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.
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.[20] He is currently training[21] students in India and North America.
Awards and Accolades
2019
Best Individual Performer, Radel Mid Year Concerts from The Music Academy,[22][23] Chennai
2017
Yuva Kala Bharathi from Bharat Kalachar,[24] 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.[25][failed verification]
Personal Life
He has been married to Rajya Rajan since 2016. [26]
This article needs additional or more specific
categories. Please
help out by
adding categories to it so that it can be listed with similar articles.(July 2024)