On October 23 and 24, 2014, A.R. Rahman visited the city of Boston to receive an honorary degree in music. I got a chance to interview him as well as numerous members of the Berklee Indian Ensemble, who put on a tribute performance at Boston Symphony Hall.
This article below published in the November 7, 2014 issue of India Abroad as the issue’s magazine feature. To check out the article on the India Abroad platform, click here.
What was it like to interview A.R. Rahman? Check out my personal reflection here.
A.R. Rahman magazine feature in India Abroad (November 7, 2014).
The city of Boston got a glimpse into the psyche of one of the most prolific and celebrated composers of our time this past week, as the Berklee College of Music awarded A.R. Rahman an honorary doctorate of music and organized multiple events where he headlined, all culminating to a Friday night concert tribute by the Berklee Indian Ensemble and the Berklee World Strings.
“I was a bit sad that my family couldn’t come,” Rahman told the sold-out crowd of 2625 at Symphony Hall as he accepted the degree. “My mother isn’t well … and my wife—her mom died. So it’s great to see you all. It’s like my whole family is here—my whole musical family.”
And for two days, it felt like the Maestro of Madras—who has inspired millions of people around the world since he first broke onto the scene in 1992 with the Roja soundtrack—had come to life before our eyes, sharing the honest and unfiltered inner workings of his musical mind.
On October 23 and 24, the Grammy- and Oscar-winning composer spent time with the Berklee community, attending a variety of events in his honor: his tribute concert’s raw rehearsal; an open-admission Master Class led by a panel of Berklee faculty where students, parents, and long-time fans alike could ask Rahman their most burning questions; and a critique class where Berklee students shared film scenes they scored specifically for the composer’s feedback.
“It’s the first time we’re able to work with somebody of his stature,” Annette Philip, the Berklee Indian Ensemble artistic director who was instrumental in getting Rahman to the musical institution, told India Abroad on the night of the rehearsal. “We’re so, so excited.”
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