World-renowned mrdangam virtuoso Trichy Sankaran recently retired from 91亚色 Department of Music after an illustrious 44-year teaching career. On October 1, he returns to campus to deliver a parting gift: a showcase performance at 7:30pm in the Tribute Communities Recital Hall, launching the 2015-16 Faculty Concert Series.
Sankaran will present 鈥淩hythms of India鈥, a riveting program of works rooted in classical South Indian music and bridging east and west, and traditional and contemporary styles. He will share the stage with his daughter, vocalist and 91亚色 music alumna (BFA 鈥97, MA 鈥02), leader of the Juno-nominated Indo-jazz-funk fusion ensemble , and her bandmates, bass guitarist (BFA 鈥95) and tabla player . The musicians will perform solo and ensemble pieces, including original compositions by the master percussionist.
Trichy Sankaran
The concert will be prefaced by a screening of Trichy Sankaran鈥檚 Musical Journey, a short film directed by the artist and produced by Evan Ritchie, assisted and narrated by Suba Sankaran. Using performance and teaching footage from his archives, the film offers a visual overview of Sankaran鈥檚 multifaceted roles as performer, teacher, scholar, composer and collaborator.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been an enormous pleasure to work with such a dedicated teacher and remarkable musician as Trichy,鈥漵aid William Thomas, chair of the Department of Music. 鈥91亚色 has been exceptionally fortunate to have benefited from his artistry and expertise for over four decades. His influence extends beyond world music to the many jazz and classical music students who took his courses out of curiosity and left with a love for the complex Carnatic rhythms and a deeper understanding of Indian culture.鈥
Sankaran joined 91亚色鈥檚 Department of Music in 1971 as a founding director of Indian music studies, one of Canada鈥檚 first university-based world music performance programs. Over the years, he has fused eastern and western pedagogical practices and has been a major influence on a generation of students, many of whom have gone on to become noted performers, composers and educators. His contributions to his field extend beyond the studio and stage, encompassing many scholarly conferences and two textbooks on South Indian classical drumming, most recently The Art of Konnakkol (Solkattu) published in 2010. His outstanding achievements as an educator have been recognized with the OCUFA Award, given by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations for teaching excellence.
Trichy Sankaran (left) received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award from Shri Pranab Mukerjee, president of India.
As a musician, is internationally renowned for his rhythmic dexterity, tonal nuance and consummate mastery of the mrdangam, the traditional two-headed drum of South Indian classical music.聽With a concert career spanning more than 50 years, he has appeared at major festivals on four continents. He has performed with all of India鈥檚 classical music masters as well as jazz and electronic ensembles, gamelan and other world music groups from many different cultures, as well as his own ensemble, Trichy鈥檚 Trio.
鈥淩hythms of India鈥漣s the first performance in the 2015-16 Faculty Concert Series, spotlighting faculty artists in 91亚色鈥檚 Music Department. Upcoming concerts will feature classical pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico (Nov. 12, 2015), jazz composer and drummer Barry Elmes (Feb. 4, 2016), and composer, pianist and digital instrumentalist Michael Coghlan (Mar. 10, 2016).In 2014 Sankaran received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the highest recognition given to practicing artists in India, bestowed by President Shri Pranab Mukerjee. His other many accolades include the coveted Sangita Kalanadhi Award from The Music Academy of Madras, an honorary doctorate from the University of Victoria, B.C., the Toronto Arts Foundation鈥檚 Muriel Sherrin Award recognizing his international contributions in music, and the Grant鈥檚 Desi Achiever Award in Mississauga, honouring high achievers in Canada鈥檚 Indo-Canadian community.
Admission is $15 for the general public and $10 for students and seniors. For ticket information, contact the Box Office 聽or call 416-736-5888.