My student, Jeff, has recently performed in his first recital after learning with me for the past 10 months. He has been posting videos periodically charting his progress on his YouTube page and he posted a recording of this performance. I think he did great for his first time on stage!
I love accompanying my students on stage, but at the same time, it's nerve-wracking watching them and remembering what it was like for myself not so long ago.
I'm honored to be performing as the featured artist at this month's DC Raga Jam on July 26th. If you've never been to DC Raga Jam before, it's a great experience! The series is organized by Nistha Raj, a fantastic DC based violinist.
Melodic Intersect: Looking Back is including in this year's Grammy Ballot under Best World Music category!
I'm honored to be a credited producer for this album and for the chance to be part of the group. Cross your fingers that it gets a nomination, please!
To hear some samples of the music from this album, click here.
Now that it has finally been released, I'm proud to say that I was involved in the soundtrack to the awesome computer game, Sid Meier's Civilization VI! It was a wonderful experience and I learned a lot from it. I'm a fan of the game series and have played the previous ones in the past, so I'm even more excited to check out Civ VI!
If you've never heard of Civilization VI, it is a strategy game for PC. You choose a Civilization and play through different eras in its history. I'm part of the in-game music for the India civilization soundtrack.
A behind the scenes pic from the recording session. The producer came down and tracked us in at my home studio. My friend Souvik Ghosh is on tabla.
I was watching this lecture given by Ustad Zakir Hussain with The Institute for South Asia Studies at UC Berkeley. It's very insightful, captivating, and filled with jokes. A must listen for any student of Indian Classical Music (regardless of instrument/ subgenre).
The Institute for South Asia Studies at UC Berkeley was proud to announce that UC Berkeley's Regents' Lecturer for Spring 2015 was internationally renowned tabla virtuoso, Zakir Hussain. Zakir Hussain is one of the foremost percussionists of the contemporary world, not only of Indian classical music but also of jazz and world music.
I might be biased, but I'm pretty sure the IQ differential for those learning Indian Classical Music is even higher than what they show in this infographic below!
Mat was born in the US and grew to deeply love Indian Classical Music while studying the sitar under the guidance of Ustad Hamid Hossain.
With his Ustad's blessings, Mathew teaches beginning and intermediate sitar students.
He is currently the Creative Director at Aimrec, a premiere independent Indian Classical Music record label.
