Phaniraj Shivashankar - I Started Learning Music At The Age Of 5, Worked As A Music Teacher and Performed At Lotus FM South Africa (Carnatic Vocal Musician)

 

Formal training, regular practice, listening to various artists music and performing experience is must become a good artist.

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

Started music at the early age of 5 under the guidance of Vidushi Sridevi Aravind and then later trained under Vidushi M S Vidya, Vidwan Sree kantham Narendra Shastri and Late Vidwan Sri Pudukkottai R Krishna Murty A top-grade artist in All India Radio and Doordarshan.

I pursued my music education from Sri Satya Sai Mirpuri college of music, Satya sai University Puttaparthi.

My academic qualification M.Com and music qualification is Diploma, post-diploma and a masters in Music. I have worked as a music teacher in various institutions and performed at various prestigious sabhas in India as well as abroad and also performed in radio and television programs.

I have been interviewed and performed at lotus FM South Africa and Mauritius broadcasting corporation (MBC) Channel Mauritius, Radio sai Global harmony channel Puttaparthi etc.

I have been performing for the last 12 years and has students across Globe.

2. When did you first decide you wanted to pursue music and how did you start?

I started music at the age of 5 and from childhood had an interest in music.

3. Who is your favourite artist and why?

My favourite artists are M S Subbulakshmi and Maharaja Puram Santanam.

I always like their music because along with musical aspects there bhavam in singing is excellent.

4. Can you throw some light on opportunities one gets as a singer?

For a good musician, there is a very broad scope to perform at various prestigious sabhas, television and radio programs and opportunities to perform abroad. Scope to also be a Guru.

5. Is format training required or can one train themselves purely based on talent?

Formal training, regular practice, listening to various artists music and performing experience is must become a good artist.

6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future and aspiring artists?

Practice more and be humble as an artist with more human values.

7. Which is your favourite book and why?

1. Music books:Teaching methodology of music by Sambamoorty
2. South Indian music book 
3. And more Other books The secret by Rhonda Byrne
4. Becoming by Michel Mishel Obama
5. Rich dad, poor dad by Robert kiyosaki

- Phaniraj Shivashankar (Carnatic Vocal Musician)

- YouTube: Phaniraj Shivashankar

- Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani