Biography

Srdjan Beronja is a composer, percussionist, musicologist, producer and music director.

Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, Srdjan comes from a struggling working class in a war-torn country. The extreme environment and unconventional form of music education created his tempered artistic development and made him a rare breed of musician.

His early works include collaborations as a composer and percussionist with a number of music groups and orchestras. These music works included classical, chamber, improvised, minimalistic, rock, electronic, experimental, ambient, traditional folk and classical world music.

Driven by the passion for oriental music and eastern cultures, he left his homeland after the end of all Yugoslav wars, crowned with bombing of Serbia in 1999 and socio-political changes in 2000.

In 2001 Srdjan moved to India where he studied classical Indian tabla in the city of Varanasi, followed by his thorough music studies and research through the Indian subcontinent. He continued studies of Indian classical music at Prachin Kala Kendra Art Institute branch in Varanasi, where he gained diploma in classical Indian tabla.

From 2001 to 2011, Srdjan lived and worked in the triangle between the Balkans, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East, in a number of countries including India, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Israel, Syria, and others. He traveled thousands of miles overland researching numerous music forms, traditional musical instruments and the cultures of these three regions. He composed original music pieces, performed as a percussionist, and collaborated as music director with musicians from various musical genres and cultural backgrounds.

In 2008, his book The Art of the Indian Tabla (Rupa & Co Publications, New Delhi, India) was published as the result of his studies and research.

In 2011 Srdjan moved to Seattle, USA, where he founded the acoustic experimental chamber music project AUDIO. The project evolves around the idea of music being purely an auditive art, "Molecular vibrations driven by the true path of heart and mind."

In 2014, the first part of his works was published on the CD album The Sounds of Varanasi - a unique sound journey through the holy city (ARC Music, England, UK)

In 2016, the second part of his works was published on the CD album Sounds of the East - Music from the Balkans, India and the Middle East (ARC Music, England, UK)

His works were also featured on CD compilations Discover Music from India, followed by Indian Vistas (ARC Music, England, UK)

Currently based in Seattle, Srdjan engages with musicians around the world, whose dedication to sound and music is sincere.