egillis@manager
Fri, 07/07/2023 - 18:52
Edited Text
Berklee Indian Ensemble
With members from more than 50 countries, the Berklee Indian Ensemble (BIE) 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 Indian music today.
Founded in 2011 by Indian Berklee alumna and faculty member Annette Philip, the group was the first of
its kind at the college. Starting with just 18 members that year, the ensemble is now one of the largest
and most diverse performing groups at the college. With a strong focus on creating original works, BIE
is known best for their globally nuanced Indian sound that honors traditions while boldly experimenting
with cross-pollination of genres, world cultures, and multidisciplinary forms of expression.
Today, BIE is an international viral sensation, with its music videos garnering more than 150 million
views, accounting for more than 50 percent of Berklee's total views. The ensemble is in such high
demand globally that it now has a professional touring faction, a three-album project in the pipeline,
and dreams of a stadium concert to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2021.
Berklee India Exchange
Between 2011 and 2013, the energy, interest, and community surrounding the Berklee Indian
Ensemble grew exponentially. Annette Philip and a fellow Indian Berklee colleague, Clint Valladares,
partnered to create Berklee India Exchange (BIX), shaping what had become a movement into a
broader institute at the college, funded by philanthropy.
Today, Berklee India Exchange is a dynamic ecosystem that serves students, educators, artists, and design
thinkers in an immersive multidisciplinary education model built on a foundation of Indian music.
The BIX culture fosters innovation, professionalism, and a strong sense of community through student-
driven projects, scholarship support, mentorship, and global career opportunities.
To date, BIX has raised funds and awarded full tuition scholarships to five young Indian musicians, and
partial scholarships to 12 Berklee Indian Ensemble students from all over the world to complete their
Berklee education, helping tackle a major issue that many international students face.
BIX workshops in the U.S., Spain, and India have impacted almost 4,000 students; several BIX students
have successfully placed high-profile career opportunities in the global entertainment industry.
And finally, artist residencies with icons such as A. R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal,
and tonight, Zakir Hussain, are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students to be mentored by living
legends, while also immersing themselves in an accepting and nurturing community that seeks to
inspire the next generation of leaders who use their virtuosity and open-mindedness to take tomorrow's
world in surprising new directions.
To learn more and support BIX, please visit berklee.edu/india/giving.
With members from more than 50 countries, the Berklee Indian Ensemble (BIE) 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 Indian music today.
Founded in 2011 by Indian Berklee alumna and faculty member Annette Philip, the group was the first of
its kind at the college. Starting with just 18 members that year, the ensemble is now one of the largest
and most diverse performing groups at the college. With a strong focus on creating original works, BIE
is known best for their globally nuanced Indian sound that honors traditions while boldly experimenting
with cross-pollination of genres, world cultures, and multidisciplinary forms of expression.
Today, BIE is an international viral sensation, with its music videos garnering more than 150 million
views, accounting for more than 50 percent of Berklee's total views. The ensemble is in such high
demand globally that it now has a professional touring faction, a three-album project in the pipeline,
and dreams of a stadium concert to celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2021.
Berklee India Exchange
Between 2011 and 2013, the energy, interest, and community surrounding the Berklee Indian
Ensemble grew exponentially. Annette Philip and a fellow Indian Berklee colleague, Clint Valladares,
partnered to create Berklee India Exchange (BIX), shaping what had become a movement into a
broader institute at the college, funded by philanthropy.
Today, Berklee India Exchange is a dynamic ecosystem that serves students, educators, artists, and design
thinkers in an immersive multidisciplinary education model built on a foundation of Indian music.
The BIX culture fosters innovation, professionalism, and a strong sense of community through student-
driven projects, scholarship support, mentorship, and global career opportunities.
To date, BIX has raised funds and awarded full tuition scholarships to five young Indian musicians, and
partial scholarships to 12 Berklee Indian Ensemble students from all over the world to complete their
Berklee education, helping tackle a major issue that many international students face.
BIX workshops in the U.S., Spain, and India have impacted almost 4,000 students; several BIX students
have successfully placed high-profile career opportunities in the global entertainment industry.
And finally, artist residencies with icons such as A. R. Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Shreya Ghoshal,
and tonight, Zakir Hussain, are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for students to be mentored by living
legends, while also immersing themselves in an accepting and nurturing community that seeks to
inspire the next generation of leaders who use their virtuosity and open-mindedness to take tomorrow's
world in surprising new directions.
To learn more and support BIX, please visit berklee.edu/india/giving.
