Janak Ramachandran

Janak Ramachandran, an accomplished frontman vocalist and instrumentalist, began his performing career as a child crooning carols. He studied classical piano and violin while growing up in the Bay Area and nurtured his singing interest through much of his teen years. His first performances in college at parties and in clubs were received with enough appreciation to fuel a more passionate pursuit of music. Several more years passed before Janak awoke to an epiphany: "I'd rather starve as an artist than be wildly successful as a businessman/salesman" (Janak has a background in sales, marketing, fundraising, and training).

During the ensuing months, Janak handed his life over to music, acting, and writing (having studied philosophy at UC Berkeley - someday he might go back - he has a continuing passion for social, political, economic and philosophical issues). After some searching, Janak found a musical home as a student at Blue Bear where he began his first formal training in voice, guitar, bass, songwriting, and music theory. The incredible quality of the teachers, the warm and friendly ambience, and the economy of the pricing (hey, if you're gonna starve...) were strong draws for Janak. Participation in Blue Bear's band workshops led to some key musical relationships that launched over four years of successful gigging in and around the Bay Area with the bands Mojo Bug and Fling! While fronting and managing the two bands, Janak's reputation for producing authentic hard rock vocals earned Fling! the distinction of being chosen by 107.7 The Bone radio station to play gigs for their sponsored events in the Bay Area.

Janak has also pursued formal acting training (initially to perfect his work as a frontman) and finds periodic work in dramatic, comic, modeling, and musical productions. Last year, he began his foray into the film world when he was chosen by Francis Ford Coppola to work as an actor in pre-production work for Coppola's next project. To solidify his knowledge and understanding of the music industry/s recording process and business practices, Janak spent two years in SFSU's Music and Recording Industry Program (from which he graduated in 2002).

Almost five years to the day that Janak walked into Blue Bear for his student interview with Program Director Dennis Criteser, Blue Bear offered Janak his first teaching position (a seminar in vocal affectation). Within several months, his teaching niche in vocal affectation had expanded to include classes and private instruction in voice, guitar, bass, theory, and songwriting. Janak's primary exposure and work has been in rock (including hard rock and alternative rock) as well as blues, jazz, pop, R&B, and rap/hip-hop. He is a firm believer that teaching is less a function of telling students what to do and more a journey of coaching that inner rock star to self-inspired creative expression. "Motivating encouragement, concrete guidance, and playful musicality are the primary ways of being I want to bring to coaching students." Currently, in addition to his work as a Blue Bear teacher, Janak Ramachandran is composing and recording original material as well as writing for local publications.