Michael  Siegell

AMERICAN

SITAR PLAYER & ACADEMIC

Michael was the 1st artist invited by Meher Spiritual Center to inaugurate its Artist-in Residence program in May 2018.

Devoted to Meher Baba since 1970. Michael Siegell , Ph.D. is an accomplished and versatile sitarist and one of the few westerners to train seriously in North India classical music.

He has been studying the sitar since the 1970s both in the U.S. and in India.

Michael is Core Professor of Psychology and Program Chair of Psychology at Cambridge College.

Michael was awarded a Senior Fellowship by the American Institute of Indian Studies-Smithsonian Institution to complete his Doctorate and continue his cross-cultural research and music training in India ( 1985 -'86 ) and later awarded an Academic Fellowship at the European Graduate School ( EGS ) in Switzerland in their Arts, Health and Society program.  His Doctoral Psychology training included a long association with Erik Erikson as Clinical Fellow and then later worked with him as staff at the Erikson Center.

Professor Michael Siegell, PhD, was recently appointed Visiting Adjunct Professor at European Graduate School, Division of Arts, Health & Society, in Saas-Fee Switzerland. During his initial stay in Switzerland, Professor Siegell taught graduate psychology courses in the Expressive Arts program, presented a keynote lecture entitled " Notes on Creativity, Freedom and Identity : Soundings from a Cross Cultural Pilgrim ", community.

He continues as Adjunct Professor at EGS in Switzerland supervising doctoral students.

Michael stated that he bought that sitar (above) in Calcutta in 1978, and the above picture was taken during Adi's last visit to the Center.

His musical training and study included long stays in Pune, India with Ravi Shankar's longtime senior disciple Pandit Bhaskar Chandavarkar.

He has accompanied and performed with Ravi Shankar in Symphony Hall, Boston.

Michael's training has also included intensive study with Peter Row, past Provost of New England Conservatory, who trained with Gokul Nag.

Michael played and contributed music to the "Song of Huma" recording of Baba's early ghazals - sung by women mandali and others, that was created by Elaine Cox in the 1980s.

Siegell appointed Visiting Adjunct Professor at European Graduate School in Switzerland

Professor Michael Siegell, PhD, was recently appointed Visiting Adjunct Professor at European Graduate School, Division of Arts, Health & Society, in Saas-Fee Switzerland. During his three week stay in Switzerland, Professor Siegell taught two graduate psychology courses in the Expressive Arts program, presented a keynote lecture entitled Notes on Creativity, Freedom and Identity: Soundings from a Cross Cultural Pilgrim, and performed a concert on Sitar along with his wife, for the college community.

Dr. Siegell is a member of the Core Faculty at Cambridge College and is Program Chair of the Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program.

Across the U.S. and abroad, Dr. Siegell has worked as an educator, teacher, clinician, consultant and performer in a wide variety of different educational, cultural and organizational settings and institutions. He combines scholarly, clinical and artistic interests in a broad range of interdisciplinary topics especially connected to: human development, the cross-cultural experience, the psychological and therapeutic dimensions of the arts and the spiritual impulse.

Video courtesy of Robin Vogel

Meher Center, Myrtle Beach, SC.  -  April 2017

Meher Center, Myrtle Beach, SC.  -  April 2019