The Spring 2015 Global Music Institute (GMI) Faculty Band features some of the finest young jazz musicians and educators from around the globe, presenting music of Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers and Herbie Hancock.
The GMI Faculty Band
The Spring 2015 Global Music Institute (GMI) Faculty Band features some of the finest young jazz musicians and educators from around the globe, presenting music of Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, Sam Rivers and Herbie Hancock.
GMI was founded in New Delhi in 2011 by brothers drummer and guitar player, Tarun and Aditya Balani. GMI offers a distinctive and modern approach to music education in India and works to promote cross-cultural musical dialogue and exchange, especially between contemporary and more traditional and folkloric styles of music through its diverse local, national and international faculty.
Artist Bios
Jacob Damelin Piano
Jacob Damelin is a pianist, composer and educator born in Toronto, Ontario. At the age of 15, Jacob orchestrated music in a variety of genres for his high school’s largest ensemble. After graduating from Rosedale Heights School of Arts, Damelin studied at Berklee College of Music on scholarship. He is also currently working with world-renowned hip-hop producer Skratch Bastid as an instrumental arranger. Jacob is also a well-respected private instructor. He teaches jazz, classical and popular music.
Derek Beckvold Saxophone
Derek taught on the faculty at GMI for the Summer 2013 Semester. Presently he is a Fulbright scholar in New Delhi. Derek received his BM in Saxophone Performance from the New England Conservatory. He has performed a wide range of music across North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East and taught extensively in Boston, the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (Kabul, Afghanistan) and the Music Matters School (Colombo, Sri Lanka). He has also worked with the organizations Musicians Without Borders (West Bank, Palestine), American Voices (Khartoum, Sudan) and Humanitarian Bazaar.
Tarun Balani Drums
Tarun Balani is a drummer, composer, percussionist and music educator. At the age of 27, Tarun released his debut record “Sacred World”, said to “point to the future of jazz in India,” according to Time Out, India. In 2011, Tarun and his brother Aditya Balani, founded Global Music Institute in New Delhi, that aims to promote musical diversity in India, with an emphasis on national and international collaboration in faculty for teaching and performance. In 2014, Balani released his second record “Live at Teatro Bismantova, Italy” with Italian trumpeter Tiziano Bianchi. At present, he is working with a new group “The Next Collective”.
Mara Nesrallah Voice
Mara is a graduate of the Contemporary Music program from Humber College, Canada where she was awarded The President’s Medal from Humber College in 2014. She recently participated in the 2014 Banff International Workshop in Creative and Jazz Music. She performs and composes for jazz, pop, alternative and chorale ensembles. She is also the bandleader of alternative-folk group Mara & the Marigold.
Soren Nissen Bass
Soren Nissen is a professional acoustic and electric bassist currently living in Toronto, Canada. He is known for his musical support in a variety of styles from Jazz to Folk to Classical to Indie Rock. He completed the 4 year jazz degree program in 2012, from Humber College. Soren has received the Presidents Award, Oscar Peterson Award, the Yamaha Canada Jazz Scholarship and a lot more. He is currently a member of Not The Moon, The Andrew McAnsh Quintet, The Lydia Persaud Group, The Tara Kannangara Group, Language-Arts, Calla and Friends, Jeff LaRochelle's Origins Ensemble, OBE, and Øddbøx (Toronto/Germany).
