Aparna Shivapura in conversation with the multi-faceted youth icon who has a promising career ahead along with some great ideas on preserving and perpetuating our tradition.
Shubha Santosh has been felicitated with the prestigious Ananya Purasakara for 2018 and Shubha is enthused and humbled by the recognition. This Award and all the other Awards she has won mean a lot to her and says, “These give artists like us tremendous motivation, and it feels great to receive acknowledgment and acceptance of our work by the senior fraternity.”
Shubha’s passion and dedication to music is clear in the life choices she made along with the guidance and support of her husband, Santosh. Under his advice, she gave up a promising corporate career to pursue her dreams in music. “At that point of time, it was not easy. Today, I do not regret it one bit and I definitely think, I am fortunate and lucky to be chosen by God to pursue this field.”
Shubha has had a unique journey in music, unlike music prodigies or music legacies, she used her determination, hard work and grit to make it up to here. She pursued education in music and ensured that she create a niche for herself in this space. Lots of hardships, years of penance and practice and she today she feels she is still at the tip of the iceberg, in the world of music! Commendable, Shubha.
She attributes her success, her achievements, her life and dedication to music as a huge tribute to each one of her music GURUS. She says, “I would have never been here, had it not been for the teachings and mentorship by each one of the GURUS under who I trained for years. I am deeply grateful to them and words will not suffice the deepest regards and respect I have for them.” Truly humbling.
Her message for aspiring young musicians is based also on her life philosophy, which is, “whatever comes easy in the beginning will become difficult in the later years and vice versa.” So, she suggests that while children may find the discipline and requirements hard in the beginning, it will truly transform their lives as they grow older. She also believes that it is very important to have institutions like Ananya, without whom there will be opportunities, no platforms for serious musicians, music seekers and enthusiasts.  I agree and believe that all parents must take the responsibility of exposing their children to any form of Indian Art.
When asked about her plans, she says she would like to focus on three key tracks – one, work on more projects and programs that will align music to spirituality like her recent classic piece, MUKHYA PRANA. Second, she would like to pursue research and projects in TANA. It is commendable that she has already received fellowship from the Ministry of Culture. Third, and one of the most impactful one, is her plans to develop and innovate the solo Veena recitals. She says to drive more audiences, interest in solo Veena recitals is critical and needs to be taken up. These are commendable efforts, this is inspiring for her and the next-generation and above all, this is important for the music fraternity.
“Music gives eternal happiness and its value is irreplaceable,” she says. I believe that Shubha Santosh is a true music icon because she literally lives in the world of music, she feels contented having made this choice and above all, feels music has been therapeutic and life-changing. Learn, Create and Teach, Shubha. Our best wishes are with you, for a bright and eventful future.
PROFILE IN BRIEF

Smt. Shubha Santhosh is one of the finest Veena Artists of Karnataka. She had her initial training from Late Vid. H. Srinivasa Murthy Achar and was fortunate to get extensively trained under Guru Vid. Smt SudhaVadiraj. She is now pursuing her training with Mridanga  Vid. Sri H S Sudhindra. She is considered an honest and sincere artist having amazing clarity and dexterity.  She has an acclaimed repertoire for her Tana rendition.

She wishes to uphold the rich culture and tradition of Veena Vaadana & also wishes to bring out newer dimensions to her performances and there by connect to global audiences.
Apart from being veena artiste, she has composed music for albums and has also sung for few.

