BOSTON—Superstar Bollywood playback singer Shreya Ghoshal gave an impeccable performance Thursday night at the sold-out show with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston and sang her own classics and more.
Ghosal’s tracks ranged from Ghoomar, Kalvare, Mohe Rang Do Lal and Deewani Mastani to O Rangrez, Aap ki Nazron Ne Samjha and Mannipaaya. She also sang Barso Re, Dola Re Dola, Sundari Pennae, Do Dilon Ke and perfectly delivered Rabindranath Tagore’s classic Ekla Chalo Re.
(Image courtesy of the artist)
“This show was a unique, one-of-a-kind show,” said Anu Chitrapu, who attended the show. “You can watch Shreya perform in many places and enjoy her flawless, nectar like voice. But only at Berklee School can you experience her performing with a group that loves nothing more in life than music.”
Chitrapu said it was an amazing experience to listen to her singing with Berklee Indian Ensemble.
“Shreya experimented and enjoyed it as much as the music lovers in the audience,” said Chitrapu. “Performers spanned 19 countries – each interpreting the music through their cultural/musical lens. This was not just a perfect show but a perfect experience.”
Ghoshal began her musical journey at a young age, learning songs from her vocalist mother and beginning formal training in Hindustani classical music. As a teenager, she entered and won an Indian music reality television show, and made her Bollywood playback debut at 18. Since then, she has performed all over the world in various languages, often as the preferred vocalist for composers from India.
Ghoshal was on the campus of the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a sold-out show with the Berklee Indian Ensemble at the Berklee Performance Center. As artist in residence, her visit included numerous rehearsals with the Indian Ensemble as well as a master class for Berklee students on Tuesday. The concert and master class were both live streamed for viewers around the globe.
The show was produced by Berklee India Exchange’s (BIX) Annette Philip (artistic director), Clint Valladares (managing director), and Rohith Jayaraman (assistant manager). BIX is a platform for cultural conversation about Indian music through artist residencies, musical collaborations, and performances.
The Berklee Indian Ensemble was founded in 2011 by Philip with 18 students. The group now features over 40 musicians for each concert. It has accumulated over 52 million views on YouTube with its viral music videos. The ensemble has performed throughout the United States and India at various festivals and music venues.
Previous artists in residence with the Berklee Indian Ensemble include Indian vocalist, composer, and producer Clinton Cerejo in 2013; Grammy- and Academy Award-winning composer A. R. Rahman in 2014; master vocal improviser Vijay Prakash in 2015; and virtuosic vocalist and composer Shankar Mahadevan in 2016.
