Berklee Indian Ensemble
Born and raised in Israel, Yogev Gabay has been an in demand session player for more than ten years. Playing in a wide range of musical styles from Rock and Metal, to Jazz, Electronic, Pop and more. In the past 4 years Yogev has started his journey as an educator and has written 3 courses for drummers, which he taught at the Rimon School of Music.
His YouTube series ‘Time Consuming’, an internet series that tackles and breaks down polyrhythms in music is getting a lot of positive feedback and is steadily growing.
A graduate of two prestigious schools, Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music (Israel) and Berklee College of Music (Boston), Yogev has played, recorded and arranged for artists such as Tigran Hamasyan, Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Emil Afrasyab, Vijay Prakash, Raghu Dixit, and Antonio Serrano, to name a few.
Yogev is known for his deep understanding of rhythms from all over the world, and his love for odd meters and myriad styles and genres of playing. As a studio musician, Yogev has recorded numerous albums for artists such as Anakdota, ARP, Shmemel, Sivan Arbel Quintet, Trandcention, HAGO, Offiong Bassey, Shiran Avraham, and Benaya Barabi.
Drum Set
With one foot in the cold mountains of Norway and the other in the warm beaches of Brazil, Thomas Antonio Debelian is a percussionist that creates a whirlwind of rhythms from all over the world. Currently based in Oslo, Norway, Thomas has a unique musical vocabulary that combines elements from Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Jazz and Pop music into his own style after attending and graduating from Berklee College of Music.
Thomas has performed and recorded with world renowned artists such as Zakir Hussain, Micki Miller, Vijay Prakash, Tia Fuller, Rob Lewis. He is currently a part of bands such as Berklee Indian Ensemble, Tiger State and Lick Neon.
While living in Boston, Thomas taught kids from elementary schools and middle schools about Brazilian percussion and drumming with the esteemed percussionist Marcus Santos and Grooveristy. He has also held his own percussion workshops in Oslo at the Norwegian Academy of Music. With Grooversity, Thomas has traveled all over the US to perform and teach Brazilian drumming at Carnegie Hall and The Boston Opera House and performed with local artist Will Dailey and The Boston Pops.
While Thomas believes groove is an important part of being a percussionist, he also believes it's to create an atmosphere and a mood in the music that is the most essential element and the power that a percussionist has.
Thomas has also launched his own percussion loop kit, EAR CANDY, that consists of self-made grooves as well as many rhythms and sounds from all over the world.
Percussion
Giri is a tabla player and percussionist from Bengaluru, India. After receiving formal training in Tabla from Muthu Kumar – a disciple of Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain – and Carnatic vocal music, Giri went on to combine his roots in Indian classical music with other musical styles and genres.
As a tabla player and percussionist, Giri has shared the stage with internationally acclaimed artists like Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal, Vijay Prakash, Raghu Dixit, and others. He has performed and toured with the Berklee Indian Ensemble since 2016, and as a session artist he has performed with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble.
Giri has explored the role of tabla in world music by collaborating with various international artists from the Berklee College of Music. Giri is also passionate about experimenting with tabla and the world of electronic music. In 2019, he helped develop an electronic tabla performance system for Zakir Hussain.
Over the past few years, Giri has also begun teaching tabla and the concepts of Indian tala system (rhythm theory) to beginners as well as professional musicians from various musical backgrounds. He also completed a PhD in Economics from Boston College in 2020. When he’s not doing music he works as an economic consultant.
Tabla, Indian Percussion
Born and raised in San Jose, California, Rohith Jayaraman is a vocalist, composer, and educator known for his soulful voice, speed, precision, and infectious energy. Rohith was trained in Carnatic music under his mother and guru, Asha Ramesh, a disciple of D.K. Jayaraman. For the last 10 years, he has been exploring the world of crossover music, working with (and learning from) his collaborators, who come from all around the world and bring expertise in areas as diverse as jazz, pop, Arabic music, metal, Gnawa, folk, electronica, and more.