 ACHEIVEMENTS IN MUSIC

• Gold medal in M. A Music in the  Instrumental category from Bangalore University
• Received Junior Fellow ship 2017 from the Ministry of Culture – Govt of India for the study of Origin, History and development of Tana
• First class in  Vidwat Grade Examination conducted by Karnataka Secondary Education Board.
• Graded artist of A.I.R Bangalore
• Empanelled Artist of ICCR

AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS

• GT Narayan Rao Memorial Award for the Year 2014 - from Bhramara Trust, Mysore
• Srinivasa Anugraha Prshasthi – Srinivasa Utsava Balaga
• Ananya Nadajyothi Yuva Pratibha Puraskaara for the year 2012 – By Nadajyothi & Ananya
• Best Instrumentalist award from BANGALORE GAYANA SAMAJA for the Year 2007 – Youth Festival
• Lalitha Padmanabhan award from NARADA GANA SABHA for the year 2007 Chennai
• Scholarship from the Govt of India – Dept of Culture
• Scholarship from the Govt of Karnataka Dept of Culture
• “Sangeetha Kousthubha” award for the year 2006 – By Subbaramaiah Trust
• “AnanyaPratibhe” award for the year 2004 – By Ananya

PERFORMANCES

• Indira Nagar Sangeeth Sabha
• Sri Rama Lalitha Kala Mandira
• Nadasurabhi
• GayanSamaja
• Sheshadripuram Rama SevaMandali
• JayaramaSevaMandali
• Ananya
• Bangalore Lalitha Kala Parishath
• Bangalore Rama Bhaktha Sabha

• Suswralaya college of Music
• Rama Mandira – NR Colony Amrutha Mahotsava
• Other Sabhas at Shimoga, Mangalore, KGF, Mysore… and many more

National

• Sabha concert at Narada Gana Sabha - Chennai
• Mudra Veena Festival – Chennai,  Shanmugananda Hall – Mumbai, TATA Auditorium Mumbai, Performance at Ahmadabad etc...

International

• Recently performed at Auckland (New Zealand)

COLLABORATIONS

• Fostering the power of woman through unique “All Women Instrumental Ensemble” - Veena Venu Violin Trio
• Veena support for classical dance with noted artists such as Vani Ganapathy, Kirans etc.,

MUSIC DIRECTION

• Vidyesha Naada Vaibhava :  Conceptionalized, Composed, Directed, Sung for a unique visual presentation for the keerthana’s of his holiness “ Sri Sri Sri Vidyesha Thirtha Swamiji” of Bhandarakeri Mutt, Udupi.  Art forms such as Painting, Dance & Rngoli are used to depict the character of Hanuma, Bheema & Madhwa avatars, which is revered as the  incarnation of “Mukhya Prana”

 

• Involved in composing & directing music albums  - Dasarendare Purandara Dasaraiyya, Bhakuta Jana Mundhe etc.,

TELEVISION SHOWS

• Television performances on Doordarshan
• Suvarna Symphony - Special interview and performance in Suvarna Channel on the Navarathri Occassion
• Television performance on TTD channel for the musical show Naada Neeraajanam in Tirumala

LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS

• Presented paper on TANA during the YUVA CHETANA, a youth festival conducted by Suswaralaya College of Music in partnership with ISCKON TEMPLE
• Krithis of VeenaVenkatagiriappa at Nada Brahma Sangeetha Sabha Mysore

MUSIC ALBUM
Veena Kampana – Veena Duet with Guru Smt. Sudha Vadiraj.

SOCIAL CAUSE
To propogate Dasa Sahitya to school children she has taken initiative to voluntarily go to the schools and impart it through Dasara Krithi and its morals.

PRESS REVIEWS

• “In the divine atmosphere of the PurandaraMantapa, Shubha’s veena recital blossomed like a sacred flower”  http://www.deccanherald.com/content/531686/graceful-flute.html (Deccan Herald)
• “Impeccable artistry - Shubha Santosh -  veena recital was very meticulous http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp- features/tp-fridayreview/impeccable-artistry/article791576.ece  (The Hindu)
• “Shubha Santosh played the veena, reaching professional heights. A composed approach automatically kept her comfortable while interpreting the ragas.” http://www.hindu.com/fr/2009/09/04/stories/2009090450620300.htm (The Hindu)
• “Promising Talent”  http://prophetry3.rssing.com/chan-3383854/all_p48.html#item948 (Deccan Herald)