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Jasdeep Singh Degun

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Jasdeep Singh Degun (born 9 September 1991) is a British Sitar player and composer from Leeds. He is signed to the Real World Records label, on which he released his debut album, Anomaly.[1] In May 2022, he became artist-in-residence at Opera North[2] and in 2024 he was made the first Innovate Fellow at the Royal Northern College of Music.[3] Degun is the first sitar player to be awarded a Royal Philharmonic Society Best Instrumentalist Award.[4]

Early life, education and training

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Jasdeep Singh Degun's introduction to Indian classical music took place in his primary school where he began his training in vocal music with Shrimati Gunwant Kaur. He also was a part of the school choir and learnt piano.[5] Degun began to study sitar at the age of fifteen under the guidance of Ustad Dharambir Singh MBE, who was himself a pupil of Ustad Vilayat Khan. Growing up, Degun was a member of Tarang and SAMYO (South Asian Music Youth Orchestra), established by Dharambir Singh, which brought together classical musical traditions from across India.[6]

In 2011, Degun featured in the three-part BBC Two series Goldie's Band: By Royal Appointment which culminated in a performance in Buckingham Palace before Prince Harry.[7] As a participant of the programme, Degun was supported by mentors Guy Chambers, Soweto Kinch, Ms Dynamite, Steve Abbott and Cerys Matthews.[8]

Between 2011-2014, Degun completed a BA in Music at SOAS University London[9] and in 2016, he went to study as an International Scholar for six months at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata, India.[10]

Career

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Jasdeep Singh Degun works as a composer, concert performer and music director. He regularly performs solo Indian classical concerts accompanied by a tabla player;[11] with chamber ensembles including the Scottish Ensemble;[12] and with orchestra.[13] In 2022, Degun performed at the Royal Commonwealth Service in the presence of His Royal Highness King Charles III at Westminster Abbey,[14] aired live on BBC One.[15]

Real World Records

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In 2016, Degun was awarded a Sky Academy Arts Scholarship to work on an album of contemporary and classical music, Anomaly. As part of the scholarship, he was mentored by multi-instrumentalist and producer, Nitin Sawhney, who also co-wrote and performed on a track on the album. Anomaly features 33 musicians including sitarist Roopa Panesar, South Indian percussionist Pirashanna Thevarajah, esraj violinist Kirpal Panesar, and a 16-piece string ensemble.[16]

In 2021, Degun signed to Real World Records and released his debut album Anomaly in May 2022. The album was taken to the concert platform with a nine-piece ensemble in July 2022,[17] launching the tour at London's Kings Place on 14 May 2022.[18] The Anomaly album again went on tour with a further series of concerts in 2023.[19]

Opera North

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In May 2022, Jasdeep Singh Degun was made artist-in-residence at Opera North, marking his ongoing relationship with the company which began in 2017 when he was music director and composer for India's Children: Partition, a collaborative project between Opera North and South Asian Arts-uk in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan[20]

In 2019, Degun was commissioned by Opera North to write Arya: Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra[21] which premiered with the orchestra of Opera North in Huddersfield Town Hall in February 2020.

In 2022, Degun was composer, performer and co-music director with early music specialist Laurence Cummings in Orpheus: Music by Claudio Monteverdi and Jasdeep Singh Degun, commissioned by Opera North and South Asian Arts-uk.[22] Orpheus premiered at Leeds Grand Theatre on 14 October 2022 and was rated number one of Fiona Maddocks's list of the ten best concerts and operas of 2022 in The Guardian[23].

Awards and nominations

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Works and releases

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References

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  1. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  2. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun is our new Artist in Residence". Opera North. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  3. ^ "RNCM Innovate Fellow - Royal Northern College of Music". RNCM. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  4. ^ "Sitar virtuoso Jasdeep Singh Degun makes history at Royal Philharmonic Society Awards". BBC News. 2024-03-06. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  5. ^ Kenton, Tristram; Tilden, Imogen (2022-10-13). "The best of both worlds: Opera North's Orpheus reimagined". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  6. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun modernises Indian classical music on Anomaly". Financial Times. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  7. ^ Conlan, Tara (2010-08-17). "Prince Harry to appear in Goldie's BBC2 show". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  8. ^ "BBC Two - Goldie's Band: By Royal Appointment, Episode 3, Performing the music ..." BBC. 2011-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  9. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun launches debut album on Real World Records | SOAS". www.soas.ac.uk. 2022-02-24. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  10. ^ Romero, Angel (2022-06-21). "Artist Profiles: Jasdeep Singh Degun | World Music Central". Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  11. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun, Part of Journeys Festival: Identity". www.royalalberthall.com. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  12. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun - Scottish Ensemble Concert Tour". Scottish Ensemble. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  13. ^ Arya: Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra by Jasdeep Singh Degun. Retrieved 2024-04-01 – via www.youtube.com.
  14. ^ "Members of The Royal Family attend Commonwealth Day service". Westminster Abbey. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  15. ^ "BBC One - A Service of Celebration for Commonwealth Day, 2022". BBC. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  16. ^ "Anomaly". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  17. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun: Anomaly". Serious. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  18. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun • Contemporary • Kings Place". Kings Place. 2024-04-04. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  19. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun announces Anomaly tour". Real World Records. 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  20. ^ Hanif, Andleeb (2017-09-19). "Asian Express Newspaper - India's Children: Partition". Asian Express Newspaper. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  21. ^ a b "Orchestra of Opera North: Arya, a new sitar concerto". Opera North. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  22. ^ "Orpheus". Opera North. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  23. ^ Maddocks, Fiona (2022-12-17). "Classical music: Fiona Maddocks's 10 best concerts and operas of 2022". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  24. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun". Serious. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  25. ^ "South Bank Sky Arts Awards winners announced". Film-News.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  26. ^ "2020 Finalists - ACTAs 2022". 2022-02-18. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  27. ^ "Music awards for 2022". The Critics' Circle. 2023-05-31. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  28. ^ "Jasdeep Singh Degun | Newcomer Award 2023". Songlines. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  29. ^ "Songlines Music Awards 2023". Songlines. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  30. ^ "Previous Winners". Asian Achievers Awards. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  31. ^ Taylor, Mark (2023-10-18). "Nominees announced for The Ivors Classical Awards 2023". The Ivors Academy. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  32. ^ "Winners of 2023 Asian Media Awards Announced at Glittering Ceremony". Asian Media Awards. 2023-10-28. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  33. ^ "2024 RPS Awards winners announced". Royal Philharmonic Society. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  34. ^ "2024 RPS Awards shortlists announced". Royal Philharmonic Society. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  35. ^ "Zeroculture". Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  36. ^ "Anomaly". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  37. ^ "Sitarist Jasdeep Singh Degun signs to Real World Records and shares debut track, Veer". Real World Records. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  38. ^ "Ulterior Motives (Official Video)". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  39. ^ "Track of the day: 'Sajanava' by Jasdeep Singh Degun". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  40. ^ "Orchestra of Opera North: Arya, a new sitar concerto". Opera North. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  41. ^ "Jasdeep and Ashnaa release their Orpheus 'hit'". Opera North. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  42. ^ "Scottish Ensemble with Jasdeep Singh Degun • Classical • Kings Place". Kings Place. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
  43. ^ "Lament (Official Video)". Real World Records. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
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