Dr. Lochan Rijal is an ethnomusicologist, a multi-instrumentalist singer, songwriter and currently the Associate Professor and Head of Kathmandu University’s Department of Music. His work in the last decade has revolutionized the musical scene in Nepal, opening up a myriad of new possibilities of contemporary sound by amalgamating the obscure and often forgotten local instruments of Nepal to produce unique sound combinations in mainstream music. 

His compositions have won numerous awards and his music and scholarly work critical acclaim across the world. His passion for music led him to travel across Nepal learning about different musical styles and instruments of the many ethnic groups. 

His latest album,Kaancho aawaj (English translation: raw sound) is his fourth studio album and features the nearly extinct Gandharva lute ‘arbaja’. In Kaancho aawaj, he searches for new musical dimensions using poetry as a form of expression to promote inclusion for progressive social change. He was a recent Artist in Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as a guest artist at CERN.

Dr. Rijal is a musical paragon who turned his passion into profession.