The Neel Murgai Ensemble

Neel Murgai is a multi-instrumental performer, composer and teacher from New York City. He is a graduate of Goddard College’s MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts program. His life long journey into the depth and beauty of sitar and Indian classical music began with Ravindra Goswami in Banaras, 14 years ago. For the past 8 years Neel has studied with his guru and mentor, Pundit Krishna Bhatt. His interest in music began at a young age with trombone and guitar. While obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering, Neel worked as a radio DJ, hosting an international music program. This fostered in him an abiding interest in music from around the world. He went on to live in India, immersing himself in the music and culture of his parent’s homeland. Upon returning to the U.S. Neel began a career in music. In addition to sitar, he has since learned to play daf (Persian frame drum) with Soheil Zolfonun and kanjira with V. Nagarajan in Chennai. He has studied overtone singing with the Buriyat performance group Uragsha and Harmonic Choir member, Timothy Hill. Neel has also learned Western composition with Edgar Grana.
While dedicated to Indian classical music, Neel is also interested in creating an original music that is rooted in his many influences and studies. The Neel Murgai Ensemble is a product of many years of thought about the ideal instrumentation to advance his compositions.
Neel has toured around the world with the Bill T. Jones Dance Company, performing and collaborating in their multi-media show, “Blind Date”. Other artists Neel has worked with include Dr. Lonnie Smith, Wyclef Jean, Cyndi Lauper, Samir Chatterjee, Daniel Bernard Romain, Ellen Stewart, Laraaji, Yuerba Buena, Baba Israel, Raz Mesinai, Mission on Mars, Akim Funk Buddha, Loren Conners, Louis Bellogenis and Cosmo Vinyl. He has performed at venues ranging from the Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center to the David Letterman Show to jazz clubs such as the Blue Note and at festivals around the U.S including Art Wallah, Arts Plosure, Masala! Mehndi! Masti! and many others.
Neel has composed music for numerous film, TV, video, theater and dance projects including the recent feature length documentary, “The Yes Men Fix the World”, which premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. His music has been featured in the BBC series, “Holiday’s in the Danger Zone”, and TBS programs, “Women of the Ink”, and “Spotlights”.
Tonight, Neel will be accompanied by Arun Ramamurthy on violin, Sameer Gupta on tabla and Marika Hughes on cello.