Sivamani Inspires as Guest Artist at Berklee Percussion Weekend
Anandan Sivamani performs on a suitcase during the 2015 Berklee Percussion Weekend.
Photo by Dave Green
Sivamani performs at the final concert of the 2015 Berklee Percussion Weekend.
Photo by Dave Green
Sivamani demonstrates a technique to a student during a master class at Berklee.
Photo by Dave Green
“Teaching the completely focused students at the prestigious Berklee College of Music was a memorable experience,” said Sivamani.
Photo by Dave Green
Celebrated and unconventional Indian percussionist Anandan Sivamani served as a featured guest artist at Berklee’s annual Percussion Weekend, a summer program for students aged 15 and older, from June 19-21, 2015. Sivamani is known for blending Indian classical drumming styles with jazz and world beats as well as performing with ready-made instruments, as demonstrated in his explosive TED performance in which he played a tub of water, spoons, and luggage. At Berklee, Sivamani conducted master classes, performed with students and faculty, and visited a world music class along with a student ensemble.
“Teaching the completely focused students at the prestigious Berklee College of Music was a memorable experience,” said Sivamani. “I am honored to have had this opportunity, and I have just one word of advice for the students: practice!”
John Ramsay, chair of Berklee’s Percussion Department, said, “It was such an honor to welcome Sivamani to Berklee for the Berklee Percussion Weekend. He is an amazing percussionist and musician. By bringing deep, rich, and ancient Indian rhythm theory and practice to our students, their drumming experience and learning has been expanded and deeply enriched for the rest of their musical lives.”
Schooled in both the Carnatic rhythmic tradition and jazz, Sivamani is truly a world percussionist. Endorsing five of the leading international brands in the live music industry – Pearl, Zildjian, Remo, Roland, and AKG (Harman) – Sivamani has played internationally with top artists such as Grammy- and Academy Award-winner A. R. Rahman H’14 and is a member of world music outfits such as the Zakir Hussain World Drums Ensemble, SILK, Asia Electrik, and Shraddha.
"Siva," as his fans know him, creates percussion magic with just about anything, from the conventional cymbals, timbale, and the batajon to the vastly unconventional shells, conches, and the kadai, a popular cooking vessel. At Berklee, Sivamani demonstrated much of what makes him unique: his constant search for new techniques, new sounds, and new rhythmic configurations, as well as his incredible showmanship.
Watch Sivamani's BPC performance here: