Kiranpal Singh
Kiranpal Singh is an esteemed santoor artist, born in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but resident in the UK for the past half-century. He initially studied tabla under Ripudaman Singh of the Punjab gharana, playing at community events in West London. But after impressing Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji Maharaj, the leader of the Namdhari Sikhs, it was arranged for him to study under santoor legend Pandit Shivkumar Sharma in Mumbai.
He did so for twelve years, also learning tabla and vocal music from the great maestro. Today he is recognised as one of Europe’s leading masters of the instrument, playing and teaching widely.
Kiranpal Singh, a talented santoor player, first performed at the Darbar Festival in 2006, accompanied by Anubrata Chatterjee on tabla. He returned to the Darbar stage in 2023 for a memorable performance at St-Martin-in-the-Fields, where he collaborated with Junaid Ali on tabla. Known for his expressive playing, Kiranpal’s performances continue to captivate audiences with his unique blend of skill and emotion.
“My parents were vocalists who learned from great masters, so music was already in my blood…”
Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill, and inspire. Explore our YouTube channel or subscribe to the Darbar Player to watch extended festival performances, talks, and documentaries in pristine HD and UHD quality.
