Musicians,events,anecdotes and tid-bits

[padmanabha]

___The name Shashank is now synonymous with flute. This flamboyant flautist enthralls the audience all over the world. With vast musical range and technical dexterity he has managed to elevate the simple bamboo flute to stellar heights. He was in the city recently for a personal visit.

A wistful glint in his eyes is hard to miss as he explains his love for Hindustani music. “It is my passion. Now I have started learning Hindustani vocal under Pandit Jasraj. He is a great performer and I can learn from the performer’s angle. It is new language with a lot of ornamentation. I may perform a Hindustani concert after five or six years. Learning music has to be always vocal. I have to learn the ragas and the hundreds of compositions-said Shashank.

Born in 1978 he was initiated inot the world music at a very early age almost when I started talking. As per the advice of T R Mahalingam the great flautist the world had ever seen Shashank started learning music under Palakkad K V Narayana swami.

At the age of 6 he casually played his fathers and surprised the listeners. His debut concert was held at Adelaide 15 years back.

“Being an instrumentalist there are limitations in the selection of songs and ragas. But I chose rags which are not elaborately rendered-like kapinarayani. I like to dwell on the less tread path. I am always engrossed in exploring the depths of music. I take risks to plunge in and explore and see where it leads.”


HIS CONTRIBUTION is the introduction of multi flute transposed fingering technique to merge flutes of different frequencies, producing deep bass to the shrill sounds. He has played jugalbandi with musicians of India and abroad.
HE HAS PERFORMED AT Rashtrapathi BHAVAN, Kennedy center, J Paul Getty Hall Hollywood, National academy of sciences-Washington DC, Xebec Hall Kobe-Japan, UNESCO Paris, tropical institute Amsterdam, Museum Reitberg Zurich and Seoul Plaza. He has 29 cd albums to his credit.
Shashank is wedded to SHIRISHA POPULAR Bharatanatyam and Kuchupidi dancer.

My house is a museum dedicated to the clutters that one finds in the Indian kitchen. VESSELS especially URULIS of all imaginable sizes and period furniture are my father’s weakness.

Shashank has no disciples. ‘I am a busy traveling artiste and secondly many think that I am too young to teach. My only disciple is my sister who is accompanying me these days. In a year or two she would give solo recitals” he said.
(I E dec-2005)