Page 148 - RPS Awards 2024 Coverage Book

07 March 2024

British musician becomes first sitar player to

win Royal Philharmonic Society Award

Photo: BBC

British musician Jasdeep Singh Degun has achieved a historic milestone by
becoming the first sitar player to receive a Royal Philharmonic Society Award.
Degun, hailing from Leeds, was honoured as the best instrumentalist at the
esteemed classical music ceremony held on Tuesday.

In an interview with BBC News, Degun expressed his gratitude, stating that
winning the prize is "an absolute honour." He emphasised that the recognition is
not only a personal achievement but also a tribute to the contributions of numerous
Indian classical musicians in the country.

"The prize was a testament to the hundreds of Indian classical musicians in this
country, and it feels like we've really stepped forward into the classical psyche,
which is wonderful," he said.

The ceremony, which took place in Manchester, marked the first time in its 35-year
history that the RPS event was held outside London. Degun's accolade comes in
recognition of his work on "Orpheus", a groundbreaking reinterpretation of
Monteverdi's Orfeo, blending Indian and Western classical music for Opera North.