Girijashankar Sundaresan Explained

Girijashankar Sundaresan
Birth Date:	30th July 1988, 36 years
Nationality:	Indian
Occupation:	Singer (Carnatic Music)
Years Active:	2002-present
Spouse:	Rajya Rajan (Married 2016-present)
Website:	www.girijashankar.com

Girijashankar Sundaresan^{[1] [2]} is an Indian Carnatic music vocalist from Chennai.^[3] He is a disciple of Chitravina Narasimhan and N. Ravikiran.^[4]

Musical career

Girijashankar's first stage performance was in early 2008. He later started performing regularly at The Music Academy^{[5] [6] [7]} and Mylapore Fine Arts Club (Chennai), Vani Mahal (Chennai)^[8] Shanmukhananda Sabha and The Fine Arts Society (Mumbai), Rama Seva Mandali and Kalavanta Festival^[9] (Bangalore), Tamil Sangam (New Delhi), Kalasagaram (Hyderabad) and Edappally Sangeetha Sadas and Kalpathy Rathotsavam (Kerala) and Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana^[10] & Shruti Laya^[11] (United States).

Projects and collaborations

• Marga, a journey was a project that Girijashankar curated for The Ink Link DAM's (Design Art and Music) Annual festival. The concept involved presenting different composers and their works to highlight their respective journeys in Bhakti (Devotion). The ensemble had musicians like Madan Mohan (Violin), Arjun Ganesh (Mrudangam), MT Aditya (Tabla), Preeth and Mani (Tanpuras). The event took place at Dakshinachitra Heritage Museum, Chennai.
• Concert for Autism,^[12] was a special performance for the children with Autism and their parents and caregivers, organized by The Lotus Foundation, Chennai. The concert took place in November 2019 at Spaces, Besant Nagar. Girijashankar has been involved with Lotus Foundation since 2013. Girijashankar presented a show "Concert for Autism" in collaboration with Go Beyond Autism Centre, as an effort to use music as a therapeutic tool.^[13]
• Girijashankar has worked closely with Vyjayanthimala in several projects for over a decade such as 'Sita Vislesha Trayam' and Bhavanbhava. He has also composed music and sung for her dance operas, namely - Nava Vidha Rama Bhakti and Kaisika Puranam.^[14]
• Girijashankar has been part of many recording projects such as Chitravina Ravikiran's Vintage Virutosos' ensemble presentation of Ottukkadu Venkata Kavi Saptaratnas.^[15] Under the music direction of Bombay Jayashri, he has also sung for productions such as Meghadootam and Meera, the soul divine.^[16]
• Single titled 'Entahadayya'^[17] a 12th-century poem on devotion written by Basava.
• Single titled, 'Pushpa Ki Abhilasha'^[18] (The dream of a flower) written by the celebrated poet Makhanlal Chaturvedi.
• Single titled, Vande Mataram^[19] written by the celebrated poet Subramania Bharati as a tribute to the healthcare workers during the ongoing pandemic.
• Girijashankar curated and presented Sumasayaka for Madrasana, a musical journey that explores the many dimensions of love through a collection of compositions spanning from Andal to Thirunal. ^[20]

Teaching

Girijashankar is also a music educator, giving talks and demonstrations on Carnatic music at various venues and festivals such as Learn Quest Academy of Music, Boston.^[21] He is currently training^[22] students in India and North America.

Awards and Accolades

2019

• Best Individual Performer, Radel Mid Year Concerts from The Music Academy,^{[23] [24]} Chennai

2017

• Yuva Kala Bharathi from Bharat Kalachar,^[25] Chennai

2015

• Best Male Vocalist from Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha, Vani Mahal, Chennai

1998

• Received the Bharatiyar Memorial Prize from the late music legend Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi at the age of 10.^[26]

Personal Life

He has been married to Rajya Rajan since 2016. ^[27]

Notes and References

1. News: Girijashankar Sundaresan's inspiring Kamboji. The Hindu.
2. News: CR. Sharanya. 26 September 2021. Train your dogs before the actual trip to avoid hassles: Girijashankar Sundaresan. The Times Of India. 26 September 2021.
3. News: Carnatic musician Girijashankar's single is a 12th-century ppoem on devotion. Times of India.
4. News: Girijashankar Sundaresan's Independence Day single is a tribute to healthcare workers. Times of India.
5. News: Chennai Margazhi Season 2019-20: Here are the highlights and lowlights. Indian Express.
6. Web site: 95th Annual Concerts (Digital) 2021 – Music Academy. musicacademymadras.in.
7. Web site: சரிகமபதநி டைரி 2019. vikatan.com. 15 January 2020 .
8. Web site: A cool and breezy Carnatic Summer is helping Chennai reset and rehab . The Indian Express . 24 September 2022 .
9. News: Neat but short of emotion. Deccan Herald.
10. News: Forty years and counting. The Hindu.
11. Web site: Shruti Laya presents Girijashankar Sundaresan in Bala Shruti on April 28. Telugu Times.
12. Web site: An evening of music for people with special needs in Chennai. The New Indian Express. 26 November 2019 .
13. News: Nurturing autistic children through music therapy. DTNext.
14. News: Vyjayanthimala's ode to her gurus. The Hindu.
15. Web site: Saptaratna. www.sangeethapriya.org.
16. Web site: Simplicity sans glitz has Meera walking into every heart - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman. narthaki.com.
17. News: Carnatic musician Girijashankar's single is a 12th-century poem on devotion. The Times Of India.
18. News: Musicians explore new avenues of creativity. The Hindu.
19. News: Girijashankar Sundaresan's Independence Day single is a tribute to healthcare workers. The Times of India.
20. News: Dance-music concert to explore theme of love. DT Next.
21. Web site: Learnquest 13th Annual Music Conference – A Magical Feast For Music Lovers! . Lokvani.
22. Web site: Girijashankar S. Carnatic Vocal Teacher . Kutir.
23. Web site: Sadas at The Music Academy, awards and prizes. chennaidecemberseason.com/.
24. Web site: Academy's Awardees & Prize Winners – Music Academy. musicacademymadras.in.
25. Web site: Indian Heritage - December Madras (Chennai) Music Season - Awards 2017-2018. www.indian-heritage.org.
26. News: Girijashankar makes impressive musical strides. The Hindu.
27. News: Carnatic musician Girijashankar's single is a 12th-century poem on devotion. Times of India.