Praised for bringing a “fresh view to classical music” (The Republic), Indian American conductor Roger Kalia is a versatile communicator who brings unique and unmistakable energy to the podium. Recently profiled by Symphony Magazine in recognition of his innovative programming, Kalia has been hailed as “leading with passionate intensity and a clear beat” as well as being “one to watch” (Long Beach Gazette).

Kalia is now in his sixth season as Music Director of the Evansville Philharmonic, in his eighth season with Orchestra Santa Monica, and recently completed six seasons with Symphony New Hampshire. He was most recently appointed Music Director of the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra beginning in the 2025-26 season. The recipient of several awards from the Solti Foundation, including an Elizabeth Buccheri Opera Residency with Lyric Opera of Chicago and five Career Assistance Awards, Kalia has been praised for his “extraordinary leadership” (Courier & Press).

The 2025-26 season opens with Kalia leading the Chicago Sinfonietta in a performance of his groundbreaking show with acclaimed Bollywood singer Anuradha “Juju” Palakurthi, Symphony Masala. A celebration of Indian culture via a history-spanning performance of Bollywood songs in their first-ever arrangement for Western instruments, the show first premiered with Symphony New Hampshire in 2023 with California and Indiana debuts this season – highlighting Kalia’s role as an innovator, communicator, and entrepreneur. Recent and upcoming guest engagements include a masterworks debut with the Canton Symphony Orchestra, a debut with the Amarillo Symphony, and a return to the Redlands Symphony as a finalist for the Music Director position.

Kalia is cultivating new works, new spaces, and new thinking across his Music Director roles for the 2025-26 season. Highlights include Evansville’s first-ever concert at Saint Benedict’s Cathedral, and the premiere of Dan Powers’ Centennial Celebration commissioned for Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra’s opening night. Kalia’s vivid and responsive programming has been featured on PBS’s “On the Road with Brick Briscoe” and “Regional Voices.” In recent seasons, Kalia has also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Chicago Sinfonietta, Louisiana Philharmonic, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Szczecin Philharmonic (Poland), Hollywood Chamber Orchestra, Boise Philharmonic, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and the symphony orchestras of Lima, Adrian, Bakersfield, Great Falls,Owensboro, Spokane, and Wheeling.

Kalia also serves as Music Director & Co-Founder of the Lake George Music Festival, which has been described as “an unparalleled classical music experience in the Adirondacks” (Chronogram). As one of the nation’s foremost classical music artist retreats, the festival presents cutting-edge artists and composers performing classical and new music, traditional and experimental concerts and recitals of various sizes, open rehearsals, informational talks, and a variety of community outreach programs. Kalia’s leadership has been hailed as “unbounded and impressive” (The Glens Falls Chronicle) with concert performances of the Festival Orchestra being regularly featured on NPR’s Performance Today and highlighted in Gramophone Magazine, Musical America, and Saratoga Living, among others. Kalia has led programs ranging from semi-staged chamber operas to commissioned works and premieres including Sheridan Seyfried’s Double Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra featuring Nikki and Timothy Chooi, and Paul Dooley’s Northern Nights featuring percussionist Lisa Pegher. Kalia was recently featured on the UpBeat Podcast from “Everything Conducting” for his innovative work at the festival including the creation of its inaugural Conducting Fellowship program this past summer.

Kalia has collaborated with a wide range of artists including singers Angela Brown, Shayna Steele, Dan Domenech, and Jubilant Sykes (appointed as Orchestra Santa Monica’s inaugural artistic partner); Grammy-winning trio Time for Three; Indian tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das; violinists Anne Akiko Meyers and Nathan Cole; pianist Jon Nakamatsu; singer/songwriters Randy Newman and Randy Jackson; rock musicians Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls and Nancy Wilson of Heart; the B-52s; sitar player Anoushka Shankar; and actor Jack Black. He continues to be a sought-after interpreter of film scores including recent performances of Star Wars: A New Hope.

A native of New York State, Kalia holds degrees from Indiana University, the University of Houston, and SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. He currently resides in Indiana with his wife, musicologist and violinist Christine Wisch, and their newborn son Adrian.

Learn more at rogerkalia.com.