Rohith has shared the stage with internationally acclaimed and award-winning artists such as A.R. Rahman, Tigran Hamasyan, Zakir Hussain, John McLaughlin, Shreya Ghoshal, Shankar Mahadevan, Clinton Cerejo, Vijay Prakash, and Ranjit Barot. He is also a vocalist, composer, and occasional percussionist with the world-renowned Berklee Indian Ensemble.
Outside of the performance space, Rohith has composed the score for a short film, written for multiple thematic dance productions, and directed several music videos. Rohith regularly conducts masterclasses and workshops in Indian classical concepts, and teaches Carnatic music applications to a select group of private students.
When he's not working on music, Rohith enjoys watching films, reading, grooming his beard, taking lengthy naps, and eating Mexican food.
A proud alum of Berklee College of Music, Rohith is currently the Assistant Manager of Berklee India Exchange (BIX).
Voice, Konnakol
Annette Philip is a musician, educator, and arts entrepreneur. A versatile vocalist with roots in Kerala, India, she is known for her dense choral arrangements, concept-driven productions, and delivering on big dreams. A seasoned recording and touring artist, Annette is a composer, pianist, voice-over actor, Emmy-nominated TV personality, and bonafide sari connoisseur.
Challenging norms while creating community through art and conversation are at the core of everything Annette does. In 2003, she founded Artistes Unlimited (AU) in New Delhi, India, a performing arts collective that infused a collaborative spirit among city musicians while introducing a cappella music to their audiences. Annette took this mission global, performing with legends including A.R. Rahman, Bill Whelan, Nona Hendryx, and Zakir Hussain, besides spending a decade touring with award-winning, internationally acclaimed vocal quartet, Women of the World; disruptors in the a cappella world, singing in 37 languages and counting.
Annette serves as faculty and Artistic Director for India Initiatives at Berklee College of Music, where she founded the Berklee Indian Ensemble in 2011. Today, the Ensemble is a viral phenomenon with over 200 million views, renowned for its signature global Indian sound, world class productions, tours, workshops, and creative ecosystem.
In all she does, including her songwriting duo, Tigs & Nettles, and her "keeping it light" podcast, Annette's message of bold resilience, inner joy, kindness, and radical self-responsibility are the foundation.
Piano, Voice
Harshitha Krishnan is a performing and recording artist, music educator and budding social justice advocate of Indian origin from Lagos, Nigeria. Hailing from a strong background in western classical music, she embraced soul, R&B, alternative, jazz, Indian folk and other world music styles, creating her own distinctive and eclectic sound: a fusion of Indian and contemporary western elements. Performing her original music as well as her arrangements of popular Indian tunes, Harshitha creates a singular musical experience that takes listeners on a journey of unfiltered emotions, exploring sounds and textures from around the world.
A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music, Harshitha has already worked with an impressive roster of renowned musicians including A.R.Rahman, Ilayaraaja, Gary Burton, Vijay Prakash, Michael McDonald, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal, Pablo Ziegler, Bill Whelan, Alejandro Sanz, Clinton Cerejo, Javed Ali, Sivamani, and Javier Limone to name a few, on various film, studio and live projects.
She currently performs with the Berklee Indian Ensemble, vocal group 'MuZù', Yotam Ishay Chamber Group and Utako Toyama's 'SkyBridge'.
An artist with a vision to affect positive change in attitudes towards women, mental health, LGBTQIA+ and race, Harshitha aligns her social, philosophical and political views with the nature of the music she performs.
Voice
Guy Bernfeld is a highly in-demand bassist, arranger, producer, composer and educator. Born in Israel, he is co-founder and bassist of the internet sensation ‘The Gag Quartet’ with over 39 million views on youtube and over 50,000 sales on iTunes, multiple interviews from websites such as ‘The Huffington Post’ and performances in the ‘YOUfest’ festival in Madrid.
A graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music with a focus on Contemporary Writing & Production and in Jazz Composition, Guy has been teaching Bass, music theory and arrangement for over 7 years. His collaborations include performances and arrangements for the likes of Tigran Hamasyan, Shankar Mahadevan, Donny McCaslin, Vijay Prakash, Avishai Cohen, Antonio Serrano, Raghu Dixit and many more.
He was awarded the ‘Fletcher Henderson Award’ for outstanding musicianship, and tours frequently in Asia, Europe and North America.
Bass
Yoel Genin (Shwesmo) is a producer, composer and guitarist, combining Prog-Metal, Fusion and Middle Eastern influences into a new electronic context.
Born and raised in Israel, Already at a young age Yoel appeared on the big stages of his home country in various festivals and also performed across Europe, and recorded electric guitar for multiple albums of local Prog bands.
Yoel’s hunger to expand his knowledge led him to study at Rimon School of Music (Israel), and later at Berklee College of Music, where he won the “Dameron” and “Ulanowski” awards in composition, while working towards completing the prestigious Degree in Jazz Composition, which he graduated 'Magna cum Laude'. By that time, he was leading his Prog-Fusion Quintet and released the debut album – HAGO, which cultivated tremendous reviews around the world as it was considered musically groundbreaking.
Since then, Yoel has performed with, and arranged for world-class artists like Tigran Hamasyan, Antonio Serrano, and Idan Raichel. As part of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, he arranged and performed with some of the biggest Indian artists such as Raghu Dixit, Vijay Parkash and Shankar Mahadevan, in the US and India. He also joined the Porg-Metal band Distorted Harmony, and was endorsed by the unique OD guitars.
Yoel’s exploration of breaking musical borders then led him into the world of electronic music, and to the creation of Shwesmo - setting all of his vast musical knowledge and style against a modern electronic sound, to create something unique within the electronic music genre.
Guitar
Aleif Hamdan is a New York City-based guitarist, arranger and composer; born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, and of Malaysian origin. For the past ten years, Aleif has been an in-demand session/touring musician, working on projects across a diverse range of styles. Aleif’s recent history of work and performance has involved artists such as A.R. Rahman, Jesse Colin Young, Colin Linden, Zakir Hussain, and V. Selvaganesh, amongst many others.
Aleif has become well-known for his distinct tone, sense of phrasing, and versatility; deeply understanding a wide range of idioms, which started with his roots in blues and classic rock, eventually expanding to the areas of jazz, soul, R&B, hip-hop and world music.
In his recent performance work, Aleif has been an active touring musician in the states, being the primary guitarist for Jesse Colin Young, an icon of the 1960’s counterculture era. As a writer, his 2016 album “Emblem” was released to critical acclaim, receiving positive reviews and appearing on several “Best of” lists in a number of publications. More recently, he has been working on several projects that combine elements of Indian classical and Western contemporary music; establishing and arranging modern contexts in how they may relate. Aleif’s strongest passion in music lies in taking influence from diversity, and finding common ground amongst it.
Guitar
Shai Portugaly is a musician (Singer, Pianist, Songwriter) and educator from Israel, currently living between NY and Ecuador and teaching people all around the world to connect and express themselves using the wonderful language of music.
After years of living the life of touring around the world, collaborating and recording with huge artists such as Grammy Award winner A. R. Rahman, being a leading member of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, and teaching music to dozens of students, Shai found that SONGWRITING is the most powerful way for her to process her emotions, understand and accept herself. Music is perhaps the only thing which connects ALL parts of the brain, and while it uses words, it also gives us access to the subconscious, to emotions, and to some less known, more abstract aspects of ourselves.
Shai’s vast and rich musical experience, across genres, languages, traditions and instruments, allows her to see beyond into the essence of music, which for her is connection, vulnerability, authenticity and courage.
