Tickets:

• FREE for IMSOM Members. Click here to purchase IMSOM membership and save $$s.   Contact vineet@imsom.org / 612-398-6940 for questions about IMSOM membership
• For individual Ticket purchase please click here

• IMSOM members will receive a URL to access the concert.
• Those buying tickets directly from Viewcy will be sent a unique URL by Viewcy within 24 hours of purchase. Please check your junk mail folder in case you cannot find it in your inbox.
• You do not need No Zoom, Skype, Facebook, or any other app to access this concert. 
Simply click the URL sent to you.

N. Rajam was born in Chennai in 1938 in a musical family. Her father, Vidwan A. Narayana Iyer was a well-known exponent of Carnatic music.  Her brother, T. N. Krishnan, was a prominent violinist of the Carnatic style. Rajam started her initial training in Carnatic music under her father. She also trained under Musiri Subramania Iyer, and learned Hindustani style from vocalist Omkarnath Thakur. She also learnt the Thumri tradition of Banaras from Late Pt. Mahadev Mishra

She introduced ‘Gayaki Ang’, to be specific, ‘Khayal Gayaki Ang’ on the violin with such consummate artistry that most musicians, particularly violinists were stunned at the results. Her contributions, to violin technique are considered to be on par with what Late Shri Pannalal Ghosh had done to flute, late Shri Bundu Khan had done to Sarangi, Ustad Bismilah Khan to Sehnai. It was on account of this excellent technique and rendition that the doyen of vocal music, Late Pt. Omkarnath Thakur and made him accept her as his disciple.  eenaged Rajam’s violin renditions were so captivating that many violinists dropped their ‘gatkari’ style and changed over to the Gayaki Ang.  She has earned herself the distinction of being the pioneer in this respect.

She remained professor of Music at Banaras Hindu University, eventually became head of the department and the Dean of the Faculty of Performing Arts of the University.

She was awarded the 2012 Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour in the performing arts conferred by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy for Music, Dance and Drama. She also received the prestigious titles of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan from the Government of India.

She trained her daughter Sangeeta Shankar, her granddaughters Ragini Shankar and Nandini Shankar, her niece Kala Ramnath, Pranav Kumar, Prof. V. Balaji (B.H.U.) and Dr. Satya Prakash Mohanty.

Sangeeta Shankar (Hindustani Violin)

Sangeeta Shankar, was born in Banaras in a musical family to N. Rajam and T. S. Subramaniyan. Sangeeta started her training at a very early age in Hindustani music under the tutelage of her mother. SDr.Sangeeta Shankar obtained her degrees in music from Banaras Hindu University.

She accompanied her mother at the age of 13, and gave a debut solo performance when she was 16.  Sangeeta Shankar had also organized a festival of young musicians in Varanasi called 'Abhinav', during the year 1984-85. She performs not only in various states and provinces of India, but also in numerous countries around the globe. She plays violin in the Gayaki Ang. Sangeeta has performed across the globe and in numerous places throughout India. She has performed in various countries in Europe, extensively toured the United States and Canada, and performed in countries like Russia, Holland, Japan, Singapore to name a few.

She also conceived and created a TV serial of 26 episodes, named 'Swar Sadhana' in the year 2000. This serial was made for creating an awareness of Indian classical music among the masses. Its highlights were the interesting story format and the participation of various prominent celebrities like Madhuri Dixit, Javed Akhtar, Zakir Hussain, Birju Maharaj, Jagjit Singh, Naushad, Amol Palekar, Pankaj Udhas, Yukta Mookhey, Kanak Rele, Suresh Wadkar, N. Rajam, Sadhana Sargam, Shankar Mahadevan, Annu Kapoor, Veena Sahasrabuddhe, and many others.

Presently, she is the Director and founder of a music company, Legendary Legacy Promotions Pvt. Ltd., which consists of a storehouse of excellent classical music and also other exclusive products.  Currently, she is also educating the future film makers, imparting voice culture & music training at Whistling Woods International.  She is also working on an educational project called 'Milaap', which aims to educate children about values and culture and inculcate an atmosphere of happiness, love and peace amongst humanity.

Ragini Shankar (Hindustani Violin)

Ragini Shankar is an Indian violinist who performs Hindustani classical music and fusion. She is the daughter of Dr. Sangeeta Shankar and the granddaughter of the renowned Padmabhushan Dr. N. Rajam.

Ragini has performed in various prestigious festivals like the Europalia, MERU, Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Dover Lane Music Conference,[8] Saptak Festival of Music, MilapFest, Yaksha (festival), Aarohi for Pancham Nishad, Jaya Smriti organised by Hema Malini,  Temple of Fine Arts, The Association of Performing Arts of India, T. N. Krishnan Foundation, and Bengal Music Foundation. Idea Jalsa. She also has a music video with her sister, Nandini Shankar.

As well as appearing all over India, she has also performed abroad in the USA, Canada, UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Hungary, Singapore, Malaysia and Dubai. Ragini gives lecture demonstrations and conducts workshops on a regular basis during her travels. She has been a faculty member at Whistling Woods International School of Music in Mumbai since its inception.

Nandini is part of the renowned Bollywood lyricist Irshad Kamil’s The Ink Band, a series of poetry interwoven with music. She is also a part of an Indo-French musical project called Sangata, formed by the noted French composer Thierry Pecou and was covered in an article in Le Monde. Her recent collaborations include inString, an innovative fusion band which gives a new sound to popular Indian tunes. She has appeared on the platform of Tedx to talk on Indian music.

Nandini is a recipient of a Cultural Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. She is also the recipient of Jaya Smriti presented by film actress and dancer, Hema Malini, in 2012 and Jashn-e-Youngistan presented by the Vice-President of India, Venkaiah Naidu, in 2018.


Nandini Shankar (Hindustani Violin)
Nandini Shankar is an Indian violinist who performs Hindustani classical music and fusion. She is the daughter of Dr. Sangeeta Shankar and the granddaughter of the renowned Padmabhushan Dr. N. Rajam.
 
Nandini started her training when she was 3 years old and gave her first public performance at 8. She gave her first full-fledged solo performance at the age of 13 years. She plays violin in the Gayaki Ang.  She also completed her graduation in commerce, and M.A. in Music. She is a qualified Indian Chartered Accountant (ICAI).

Nandini performed at Carnegie Hall[4] in 2016. Countries in which she has performed include the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Hungary, UAE, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore.  She has performed at festivals including the Europalia, Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Festival, Yaksha (festival), Saptak Festival of Music, Aarohi for Pancham Nishad, ITC SRA Sangeet Sammelan, MERU in Netherlands, Jaya Smriti organised by Hema Malini, Temple of Fine Arts, Bhilwara Sur Sangam, The Association of Performing Arts of India, . N. Krishnan Foundation, Delhi International Arts Festival, Bengal Music Foundation, and Dover Lane Music Conference. She has been telecast in Idea Jalsa and made a music video with her sister Ragini Shankar.

She is a part of Sakhi, India's first all-girl Indian classical musical band, formed by Kaushiki Chakraborty. She is also a part of 'inStrings', a fusion band combining various genres from across the world.

Ramdas Palsule(Tabla)
Ramdas Palsule is an eminent Tabla soloist as well as a versatile accompanist. He is the senior most disciple of Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar, a renowned Tabla virtuoso. Ramdas has performed widely in all the eminent music festivals of India. Outside India, he has performed in the U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Australia, Africa and the Middle East. He has accompanied a wide range of performers from distinguished vocalists to prominent instrumentalists to renowned Kathak dancers. Ramdas has recently been appointed as a Guru at the Center of Performing Arts at the University of Pune.