Berklee to confer honourary doctorate on AR Rahman

Berklee College of Music, one of the most renowned colleges of music, is set to confer a honourary doctorate to AR Rahman, a stalwart of Indian music and a globally-renowned composer.

Berklee Faculty and students from the Berklee Indian Ensemble will pay tribute to the living legend, who will join them on select pieces in a concert celebrating his music and life at Boston's Symphony Hall.

The Berklee Indian Ensemble, one of largest and most diverse ensembles at the college with members representing 37 countries (including Bangladesh, through vocalist Armeen Musa), has had at least one composition by AR Rahman featured in their repertoire since founding in 2011, and as a tribute to Rahman, have recorded a cover of his ever-recognisable song “Jiya Jale” (from the film “Dil Se”), combining traditional instruments like the sarod to oriental sounds like the dizi (Chinese transverse flute) to eclectic ones like morsing (an Indian variant of the Jew's Harp), in a jazzy, interesting arrangement.

The video, posted on YouTube, has gained considerable attention, with social blogging sites like BuzzFeed and Scribbler commending it.