Roopa Panesar released her new album ATMA through Asian Arts Agency internationally on 24 March 2023 .
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ABOUT ROOPA PANESAR
“One of the UK’s finest sitarists” – Songlines
“… staggering dexterity by Roopa Panesar” – The Guardian
“… stardust of sitarist Roopa Panesar” – DJ Ritu, A World In London
Being born in London and raised in one of the UK’s most culturally diverse cities, Leicester, afforded Roopa Panesar the opportunity to learn sitar from an early age. At the age of seven, Roopa’s lifelong journey started with renowned educationalist and leading UK musician Ustad Dharambir Singh ji MBE. Ustad Dharambir Singh was a disciple of the late Ustad Vilayat Khan. Roopa was quickly recognized as a talent for the future and remains with her musical guru to this day. Roopa’s knowledge and skills have also been strengthened by additional training from masters including Pandit Arvind Parikh, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt. Buddhaditya Mukherjee and Ustad Bahauddin Dagar.
ABOUT THE ALBUM
ATMA translates as ‘The Soul’.
The music of ATMA beautifully portrays life. Love, loss, grief, separation and ultimately, the bliss of union.
After a period of personal loss, Roopa wrote the music for ATMA which was recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios and was funded by Asian Arts Agency as part of its Breaking Barriers ‘Innovate’ Music Commissions.
The music of ATMA echoes feelings associated with challenges of life, with the intention to uplift. At a time of personal and global turmoil, Roopa Panesar reflects on the music,
“ATMA the album is an offering of peace and love for the purpose of elevating the listener in the face of challenges that human beings deal with.”
Performed by some of the UK’s best Indian classical and jazz musicians today, the including Shahbaz Hussain (tabla), Pirashanna Thevarajah (Mirdangam, ghatam, moorsing and kanjira), Camilo Tirado (Electronic samples, tanpura), Ben Hazleton (Double Bass), Giuliano Modareli (Guitar), Kaviraj Singh Dhadyalla (Santoor), Surdarshan Singh Chana (Jori).
Jaswinder Singh, Director of Asian Arts Agency said of the album:
“We are delighted to be working with Roopa Panesar to release her second album which was created through the Innovate strand of our Breaking Barriers Music Commissions. It is wonderful to see the mastery of talented musicians coming together to produce ATMA.”
The album ATMA was funded by Asian Arts Agency as part of its Breaking Barriers ‘Innovate’ Music Commissions and recorded at Real World Studios. ATMA follows on from Roopa Panesar’s critically acclaimed album of morning ragas called SUBHA (2022).
Photo of Roopa Panesar by Sinbad Phgura, painting by Bruce McLean during exhibition at Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester.
Roopa Panesar is supported by PRS Foundation’s Women Make Music.
For further enquiries please contact us: marketing (at) asianartsagency.co.uk