2003

In 2003, following the founding of the world’s first South Asian Youth Orchestra, SAMYO, Milap approached Arts Council England with a new proposal. We had discovered that young adults and emerging artists had limited opportunities to grow, apart from occasional performances. There was no program to nurture and support advanced-level talent, and a new ensemble would fill this gap. Our aim was to create a ‘senior version’ of SAMYO.

2004 – 2005

Early Concerts

The first Tarang ensemble featured a hand-picked group of artists who embodied the ethos and aims of Tarang. These included Roopa Panesar, Soumik Datta, Bhupinder Singh, Jesse Bannister, and Kumar Raghunathan. Following Tarang’s promotion, Milap secured invitations to the Leicester International Music Festival in 2004 and the WOMEX showcase at the Sage Gateshead in 2005. In the early years, Tarang’s music, developed by Dharambir Singh and the members, included both original compositions and arrangements influenced by Ganesh & Kumaresh, Debashish Bhattacharya, and Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty.

2006 – 2007

Over the years, Tarang featured a mix of artists graduating from SAMYO and new musicians. SAMYO and Tarang often collaborated to create common repertoire for performances and to foster a seamless integration between members. Tarang also developed its own distinctive repertoire, allowing space for innovation and improvisation.

The first chapter of Tarang’s history was recorded in 2007 in an album led by Manorama Prasad and guest producer Ashit Desai. Tarang continued to perform annual showcases at The Purcell Room and was invited to perform in Brussels as part of the Liverpool Capital of Culture launch events.

2008 – 2013

Touring and high profile performances

In 2008, Tarang performed at the BIG HOPE international conference, featuring a keynote speech by Dr. Abdul Kalam, former President of India. Over the next five years, Tarang performed regularly across the country, including at venues like The Lowry and Rich Mix. The ensemble, led by Manorama Prasad and later by composer Girishh Gopalakrishnan, produced its first national tour, “4 Seasons,” celebrating India’s seasons through a musical journey designed by Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty.

2015 – 2017

«Undone» Album

From 2015, Milap sought to define a new, distinctive sound for Tarang. New graduates from SAMYO, in collaboration with Milap’s producers, began creating a fresh approach to music-making, based on production, collaboration, and exploring diverse influences. This period included cover versions, collaborations, and reinterpretations, culminating in the 2017 album «Undone», which featured highly acclaimed music videos released online.