South Asian Ensemble (SAE)

At Berklee’s Boston campus, the South Asian Ensemble is the primary academic class under the BIX education wing. The ensemble provides an open and inclusive space for musicians from all over the world to explore, study, interpret, and create music influenced by the rich and varied mosaic that is South Asian music today. This includes Hindustani and Carnatic classical, semi-classical, folk, Sufi, and contemporary South Asian music.

Founded by Zahara (Annette Philip) in 2011, this class was the initial seed that led to the creation of the Berklee India Exchange institute. After its 10th anniversary, Zahara passed the baton for weekly teaching to two BIX alumni, Yoel Genin and Harshitha Krishnan. The class itself branched into two parts: the academic course, South Asian Ensemble, and the professional touring band, Berklee Indian Ensemble.

During the fall and spring semesters, South Asian Ensemble students participate in weekly supervised rehearsals, gaining experience in performing and improvising in a groove-oriented setting with special emphasis on stylistic integrity and accuracy of South Asian melodic and rhythmic nuances, often set within a Western harmonic context. While indigenous instruments like tabla, mridangam, bhapang, khartal, sarod, sitar, sarangi, and bansuri are often used in the class, traditional instruments from other cultures like qanun, laouto, hulusi, dizi, suona, duduk, and didgeridoo are not only included, but welcomed.