About Us
We were brought together by an intense love for beautiful music, a love which has always been an integral part of our lives. The privilege of performing and thus sharing this love with avid listeners around the nation and abroad has been extremely gratifying for us. Ultimately our musical journey is driven by the fact that we consider this music neither a hobby nor a profession, but rather an ever-growing passion.
Sanjeev Ramabhadran
Sanjeev is a graduate of Princeton and Duke Universities with a professional
career in the pharmaceutical industry. However, music is and always has been his passion.
Born and raised in the US at a time when musical resources were relatively scarce, Sanjeev
was nevertheless exposed early to the best of the subcontinent’s various musical genres.
Sanjeev was fortunate to find a guru in eminent vocalist-composer Shri Ram Phatak, who took a
keen interest in shaping his unusual musical acumen. While Shri Phatak had his grounding in
the Gwalior gharana, he was also profoundly influenced by luminaries of his day, notably the
late Ustad Amir Khan. In this spirit, he adopted a broad outlook while grooming Sanjeev,
encouraging him to judiciously absorb good influences around him. As a result, Sanjeev
acquired uncommon facility with both classical and lighter genres of Indian music.
In addition to numerous solo performances, Sanjeev has accompanied visiting senior artists
from India like the late Pt. V.G. Jog, the late Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki, and Dr. Alka Deo-Marulkar.
Sanjeev is well-known around the world for his highly successful appearances on Zee TV's
“TVS Sa Re Ga Ma”, earning accolades from esteemed judges including Pt. Rajan-Sajan Misra,
Pt. Jasraj, Begum Parveen Sultana, and Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. Sanjeev has also recorded a devotional album with playback singer Kavita Krishnamurthy and collaborated with noted actor
Billy Crudup on a hit melody for Woody Allen's 1996 film "Everyone Says I Love You".
Sanjeev's training and experience also include Western classical violin and choral/a cappella singing. His Western music background and deep knowledge of both Hindustani and Carnatic
traditions has provided him with the rare ability to interpret Indian music to Western audiences
through lecture-demonstrations and radio broadcasts. He currently hosts a widely acclaimed
weekly radio show, Swaraanjali, highlighting the treasure of the subcontinent’s classical
traditions through the medium of its popular music.
Armeen Ramabhadran
Armeen is originally a native of Baroda, India. She received her initial training in vocal classical music from Mrs. Meenakshi Bapat, herself a disciple of renowned classical vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre. She later studied with Mrs. Lata Prabhune as well as Ms. Manisha Chaubey, a disciple of the inimitable Thumri exponent Smt. Girija Devi.
Armeen’s repertoire, spanning several North and South Indian languages, is an eclectic blend of semi-classical and popular selections by artistes ranging from the late Mallika-e-Tarannum Noorjehaan to those of today. She has regaled discerning film-music connoisseurs in major Indian cities including Mumbai, Poona, and Ahmedabad with her expressive and precise presentation of rare melodies. In Baroda, Armeen was closely associated with Meghdoot Ranjan Kendra, a performance group specially dedicated to the revival and preservation of vintage film music from the 1940’s and 1950’s. Her renditions with this group have earned her accolades from leading musical figures including veteran music director Anil Biswas, veteran lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri, and playback singer Meena Kapoor. Over the past several decades, Armeen has successfully performed for many audiences in the U.S.
Armeen has received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from M.S. University in Baroda, where she majored in Commercial Art. She is a brand management professional and associated with charity organizations working with children.