(October 15, 2025) Sumeet Sarkar, a South African-born Indian composer and multi-instrumentalist, has built a career that bridges cultures and soundscapes. He has scored for short films such as Baraka and Sebari Milach, both of which premiered at the Micheaux Film Festival; recorded for Apple TV’s Emmy-nominated series Home; and performed with Grammy-winning British musician and producer Jacob Collier in an orchestra featured in the Emmy-nominated documentary Imagination Off the Chart.
“I pursued western classical training in South Africa and became the first Indian violinist to play in the symphony orchestra after apartheid, also receiving the prestigious Protea Award conferred by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the South African National Youth Orchestra,” he tells Global Indian.
“From learning my first raga from my grandmother to now recording orchestras and soundtracks, I’ve always seen music as a bridge between who I am and the people I meet,” he remarks. That sense of continuity between tradition and innovation defines his path from a violin-playing child in South Africa’s Pietermaritzburg to a boundary-pushing artist working across continents.
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Rewinding to the past
Sumeet Sarkar has been playing the violin since he was just four years old, learning from his grandmother, a harmonium player and vocalist in the Pietermaritzburg community.
Music, hence, has always been the thing that got him through the day. “It was never separate from me; it was just a part of who I was. As a kid, I never went anywhere without my violin. I was constantly curious, especially while travelling, and I think that curiosity helped shape my sound. As I got deeper into music tech and learnt how to use digital tools, I began blending world instruments with electronic elements. That curiosity pushed me to learn not only how to compose but also how to produce, conduct, mix, engineer, and even stream live sessions,” he explains.
He completed high school at the National School of the Arts and played regularly with the Johannesburg Philharmonic and Free State Symphony Orchestra before going on to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. At Berklee, he had the honour of performing with Vijay Prakash from Slumdog Millionaire, recording a chamber album with Kaki King, and working with Howard Shore on the Lord of the Rings suite. “I studied violin with Grammy Award-winning violinists Simon Shaheen and Darol Anger, who shaped my sound and journey. I recently completed my Master of Fine Arts in Media Composition and Orchestration at the University of Chichester under the mentorship of Guy Michelmore, bringing everything full circle,” he says.
His time studying under Guy Michelmore helped him refine his approach. His mentorship gave him the tools to focus on detail and storytelling, especially in orchestration, which plays a central role in his work today.
Music matters
Sumeet has scored original music for two films, Baraka and Sebari Milach, both premiering at the Micheaux Film Festival. As a violinist, he recorded for Apple TV’s Home series, composed by Amanda Jones, which was nominated for an Emmy. “One of the biggest highlights of my journey was working with Jacob Collier. A chance meeting in Boston led to the idea of assembling an orchestra to debut his album Djesse Vol. 1. We brought together over 200 musicians from Berklee, MIT, Boston Conservatory, and NEC, and I served as orchestra manager. The project was featured in the Emmy-winning documentary Imagination Off the Chart,” he says.
In 2024, he performed with bbno$ at the Streamer Awards alongside Twitch CEO Dan Clancy and later contributed to Jacksepticeye’s fundraiser, which raised over three million dollars for mental health.
Likewise, working with Jacob Collier was an unforgettable experience. It all started with a conversation and became a massive orchestral debut for Djesse Volume 1. “We pulled together musicians from all the top schools in Boston and managed to fit a full orchestra on stage at MIT. I also learnt a lot working with Fred Harris, the conductor at MIT, who taught me so much about leadership, music, and humanity,” he says. Performing at the Streamer Awards and working with bbno$, he admits, was a fun experience. “Being on stage with Twitch’s CEO, Dan Clancy, and feeling the energy of that world reminded me how music connects people,” he adds.
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Inspirations of life
His grandmother, Chandra Nani, will always be his first inspiration. “Owing to mentors and friends like Lili Haydn and Jacob Collier and the many talented colleagues I work with every day. I feel that no matter how old we are, it’s never too late to learn,” he adds. He is also thankful for every person he has worked with, every teacher, every long studio night. “I wouldn’t be here without the community around me. And I hope to keep growing, exploring, and sharing,” he says.
Building bridges
“From learning my first raga from my grandmother to now recording orchestras and soundtracks, I’ve always seen music as a bridge between who I am and the people I meet,” says the artist who loves video games. “The way they tell stories interactively has shaped how I compose. The improvisation in gameplay matches how I often write music, and that same energy carries over to my live Twitch sessions where I compose and interact in real time,” he adds.
The musician will soon be recording a full orchestra in Prague next April for his upcoming album which is a cinematic ambient project centred around mental health and healing through organic soundscapes. The music will feature hundreds of live musicians and textured layers you can feel and breathe through.
“I’m also working on a collaborative album with Carolena (Bluelis) and singer-songwriter Rebecca Marie. Together, we’ll be rereleasing Feel to Heal featuring my orchestration on Beauty Queen, along with further EP releases and live shows next year,” he mentions.
Future works and new horizons
The next year is packed, as he will also be premiering his chamber works at the Off the Docks Festival in Rochester, New York, hosted by award-winning violist and composer Joe Hagen, and continuing his work as orchestrator on upcoming Netflix sequels with Lili Haydn. “There are exciting tours ahead with bbno$ and the streamer community, as well as my upcoming band Space Goddess. Lots to look forward to in 2026,” he signs off.
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May you continue to Shine nephew.
You have made this uncle you’ve never met very very proud.
God Bless You Always