Neel Agrawal

Neel Agrawal's eclectic and powerful music draws on his experience in jazz, world fusion, Indian and Western classical, rock, jazz, electronic, hip hop, and film music. Neel utilizes his music to advance social justice and mutual understanding. In 2022, Neel was recognized by Mayor of LA Eric Garcetti for his work in South Asian arts, education, and advocacy. The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs awarded Neel with the prestigious 2021 COLA Individual Artist Fellowship and designated him as a "Cultural Trailblazer" in 2018. He also completed a fellowship at the Harvard Library Innovation Lab for his groundbreaking research on African Drumming Laws. In 2016, Neel participated in “Celebrate the Connections”, an intensive urban arts and education tour of India sponsored by the U.S. State Department (coordinated by Cultural Vistas in New York). Neel has performed with leading musicians across the world, including L. Shankar, Lord Huron, and Young the Giant. Additionally, Neel was the section leader of the Michigan State University Drumline, where he received two national tenor drumming awards from Percussive Arts Society. Neel currently serves as the Director of Percussion at the Los Angeles International Music and Arts Academy (LAIMA).