Arun Saigal
Arun Saigal has performed extensively throughout the world as a mridangam player, violist, beatboxer, and conductor. In addition to playing a variety of different music styles, including Western Classical, Carnatic, Latin, Middle Eastern, and African music, Arun also focuses on fusing these unique soundscapes together. Combining these traditions has led to major crossover projects, which have been performed in front of thousands of listeners at NBA games and holiday festivals throughout the United States.
As a Music Director and Conductor with the San Francisco Civic Music Association, Arun has provided residents of San Francisco with free symphony orchestra concerts for years. Most recently, he conducted an original rap version of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” with several Bay Area rappers.
Arun studied under renowned mridangam master Mannargudi Easwaran, as well as Praveen Sitaram, and is a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music Preparatory School. Arun also has undergraduate and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT. When he is not playing music, Arun is the CEO of Thunkable, a technology startup that enables anyone to build their own apps without coding.