Carnatic classical · born 1978
Shashank Subramanyam
A Carnatic flautist who first performed in public at six and, at twelve, became the youngest flute player given a senior concert slot at the Music Academy, Chennai.
- Instrument
- Carnatic flute
- Born
- 14 October 1978
Official website & social links
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Where to start
Begin listening
Start here
Ragam Tanam Pallavi in Vagadeeshwari
Vagadeeshwari · darbarfestival
The ragam-tanam-pallavi form at the centre of a Carnatic concert.
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Raga Kamboji at the Music Academy
Kamboji · Shashank Subramanyam
From his own channel, recorded at the Music Academy in Chennai.
An archival performance
Margazhi Utsavam 2019 recital
Jaya TV
A full season concert as televised.
A broadcast concert from the Chennai December season.
Recordings are embedded from official or authorised channels and never rehosted. Nothing plays on its own, and starting one closes another. Where an editor has added a note, it explains why that recording was chosen — not what happens inside it.
On screen
Songs & films
- Instrumentalist
Biography
Life
Shashank Subramanyam was born on 14 October 1978. He began performing in public in 1984, and his appearance in the senior slot at the Music Academy, Chennai, in January 1991 made him the youngest flautist to be given that platform.
He has since toured across Asia, Europe, North America and Australia. His collaborations include work with the guitarist John McLaughlin, the tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain, the flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía, the vocalist Pandit Jasraj, the sitarist Ustad Shahid Parvez and the bansuri player Rakesh Chaurasia. He appears as a guest on McLaughlin's 2008 album "Floating Point", which was nominated for Best Contemporary Jazz Album at the 51st Grammy Awards. His playing has been featured by BBC World Television and CNN International.
He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2017, the Kalaimamani award from the Government of Tamil Nadu, and in 2022 was appointed a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the Government of France.
Musical contribution
What they brought to music
Carnatic flute playing in the concert format of the tradition: kritis, ragam-tanam-pallavi and the gamaka-heavy phrasing that the bamboo flute has to shape with breath and finger, rather than the meend of its Hindustani counterpart.
Life in dates
Timeline
1978
Born
1984
First public concert
Aged six.
1991
Senior slot at the Music Academy, Chennai
The youngest flautist given that platform, aged twelve.
2008
Guest on John McLaughlin's "Floating Point"
The album was nominated at the 51st Grammy Awards.
2022
Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
In pictures
Photographs
Lineage & company
Teachers, students and musical connections
People
Grouped by the kind of relationship the sources record — who taught this musician, who they taught, family, and the people they played with.
Collaborators and accompanists
Ustad Zakir HussaincollaboratorListed among his documented collaborators.
Wikipedia — Shashank Subramanyam
Ustad Shahid Parvez KhancollaboratorListed among his documented collaborators.
Wikipedia — Shashank Subramanyam
Rakesh ChaurasiacollaboratorCarnatic and Hindustani flute together.
Wikipedia — Shashank Subramanyam- John McLaughlincollaborator
Guest on the 2008 album "Floating Point".
Wikipedia — Shashank Subramanyam
Recognition
Honours and recognition
Highest national honour first, then by year.
- 2017Sangeet Natak Akademi Award
- 2022Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des LettresConferred by the Government of France.
- KalaimamaniGovernment of Tamil Nadu.
Community
Memories from the community
Personal recollections, not verified history
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Provenance
Sources and image credits
Photograph by Wikimedia Commons user Indiaartist — CC0 (public domain dedication)
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