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Berklee Indian Ensemble draws friends and family
Dressed in their finest, aunties, uncles, friends, family, and music lovers came out in full force to support local son Rohith Jayaraman and the Grammy-nominated Berklee Indian Ensemble for their performance on April 8, 2023, at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto.
Born and raised in San Jose, Jayaraman was part of the Berklee India Exchange program at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and then joined the Berklee Indian Ensemble, founded in 2011 by Artistic Director Annette Phillip.
The Ensemble was nominated this year in the Best Global Music Album category for their debut album Shuruaat. Their 15-city tour The Shuruaat Tour began in Boston and ended in Seattle.
Musicians at the sold-out Bay Area performance included:
Sharon Renold, Bass Guitar and Vocals
Harshitha Krishnan, Vocals
Giri Subramaniam, Tabla and Percussion
Yogev Gabay, Drumset and Percussion
Yoel Genin, Guitar and Buzouki
Rohith Jayaraman, Vocals
Anirudh Bharadwaj, Flute
Annette Phillip, Artistic Director, Piano and Vocals
Sankara Eye Foundation fundraiser
Sankara Eye Foundation (SEF) presented the Bay Area performance, which was co-sponsored by ZeeTV and Chaat Bhavan, as part of SEF’s efforts towards raising funds for one million free eye surgeries yearly to those in need in India by 2030.
Sowmya Sridharan coordinates concert
Sowmya Sridharan, the daughter of Sankara Eye Foundation Founder Krishnamurthy Sridharan coordinated the event. The concert was a way for her to bring two things she loved together under one roof, fundraising for free eye surgeries throughout India, and Indian music.
“When he (Rohith Jayaraman) joined (Berklee Indian Ensemble) a lot of us Bay Area folks paid attention,” said Sridharan. She had been a fan of the Ensemble for some time. After learning about the tour, she reached out to her uncle, Sankara Eye Foundation Founder and Executive Chairman Krishnamurthy Muralidharan, who gave her the green light to organize the concert.
“Sankara has a lot of expertise throwing these concerts,” said Sridharan, describing this one as “a lot of fun. I was having a ball of a time in the back of the audience.”
The fundraising goal was to fund 1000 eye surgeries. “We met that goal,” she added.
Backstage
Berklee Indian Ensemble musician’s Yoel Genin and Rohith Jayaraman practice a possible stage move backstage at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Berklee Indian Ensemble vocalist Rohith Jayaraman gets ready to put on his shoes backstage at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
The Berklee Indian Ensemble huddles backstage before performing at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Bass Guitarist and vocalist Sharon Renold performs onstage with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Flautist Anirudh Bharadwaj and vocalist Harshitha Krishnan onstage with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Founder and Artistic Director Annette Phillip leads the audience in an interactive segment with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
The audience participates in an interactive segment with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Guitarist Yoel Genin onstage with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Berklee Indian Ensemble Founder and Artistic Director is last to leave the stage at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Berklee Indian Ensemble vocalist Rohith Jayaraman meets friends and family in the lobby of Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Berklee Indian Ensemble guitarist Yael Genin meets the audience in the lobby of Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Ramesh Jayaraman and Asha Ramesh, parents of Berklee Indian Ensemble vocalist Rohith Jayaraman greet friends and family in the lobby of Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local. 
Guests mill about outside after the Berklee Indian Ensemble’s concert at Gunn High School’s Spangenberg Theatre in Palo Alto, Calif. on Apr. 8, 2023. The ensemble is in town as part of their “The Shuruaat Tour.” Photo: Sree Sripathy for India Currents/CatchLight Local.