her extensive contemporary collaborations.
Having been born in London and raised in one of the UK’s most culturally diverse cities, Leicester, afforded Roopa the opportunity to learn sitar from young. At the age of seven she began studying with renowned educationalist and leading UK musician Ustad Dharambir Singh ji MBE and has gone on to train with renowned masters including Pandit Arvind Parikh, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt. Buddhaditya Mukherjee and Ustad Bahauddin Dagar.
Over the course of her career Roopa has collaborated with Mercury Prize winner Talvin Singh and the Belgian Symphony Orchestra, and graced the stages of WOMAD UK, Birmingham Symphony Hall, Bristol Beacon and London’s Darbar Festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance. Her recent critically acclaimed album ATMA (The Soul) reflects her profound musical virtuosity, solidifying her reputation as a leading light of the British Asian diaspora.
Traditionally a male-dominated instrument, Roopa Panesar represents one of the few females to have taken up the Sitar on equal terms. Having attended University and qualified as a chemical engineer, she became unfulfilled in her scientific career and made the choice to follow her passion in South Asian music. Recent plaudits by The Guardian, The Independent and Songlines Magazine attest to the fact that engineering’s loss is her audience’s gain.
A fitting finale to Milap’s Autumn ’26 Season of Indian Arts – for this special performance, Roopa is joined by the world-renowned tabla maestro, Kousic Sen. Their musical partnership is a long-standing one; in 2011, Milap produced Roopa’s debut album, Khoj, which featured Kousic’s masterly accompaniment — an early milestone in a collaborative relationship that continues to flourish on stages worldwide.
Expect an emotional and immersive evening – and a true masterclass in Indian Classical live music.
Milap presents, in association with Asian Arts Agency
Roopa Panesar & Kousic Sen
Friday 27th November, 7.30pm | The Tung Auditorium