Shai’s first album “A Date With A Piano” came to light in the beginning of 2021, including live videos from the recording studio. The album contains songs she’s written in 3 languages - Hebrew, English and Spanish, expressing her inner world, as vulnerable as she’s ever been.
Keys, Voice
Layth Sidiq is an award-winning violinist, composer and educator who has toured the world and shared the stage with major artists such as Simon Shaheen, Danilo Perez, Javier Limon and Jack Dejohnette, as well as performing in prestigious venues like the London Jazz Festival, Boston Symphony Hall, WOMEX Expo, Panama Jazz Festival and more. He is featured on multiple award-winning albums and his first record Son of Tigris was premiered at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2016.
In 2018, Layth won 2nd place at the Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition as the first Arab to ever participate, and he was also recently awarded 'Best International Artist' at the 2020 Boston Music Awards. He currently directs both the Tufts Arab Music Ensemble as well as the Center for Arabic Culture's Youth Orchestra Program in Boston and is an in-demand violinist, composer and educator in the US and abroad.
Violin
Meet our frequent returners who are often first calls when the need arises!
An experienced performer and recording artist, New York based, Chennai born singer, composer and violinist Harini “Rini” Raghavan has recorded and performed with Grammy winning composers A.R.Rahman, Bill Whelan and the renowned Israeli Singer-Songwriter Idan Raichel, headlining prestigious festivals and venues in US and India, including Boston Symphony Hall, Lincoln Center, Beacon Theatre and the United Nations General Assembly.
Leading an international cadre of musicians, Rini creates her own version of Indian electronica. She draws from her formal training in Carnatic music and work at Berklee College of Music in Electronic Production to bring together sounds and music of her birthplace in India and her home in the US. Rini has released three EP's worldwide to critical acclaim, including features in Rolling Stone India, New York Music Daily, Republic of Jazz and World Music Central.
Kaushlesh Purohit is an Audio Engineer from India. Growing up in Jodhpur, Kaushlesh Purohit, also known as Garry, was exposed to a wide variety of music ranging from Indian classical to modern day jazz and hip-hop. Garry moved to Boston in 2013 to study at Berklee College of Music, where he majored in Music Production and Engineering.
Sharing the stage with award-winning artists such as A.R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Jacob Collier and Bernard Purdy has graced him. After graduating from Berklee with Cum Laude, Garry has worked his way to becoming an in-demand recording engineer and performer; working with globally renowned artists from U.S. and across the world.
Based in New York City, Patrick Simard is a rare talent as a drummer, singer, and producer, known to push the boundaries of creative, yet accessible music, using sound and rhythm as an empowering and uplifting voice. From his French-Canadian roots playing spoons, graduating in Jazz Composition and Drumset Performance at Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship, to the streets of Dakar, studying traditional West African drumming while playing along Griot families.
Patrick has toured across the globe many times over and has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Bootsy Collins, AR Rahman, Alejandro Sanz, Esperanza Spalding, Lionel Loueke, John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Julian Lage, and is drumming on the upcoming Bootsy Collins’ New House Guests EP.
Srishti Biyani, known by her stage name LASYA, is a Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, music producer, recording artist and engineer. She fuses eclectic music styles and draws influences from genres spanning classical, Indian folk, experimental, hip-hop and avant-garde. A graduate in Electronic Production and Design from Berklee College of Music, Boston, she grew up learning Hindustani classical vocals and the bansuri at Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, New Delhi.
Turkish born and raised, Bengisu Gokce is a multi-genre Violinist and Singer, known for combining in her music the Turkish roots with Eastern-European and Middle-Eastern traditions. As a professionally renowned performer, Gokce’s versatile playing has led her to share the stage with several music icons including Mark O’Connor, Tigran Hamasyan, Aynur Dogan, Shreya Goshal, Toninho Horta, Shankar Mahadevan, Simon Shaheen, Amal Murkus, and Pablo Ziegler to name a few.
