Israeli musicians head to Grammys with Indian ensemble

Debut album ‘Shuruaat’ from Berklee College musical group, which includes Israeli students, nominated in Best Global Music category

By Jessica Steinberg 3 February 2023, 4:26 pm Edit

Jessica Steinberg covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center.

When the Grammy Awards are presented Sunday night ten Israeli musicians may walk the red carpet as part of the Berklee School of Music Indian Ensemble, nominated for its debut album, “Shuruaat.”

The nomination for the album, in the category of Best Global Music Album, is a first for the musical institution that has long produced industry winners, including Quincy Jones, Chaka Khan and Melissa Ethridge.

The Boston-based college also draws Israeli music students and has a program with Israel’s Rimon School of Music in Ramat Hasharon, in which students can begin their musical education at Rimon and complete an undergraduate degree at Berklee in Boston.

The Indian ensemble was founded by Annette Philip in 2011 as a safe space for musicians from any country to explore Indian music, she told CBS News.

Ensemble member Yoel Genin told CBS News he thought that “anything would be possible with this if we put in enough work,” but that it still feels “kind of unbelievable to reach those places.”

The Berklee Indian Ensemble is planning a North American tour beginning early 2023.