Roger Kalia, Music Director
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).
In 2027, Kalia will lead the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance of Symphony Masala, his groundbreaking show with acclaimed Bollywood singer Anuradha “Juju” Palakurthi. Kalia will also lead the Paducah Symphony as a guest conductor this season, building on impressive recent guest engagements including a masterworks debut with the Canton Symphony Orchestra and a return to the Redlands Symphony as a finalist in their Music Director search.
In the upcoming season, Kalia begins his seventh season as Music Director of the Evansville Philharmonic and his second with the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra, where he was appointed Music Director in 2025-26. Kalia also continues as Music Director of Orchestra Santa Monica, a post he has held for eight seasons. He recently concluded a six-season tenure with Symphony New Hampshire. Acclaimed for his “extraordinary leadership” (Courier & Press), Kalia has been 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 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, Amarillo, and Wheeling.
Kalia 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). Concert performances of the Festival Orchestra are regularly featured on NPR’s Performance Today and highlighted in Gramophone Magazine, Musical America, and Saratoga Living, among others.
Kalia has collaborated with a wide range of artists including the late singer Jubilant Sykes (appointed as Orchestra Santa Monica’s inaugural artistic partner); Grammy-winning trio Time for Three; Indian tabla virtuoso Sandeep Das; singer/songwriters Randy Newman and Randy Jackson; rock musicians Johnny Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls and Nancy Wilson of Heart; and actor Jack Black. He continues to be a sought-after interpreter of film scores and will lead performances of Buster Keaton’s silent film “The General” and Star Wars: The Empire Strike Back during the 2026-27 season.
Kalia currently resides in Indiana with his wife, musicologist and violinist Christine Wisch, and their son Adrian.
[updated Sept 2026]