Throughout her career she has performed in various distinguished venues such as Lincoln Center (NY), Boston Symphony Hall, American Repertory Theatre, MFA Boston, Massachusetts State House, Roulette Intermedium (NY), Shapeshifter Lab (NY) and Monte Carlo Salle Garnier (Monaco).
A multi-award winning, Gokce is a classically trained violinist and a performance alumna of Mersin University State Conservatory in Turkey and ‘Hanns Eisler’ School of Music in Berlin, Germany. Most recently, Gokce has graduated with Summa Cum Laude from the prestigious Berklee College of Music.
Karan Pandav is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer and educator from Pune, India. Having received training in classical Harmonium in his childhood, he has had several recitals at a very early age at revered classical music venues like the Tilak Smarak Mandir and Bal Gandharva Natya Mandir.
In his early teens, he picked up the piano and guitar, performing in several college competitions with his band. He is also the co-founder of an alternative folk rock band Jaagar, which has been active in the independent music scene in India since 2008. Having played a multitude of festivals and multiple cities in India over the years, Jaagar has also shared the stage and collaborate with artists like of Lucky Ali, Clinton Cerejo, Karsh Kale, Swarathma, Nucleya and Parvaaz. Their album was also nominated for the Radio city freedom awards as the best Folk album in the country, and their music and performances have also been featured in several newspapers as well as RollingStone magazine, India.
Born in Warsaw, Poland Fryderyk is a pianist of Asian heritage. Fryderyk started his journey with classical at the age of 6, slowly shifting his focus on jazz and contemporary music. He was awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music (Boston, USA), where he had opportunity to share musical experiences with people from different parts of the world.
He's an active performer as well as composer/arranger with his writing style being a blend of different genres. Alongside being a musician and composer, he is also an award winning sound designer and mixing engineer. Currently working on the release of his first album (April 2021). His own music is a blend of contemporary jazz with rock and ambient music. He draws inspiration from artists like Aaron Parks, Tigran Hamasyan and Avishai Cohen.
Emanuel Keller aka Eman is a music producer, mixer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and a graduate of the music production and sound engineering program at the Berklee College of Music.
Emanuel has performed with numerous highly acclaimed artists including: Ustad Zakir Hussain, Idan Raichel, Aoife O'Donovan, the Berklee Indian Ensemble and many others. In addition, he has performed at the renowned Newport Folk Festival together with Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes), I’m with her and Trey Anastasio (phish).
As a composer, he wrote the music for the short dance film Shivta (directed by dancer and actor Or Schraiber) which was featured in film festivals around the world including the San Francisco Dance Film Festival.
Emanuel's work strives to push the boundaries of cross genre mixes by drawing inspiration from pop, world, folk and electronic music.
Award-winning composer & improviser, a twice finalist of the International Antonin Dvorak Composition Competition. While studying at Berklee College of Music with a full-tuition scholarship, he has performed and composed for the acclaimed Berklee Indian Ensemble where he collaborated with artists like Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Javier Limón, and Shreya Ghoshal. His compositions have been performed globally.
Naturally setting up his drum set left-handed, Maxime has played shows across the world and studio sessions in styles ranging from pop to middle eastern music, from jazz to rock, and more.
Highlights of his career include performances or recordings a plethora of renowned musicians such as Multi Grammy Awards winners Steve Vai, Paul Winter and Eugene Friesen; Thelonious Monk Competition winners Tigran Hamasyan and Darren Barrett; Grammy Award Nominees Mayssa Karaa and Daniel Alba; Hamilton and The Book of Mormon renowned musical director Cian McCarthy; Multi-Platinum Selling Songwriter & Gold Recording Artist Matt Hartke; legendary recording engineer and producer Gene “Machine” Freeman; Internet sensation band The Living Tombstone; Indian based group Shor Police, bassist Mono Neon, Indian film composer Anup Rubens, hip-hop artist and peace activist Omar Offendum, producer Rob Lewis and more.
