Shashank (musician)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Shashank


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Birth_name = Shashank
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Born = Birth date and age|1978|10|14|mf=y
Hassan district, India,
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Instrument = Flute
Genre = Hindustani classical music
Occupation = flute player
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Notable_instruments = Bamboo flute ("Bansuri")

Shashank (born October 14 1978) is a leading classical flautist of India. He was born in Rudrapatna in the Hassan district of Karnataka, India.

Biography

Shashank Subramanyam stormed into the music world at the age of 12 with a stunning flute performance at Madras Music Academy in 1990. He is youngest musician in the history of South Indian Music to have performed the most prestigious SADAS concert at The Music Academy - Chennai, often performed by legends of Indian Music. Since then he has performed and taught at most prestigious institutions across India and around the world.

Trained by his father Subramanyam and vocal maestros R.K. Srikantan, Palghat K.V. Narayanaswami, Sandyavandanam Srinivasa Rao, he is presently considered one of the best Bamboo Flute artists, and is hailed so by the Indian and international media alike.

The BBC World TV did a documentary on Shashank titled "Destination Music", recently.

Shashank, often, collaborates with many legendary musicians from India and around the world including Guitarist John McLaughlin, Tabla Maestro Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborthy to name a few.

tyle

Shashank’s main style is Carnatic classical. He is the first Carnatic flautist to bring incorporate development of melody and patterns of improvisation from Hindustani music also into his concerts. Shashank uses a range of flutes to cover octaves that are not supported by the traditional carnatic flute. Shashank is well known for his intricate and intense aalaapanas, melodious keerthana renditions and pulsating kalpanaswaras. His concerts include a Ragam Tanam Pallavi as a central piece, which is normally composed by Shashank himself. Shashank expresses his musical genius so well on the flute that it is often said that Shashank does not play the flute; he sings through it. Shashank has propelled the Bamboo flute into an enviable position by his playing techniques of which "the multi flute transposed fingering technique" and "the dual octave production" have won him world acclaim.

With scintillating, primal tones he truly sings through the most organic and ancient of all instruments. His logic-defying virtuosity is the result of a magical innate talent coupled with the best possible training.

Shashank is one of the youngest recipient of the "A Top" ranking in the All India Radio and Doordarshan (TV). A recipient of the "Kalaimamani" from the Tamil Nadu Government.

Shashank has 33 CDs and 2 DVDs to his credit. Shashank currently pursues Hindustani classical music from the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj.

Shashank has enthralled audiences in India, USA, Canada, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Norway, South Africa, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea.

Major Performances

Rashtrapathi Bhavan (The President's Palace at New Delhi), The Smithsonian, Kennedy Center and National Academy of Sciences in Washington D.C., J. Paul Getty Hall -Hollywood, Cerritos Performing arts center in Los Angeles, Eastman School of Music - Rochester, World Music Institute - New York, Asian Art Museum - San Francisco, Xebec Hall and Across Fukuoka in Kobe and Fukuoka, Japan, Hong Kong Museum of Art - Hong Kong, World Flute Conference - Nashville, Sawai gandharva Festival - Pune, Saptak Festival - Ahmedabad, Dover Lane Music festival - Calcutta, India Music Group - Bombay, The Music Academy, The Mysore Palace, Theater De- La-Ville, UNESCO & Musee Guimet in Paris -France, Tropical Institute - Amsterdam, The Lowry in Manchester-UK, The Sage in Gateshead - UK, Modigliani Hall -Padova-Italy, Museum Rietberg -Zurich, The Munchen Residency in Munich-Germany, The Adelaide Festival- Australia, Improvisation Festival in Lausanne - Switzerland, Seoul Plaza in Seoul- Korea and a host of other prestigious institutions across the world.

Shashank has enthralled audiences in India, USA, Canada, UK, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Denmark, Norway, South Africa, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Korea.

External links

* [http://www.chennaionline.com/musicseason2005/shashank.asp Profile of flautist Shashank]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loK5KxL7wbE BBC feature of Shashank on YouTube]