Vidhushi Shanti Rao

Vidhushi Shanti Rao of Bangalore, India is a veena artist. Her performances includes raga, kriti and swara.

Vidhushi Shanti Rao of Bangalore, is a vibrant veena artist both at home and abroad as seen from the numerous eulogistic media reports. virtuosity of play but also for aesthetic and captivating rendition of raga, kriti and swara. ...."Yet another Garland" - T.P Rajagopalan

Life

Vidhushi Shanti Rao began her long and successful MusicAL voyage at a tender age of 12. She learnt vocal music from T.A.Venkataramayyar, and veena from Harihara Ayyar in Madras. In 1969, on moving to Bombay, her ears fell on the sounds of the veena being played by none other than veena maestro Chitti Babu who was later to become her guru. “I had never heard the veena being played that way”. That turned her from being a passive listener to an avid player” She began studying the veena under the tutelage of Chitti Babu.

On moving to Bangalore in 1973, she commuted to Madras for veena lessons with Chitti Babu, while also learning vocal from R.K Srikantan and veena from R.K Suryanarayan and Pallavi Chandrappa in Bangalore. In 1976, she made her solo veena debut at the Ramanavmi celebrations in Chamrajpet. Since then, there has been no looking back for this vibrant veena player. Vidhushi Shanti Rao has mastered the art of traditional and contemporary styles of the veena.

Musician

Performances Abroad

Shanti Rao toured around the world winning the hearts of both Indians abroad and people unfamiliar with Indian classical music and/or the divine instrument. Having toured Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, U.K, Germany and the U.S.A several times, she has become a popular ambassador to her country, having performed at important functions and centers. She has had the privilege of performing before Queen Elizabeth II.

On her tour of the U.S, she performed in 30 cities and was repeatedly invited to perform in U.K for three consecutive years where she enthralled audiences with her rhythm and electrifying fast paced hand work. On another tour, she visited Cornwall, a small town in U.K. She recollects that the town was so small, she had her doubts whether the crowd would appreciate/ understand the intricacies of her music. That night, she received three standing ovations and is still talked about in the village some three years later. She fondly remembers the constable on her beat applauding her on the streets for “a very nice concert Ma’am.”

Performances At Home

Back at home, Shanti Rao has performed in the most prestigious sabha’s having received praise, accolades and innumerable media reports (read “Reviews”). From having bagged the prestigious Madras Academy award as early as 1980 for “Best debutante” to the “Best veena player” in 1996 from the Indian Fine Arts Society, Shanti Rao remains dedicated to the veena’s traditional form and style.

Awards and Achievements

Awards And Recognitions

1. Awarded “Best debutante” in 1980 from the prestigious Madras Music Academy.
2. Awarded the “Best veena player” in 1996 from the Indian Fine Arts Society.
3. Awarded the title "Manati Mohini" by Dr. Balamurali Krishna.
4. Manati Mohini is the name of the veena sage Narada believed to have played on.
5. Awarded Vocational Excellence Award from the Rotary Club of Bangalore.

Other Achievements

1. Established the Veena Vani Institute of Music, Indiranagar, Bangalore in 1996.
2. Headed a 10 member all women band in 2002 consisting of a Pancha veena team, Keyboard, bass, Indian and western drums and vocals.
3. Was invited by Kuldip Nayar, U.K High commissioner to be a cultural ambassador of India, having the distinction of performing before Queen Elizabeth II.
4. Received acclaim for her innovation of the "Double stringed Veena"

Myriad Musical Experiences

1. Played with Pianist Mervin Afrika in U.K.
2. Recorded with Trilok Gurtu at Cologne, Germany.
3. Recorded Pulse (fusion music album) with Shivmani.
4. Played with Tommy Menezes (keyboard), Shivmani (drums), Konarak Reddy (Guitar), Imme and Jerry Demos (Bass and Drums respectively) at Chennai and Bangalore.

Innovation

Leaving no stone unturned, Shanthi Rao effortlessly blended the old with the new and the East with the West. Although very loyal to the traditional style of the veena, she has innovated on the veena’s contemporary styles to perform fusion styles with some renowned artistes such as percussionist Trilok Gurtu of Germany, the ace pianist Mervyn of U.K, Guitarist Jery Demos of Germany and the popular percussionist Siva Mani, having performed in various shows from Jazz Yatra festival in Bangalore to UK and Germany. Shanti Rao played the Veena for musical directors Hamsalekha and R.N Nagendra for which she changed her instrument incorporating a blend of Mysore and Tanjore styles.

Shanti remains dedicated to the traditional form of veena which she has innovated to keep with the changing times. Her innovation; “the double string veena” (read “The double string veena”) received acknowledgments for its wonderful tonal quality. Having received praise from greats like Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, Balamurali Krishna, this vibrant veena player has 7 albums and 2 fusion music albums under her belt.

Vidhushi Shanti Rao was a visiting professor of Music at Bangalore University. She also teaches music at her very own school “Veena Vani School of Music” at Indiranagar in Bangalore. Shanti has an attitude that is raring to go to create that extra “special” that would strike a rhythm with the people.