Ambi Subramaniam

Ambi Subramaniam
Background information
Birth name Lakshminarayana Ambi Subramaniam Jr.
Also known as Ambi Subramaniam
Born (1991-08-05) 5 August 1991
Los Angeles, CA
Origin India
Genres Western music, Carnatic
Occupation(s) Violinist, singer, pianist, actor
Instruments Violin, piano
Years active 1997–present
Labels Viji Records
Associated acts Dr. L. Subramaniam, Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam, Bindu Subramaniam
Website indianviolin.com

Ambi Subramaniam (born 5 August 1991) is an Indian-American violinist, pianist and singer.[1][2] He began performing at the age of six, and was proclaimed the 'New King of Indian Classical Music' by the Times of India at age sixteen and was called 'India's 24 year-old Itzhak Perlman' by the Ozy Magazine.[3]

The first two albums he was featured on, Violin Maestros (released in 2007) and Live at Neues Gewandhaus, Leipzig (released in 2009) won GiMA awards; the former also won a BiMA. His strongest musical influence is his father and guru Dr. L. Subramaniam, but he has also been influenced by Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer, Jascha Heifetz, David Oistrakh and Maxim Vengerov. Ambi plays a 5-string acoustic/electric violin and a 4-string acoustic violin; he endorses Realist violins and D'Addario strings.[4]

L Subramaniam and his son Ambi Subramaniam Performance at Bharat Bhavan Bhopal

He is the associate Director of the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SaPa) that teaches music to over 15,000 school children in India, and co-hosts "The SaPa Show", a TV show dedicated to teaching global music to young children. Ambi is also a youth delegate at the United Nations for the Sri Chinmoy Peace Meditation group.[5][6]

Early life

Ambi Subramaniam was born in Los Angeles, California, to Dr. L. Subramaniam, a violinist/composer and Vijayashree Subramaniam, a singer. He was the youngest of four children. After the death of his mother in 1995, his family relocated to Bangalore, India.

His father married Bollywood playback singer Kavita Krishnamurti on 10 November 1999. His sister Bindu Subramaniam is a singer/songwriter and brother Narayana Subramaniam is a surgeon.

From age 3, he has learned Carnatic violin under the tutelage of his father L. Subramaniam. He has also studied western classical violin, piano and Carnatic singing. In his own words, "Music is the only language I know and having such stalwarts around me has helped me tremendously. Every time I'd see my dad practice I wanted to replicate him and that's how it all started."[7] His musical lineage can be traced back to the three major Carnatic music composers, Thyagaraja, Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Shyama Shastry.

Education

He completed his BBM from Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College which comes under the umbrella of Jain University Bangalore.[8] In addition to studying music, Ambi did his MBA at RIMS, Bangalore. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in music at Jain University.

Career

Ambi gave his first vocal concert at the age of 6.[9] And his first violin concert in 1999 New Year's Eve, at the age of 7, in Hyderabad at Necklace road in front of 200,000 audiences at Lakshminaraya Global Music Festival, when his father asked him to start the concert with his solo.[10]

In 2004, he started performing with his father L. Subramaniam[11] and continues to perform and record with him often.

Ambi has learned both Indian classical and western classical music. He has appeared for the Associated Board Royal School of Music's violin exams and has been ranked first, securing distinctions and special awards. Apart from the violin, Ambi also received distinctions in Piano and Western music theory exam sand was the three-time winner of the Philomena Thumbochetty Award for Best Western Classical Violinist.[12]

Ambi has been a regular performer at the Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival, participating as a featured soloist in many special events including Sounds of India and Violins for Peace. Ambi has performed twice at the Lincoln Center Out of Doors Festival, once in 2008 and again in 2012. He has performed on stage with artists including Larry Coryell, Ernie Watts and Corky Siegel. Ambi recently performed at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles.

Ambi gave his debut orchestral performance at the age of 15 with the Orchestra Nationale du Lille conducted by Maestro Jean-Claude Cassedesus. In 2008, he performed with the Leipzig Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Dr. Michael Koehler. In January 2013, he was a soloist with the Seattle Symphony performing Shantipriya, a composition of Dr. L. Subramaniam. This concert was part of the Celebrate Asia concert series.

Ambi did a cameo in Kamal Hassan's 'Hey Ram'. He appeared as Chinno, younger brother to Vasundhara Das's character. Ambi is actively involved at the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts (SAPA),a music school founded by his parents Dr. L Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam. He was also a featured guest on 'Oye it's Friday' with host Farhan Akhtar, where special guest Shah Rukh Khan called him a 'genius'.

Ambi is also involved his family's charitable work through the Subramaniam Foundation.

Discography

  • Live at Krishna Gana Sabha (2017) - solo album
  • You Were There (2017) - SubraMania album
  • 7 Song (2017) - SubraMania single
  • Bhajans for Kids (2017)
  • Esperanza (2016) - SubraMania single
  • Just Playing (2016) - solo album
  • Days in the Sun (2016) - SubraMania single
  • SaPa Baby Vol. I, II, III (2014)
  • Global Traditions (2013) – featured soloist
  • Indian Violin (2012) - solo album
  • Aadi Ganesh (2012) – additional voice
  • Global Symphony (2011) - featured soloist
  • Violins for Peace (2010) – featured soloist
  • Visions of India (2010) – featured soloist
  • Violin Maestros (2009) – duet album
  • Live at Neues Gewandhaus Germany (2009) – featured soloist

[13]

Awards and recognition

  • Sri Bhagawan Mahaveer Jain College Alumni Award
  • Audi Ritz Icon of the Year
  • Awarded golden violin by HH Sri Jayendra Saraswati
  • BIMA – Violin Maestros
  • GiMA – Violin Maestros
  • GiMA – Live at Neues Gewandhaus
  • Rotary Youth Award
  • Vaadyanjali – Saraswati Maha Vidyalaya
  • Philomena Thumbochetty Awards – All India High Achiever ABRSM violin grade (three-time winner)

References

  1. ↑ V. Balasubramanian (7 December 2011). "Arts / Music : Showcase of vidwat". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  2. ↑ "The Subramaniams shine again". The Indian Express. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  3. ↑ "Ambi Subramaniam was proclaimed 'The new king of Indian Classical Violin' by the Times of India Archives". Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  4. ↑ http://www.orchestral.daddario.com/OrchestralArtistDetails.Page?ActiveID=4435&ArtistId=41853&sid=a2435d10-e882-4564-9b4f-d4f0f0478866
  5. ↑ http://www.sapaindia.com
  6. ↑ "Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts: Teachers". Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "Violinist Dr. L. Subramaniam – Ambi Subramaniam – Kavita Krishnamurthy – Bangalore". Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  8. ↑ Notable Alumni Jain University
  9. ↑ http://www.eftimes.com/2013/04/ambi-subramaniam-violin-concert-at.html
  10. ↑ http://epaper.thehansindia.com/PUBLICATIONS/THEHANSINDIA/THI/2013/07/16/ArticleHtmls/Hyderabad-is-a-wonderful-place-to-perform-Ambi-16072013126017.shtml?Mode=1
  11. ↑ "India−China music fest celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema – NY Daily News | NewsCred SmartWire". Daily News. New York. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
  12. ↑ http://ambi.in/bio/
  13. ↑ http://ambi.in/releases/
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