Gingger Shankar

Infobox musical artist
Name = Gingger


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Background =
Alias = Gingger Shankar
Origin = Los Angeles, United States
Genre = World, Pop, Electronica
Instrument = Vocals, Double Violin, Violin, Viola
Occupation = Singer-Songwriter,Violinist, Composer
Record Labels = Sony, Varese Sarabande, Universal
URL = [http://www.gingger.com gingger.com]

Career

Early life

Gingger was born in Los Angeles, CA. Her parents are of Indian descent. Her mother was a classical singer, and her father, L. Subramaniam, is a world renowned violinist. [cite news|url=http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic/view/page.basic/artist/content.artist/l._subramaniam_45073
title=Now: National Geographic World Music|] Her grandmother is the legendary classical vocalist, Lakshmi Shankar.

Gingger was raised in Los Angeles as well as India. Growing up within one of India's most acclaimed musical families, she learned singing, violin, dance, and piano. She studied opera vocals from Rose Marie Cardinale, famed opera star. She also modeled and acted in stage productions. She attended the prestigious dance and music school, Kalakshetra, in India as a child.

She started performing at the age of 15. She toured with L. Shankar, Zakir Hussain, and Vikku Vinayakram. She has performed in numerous festivals and venues over the years. She is the only musician aside from L. Shankar to play the double violin (a unique instrument invented by L. Shankar), which covers the entire orchestra range. She has worked with Tony Levin, Steve Vai, Steve Lukather, Sussan Deyhim, [cite news|url=http://www.laweekly.com/film/index.php?option=com_sponsoredlinks&task=on_sale&id=1248&Itemid=366|title=Sussan|] James Newton Howard, Talvin Singh, Rabbit in the Moon.

In 2004, she collaborated with composers John Debney and Shankar on the Oscar nominated score, Passion of the Christ. The film is one of the top 10 grossing films of all time. Her voice and double violin can be heard all over the movie. She is also credited with co-writing several musical cues.

For the past few years, Gingger has been associated with the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles [cite news|url=http://www.indianfilmfestival.org/Closing_Night_Release.html|title=IFFLA|] She has performed for them several times, as well as receiving their scoring achievement award for her contribution to the film Passion of the Christ.

She is also credited with co-writing and performing on a cue for the 2007 film Charlie Wilson's War with composer James Newton Howard. [cite news|url=http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=7189
title=musicfromthemovies|]

Gingger's voice can be heard on the 2008 film The Forbidden Kingdom.

She guests on a track for the Saul Williams album Niggy Tardust [cite news|url=http://www.discogs.com/release/1124058|title=NiggyTardust|] produced by Trent Reznor.

March 2007, Gingger was one of the headliners of San Diego Indie Music Festival [cite news|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070301/news_lz1w01god.html|title=SD Tribune|] , featuring artists such as Fishbone, Michelle Shocked

In 2007, she was chosen as one of six film composers chosen to attend the prestigious Sundance Institute Composer's Lab. [cite news|url=http://www.independentfilm.com/resources/SUNDANCE-INSTITUTE-COMPOSERS-LAB-2007.shtml|title=sundance]

In July 2007, Gingger appeared in two Sgt. Pepper's 40th Year Anniversary Concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, which featured Cheap Trick, Joan Osborne, Aimee Mann, and others. [cite news|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934409.html?categoryid=34&cs=1&nid=2562
title=Variety Review|] The show was repeated in June 2008 at the Bowl with Cheap Trick and special guests Simone, Billy Corgan, and Ian Ball.

In 2008, she made her debut as a soprano with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Osvaldo Golijov's "Ainadamar". She performed with former Dirty Vegas frontman Steve Smith at the Sundance Film Festival.

Gingger is working on her upcoming album with producer David Christophere of Rabbit in the Moon, Thavius Beck, Adam Aaronson formerly of High Speed Scene, Chris Haynes, Scott Seiver, and others. She has previously worked with David and Rabbit in the Moon, collaborating with them for the Ultra Music Festival in 2006.

Discography

* 2003: "Enlightenment- L.Shankar, Zakir Hussain, Vikku Vinayakram"
* 2004: "Passion of the Christ"
* 2005: "Celestial Body"
* 2007: "Charlie Wilson's War"
* 2007: "Niggy Tardust- Saul Williams"

References

External links

[http://www.gingger.com Official Website]
[http://www.myspace.com/gingger Myspace Page]
[http://www.musicfromthemovies.com/review.asp?ID=7189 Charlie Wilson's War]
[http://www.staytunedtv.com/subpagetemplate.php?art_id=78 Stay Tuned TV]
[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2107230,prtpage-1.cms Times of India]
[http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070301/news_lz1w01god.html San Diego Tribune]
[http://www.m-audio.com/artists/en_us/ThaviusBeck.html Thavius Beck]
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Passion_of_the_Christ Passion of the Christ]
[http://www.soundtrack.net/news/article/?id=1208 Conducting Workshop]
[http://www.insidesocal.com/reeldeal/2008/04/indian-film-festival-starts-tu.html IFFLA]
[http://www.nirvanastyle.com/html/news_details.php?get_id=16&Enews_Id=113 IFFLA Nirvana]
[http://www.globalrhythm.net/print.cfm?rubricarticleid=1604Global Rhythm]