Our Musicians

Tapasya Sharma

Growing up immersed in the vibrant musical traditions of both Westerns and Indian classical music, Tapasya’s journey has been defined by a dual pursuit of musicianship and mathematics. As a BSc (Hons) Physics graduate from the University of Nottingham, Tapasya bring a unique, analytical perspective to music education, bridging the gap between the science of sound and the soul of performance.

As a classically-trained soprano, Tapasya is a current member of the prestigious Rodolfus Choir and held a choral scholarship at Nottingham Cathedral. Having recently graduated as a scholarship recipient from the Accademia Europea di Firenze on their Voice and Opera certificate programme in Italy, she has also sung with the choir of Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.

With over three years of music teaching experience, Tapasya founded calā collective as a strategic bridge to the working world for musicians from underrepresented backgrounds.

Paawan Sharma

Paawan Sharma is one of the UK’s exciting emerging percussive talents, recently recognised as a Young Drummer of the Year 2024 Finalist. A student at the Purcell School of Music, the UK's oldest specialist music school, Paawan brings an elite level of discipline and rhythmic maturity to the calā collective.

His musical identity is forged through high-level collaboration and performance, playing regularly with the the jazz development organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors and the vibrant Catch-22 Jams scene. Currently studying under the renowned jazz drummer Sebastiaan de Krom, Paawan’s approach to the kit combines a deep respect for tradition with a forward-thinking, contemporary energy.

As a mentor, Paawan hopes to encourage the next generation of drummers to professional life, with a dedicated focus on supporting and inspiring women and South Asian musicians to claim their space in the percussion world.