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Fantasia Feature - Jasdeep Singh Degun
9
April
2026
We caught up with Jasdeep Singh Degun ahead of our concert tomorrow and got a glimpse into the musical world behind the programme.
When did you first start playing the sitar?
I actually started as a vocalist in primary school, around age nine or ten. I came to the sitar later, at about 15, through the Yorkshire Young Musicians programme at Leeds College of Music, where I took it up as a second study. That’s really where my journey with the instrument began.
Who or what has most shaped your musical voice over the years?
My influences come from many places. In Indian classical music, Ustad Vilayat Khan has been hugely important, alongside vocalists like Rashid Khan and Kaushiki Chakraborty. I’ve also been inspired by British Asian artists such as Nitin Sawhney and Talvin Singh. My influences shift depending on the musical world I’m working in.
Do you approach things differently when working with an orchestra compared to a smaller ensemble?
Yes, quite differently. In a traditional Indian classical setting, usually just sitar and tabla, everything is based on improvisation. You shape the music in real time and respond to the moment.
With orchestras or other ensembles, the music is written, so the freedom is different. It becomes about interpretation within a structure, rather than creating everything spontaneously.
Your own music features prominently in this programme, how does your approach to composing differ from performing?
My composing always begins with Indian classical foundations, Raag and Taal, which shape melody and rhythm. From there, I build harmony using Western counterpoint, layering the Raag framework onto it. It’s a structured process, often informed by improvisation, but it's very methodical in that sense. I don't just sit there and dream of lots of things and then put it down. I have a process which can be informed by improvisation but also very heavily informed by classical music.
Is there a particular moment in this programme that you’re especially excited to perform live?
I’m looking forward to performing Terry Riley’s ‘In C’. I’ve only ever played it once and we’re transposing it up as my sitar is tuned in D.
Any other highlights in the programme
Performing Rameau’s Tristes Apprêts on sitar is something quite special. It’s originally a vocal aria, so bringing that into the sound world of the sitar feels like a natural extension of my own work. I’m also really looking forward to working with Fantasia and Tom for the first time.