Our story began with Bhai Gurmit Singh Virdee, a tabla player and teacher based in Leicester, who had a revolutionary way of teaching. For more than 50 years, he impacted the lives of countless students and gained the respect of many fellow musicians. Following his sudden passing in 2005, his son Sandeep Virdee OBE, organised a tabla tribute concert in Leicester in his memory. It was meant to be a one-off event but was so successful that the Darbar Festival was born. The Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust was formalised as a charity in 2007. Since then, Darbar has radically altered the shape of Indian classical music through our commitment to excellence, promotion of the genre and a commitment to cultural representation and diversity in the arts.
Learn more about who we are and our digital content by following our Youtube channel.
We believe in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill and inspire.
With the rich spiritual traditions of India at its core, Indian classical music carries a depth and intensity, which we strive to make accessible to all, regardless of identity or background. Our festivals and live events programme seeks to engage diverse communities to foster cultural connections, spark conversations and celebrate cultural diversity, both in world class venues and small, community spaces.
