Shivaraj Natraj
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Hometown: Bangalore, India
Principal Instrument: Voice
Major: Contemporary Writing and Production
Languages Spoken (other than English): Hindi, Kannada, Tamil
Describe your favorite Berklee experience so far.
My favorite Berklee experience was performing for the first time at the Berklee Performance Center (BPC) for the International Folk Festival 2022. I was absolutely excited and nervous to perform at the very stage that I had been watching either on YouTube or from the audience live.
When you think about your favorite class so far, what is one example of why you enjoyed it?
Harmony 3 with Rick McLaughlin. He makes the subject very easy to understand and cracks a lot of jokes in class. He connects very well with students.
What is your favorite part about studying and living in Boston?
My favorite part of studying and living in Boston is the bustling student crowd across the city, especially near universities late at night, providing a safe environment to be in at that time.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone applying to Berklee College of Music or Boston Conservatory at Berklee?
Do not consider the Reddit forums as the only basis for whether Berklee is worth it. The perspective gets so much better once you are in Berklee, where you get a deeper vision into the possibilities of what can be done at this school.
Where is your favorite place on campus?
The pool table in the Center for Campus Life.
Why did you choose Berklee?
I chose Berklee because it is the best college across the world for contemporary music. The facilities provided are top notch. The professors are well-connected and know their subject very well.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I would like to become a composer/producer as well as a performing artist.
What have you enjoyed most about the live shows you’ve been involved in at Berklee?
I enjoyed the sound and energy from the crowds at various shows at Berklee.
Where do you hope to perform this coming year?
I am going on a U.K. tour in July for 10 days. At Berklee, I also hope to perform at the BPC again for various Signature Series shows.
Your social media channel/web URL?
Instagram: @thekonnakolbeatboxer