Ganesh Kumar & Visaga Trio
Ganesh Kumar received his initial training on the Mridangam from legendry percussionist Shri T R Hari Hara Sharma and later continued his advanced studies under the guidance of percussion maestro Shri T H Subash Chandran. Ganesh began to make his primary focus on the Kanjira to master the instrument. Today, Ganesh Kumar achieved greater heights through his spell bounding performances and teachings across the continents.
Ganesh Kumar received the prestigious “Fulbright Fellowship Award” in performing arts for the year 2000-2001, sponsored by the US State Department and the US Educational Foundation of India. During this period he was teaching Kanjira and other Carnatic Percussion at the Queens College, CUNY to the percussion students of The Aaron Copland School of Music, New York. His Fulbright thesis is titled: “Application of Indian Hand Drumming in Jazz Music”. He is the first percussionist from South India to receive this award. He has also received the Maryland State Arts Council Fellowship award for the Folk and Traditional Arts in 2005.
Working with the esteemed “Cooperman Drum Company” in Vermont, USA, Ganesh released his own signature series Kanjira, under the Artists Innovation Series which he designed. This Kanjira is made out of treated maple wood with tuneable, light weight, utilises a cloth mylar head. Now, it is considered an excellent substitute for the original Kanjira, which uses the now endangered Monitor Lizard skin. Ganesh released this new synthetic version Kanjira at the Percussive Arts Society (PASIC) convention in 2004 at Columbus, Ohio.
Ganesh Kumar also released “The Art of Kanjira” a two volume set instructional DVD, a first of its kind, teaching the basic and advanced techniques of Kanjira, including history, traditional classical compositions, rhythmic counting systems (thalam), and applications outside of Carnatic music.
As a performer, Ganesh has performed with many legendry musicians from Carnatic Music such as Smt M S Subbulakshmi, Dr M Bala Murali Krishna, Dr L Subramaniam, Mondolin Srinivas, Chitraveena Ravikiran, Kadri Gopalnath, Chandralekha and other musicians.
Ganesh has also introduced the Kanjira to the western audience through his performances and recordings with many Jazz musicians such as Victor Wooten, Bela Fleck, Fareed Haque, John Wubbenhorst, George Brooks, Steve Smith, Paul Horn and others.
As a dedicated teacher, he taught many students in India, USA, Europe and other countries. He also gave master classes and workshops on South Indian Carnatic Percussions at many universities such as California State University – Sacramento, Southern Oregon University – Ashland, University of Nebraska – Omaha, University of Hartford, Wichita State University – Kansas, in the Julliard School of Music, The New School of Music, UN International School, Queens College, Wagner College in New York. Performed and presented workshops at the Percussive Artists International Convention (PASIC) during 2005 and 2007 meetings. He has also gave master class at the University of Salerno, Naples – Italy.
Ganesh’s teaching schedule remains busy at his music school in United States, where he trains hundreds of Indian and American students in New Jersey, New York, Washington, Portland, San Francisco and Tampa.
Ganesh Kumar travelled widely across the continents to perform International Festivals and performances places include Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Fiji Islands, Hawaii Islands, UK, USA, Brazil, Moscow, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, Kuwait, Turkey and many other countries.
Ganesh received many awards including “Best Kanjira Artist” from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, The Indian Fine Arts Society, “Yuva Kala Bharathi” from Bharath Kalachar and he is conferred “Asthana Vidwan” of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Kanchipuram.
Vignesh Shankar is a guitarist and plays the traditional South Indian Carnatic classical music. He has performed Carnatic guitar concerts extensively across India, the USA, and New Zealand. Vignesh has released two of his Carnatic guitar albums, “Soulful Strings” and “Bagayanayya” which was recorded with some of the most respected Carnatic musicians in Chennai. He has also played Carnatic concerts for Dhoordharshan, Suryan FM and etc. A regular performer in Chennai’s Margazhi music season, Vignesh has played in several respected sabhas, showcasing his versatility as an artist. In addition to his work in Carnatic music, he is a performer and composer of jazz, funk, rock, and fusion music. His collaborations with internationally recognized jazz musicians have allowed him to blend diverse musical influences into his playing. In 2024, he was honored with the Presser Undergraduate Scholar Award by the Presser Foundation, recognizing his excellence in jazz guitar. Vignesh completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2024 and is currently pursuing a Masters in Music at the University of Michigan, where he specializes in Jazz Improvisation and Composition.
Sarvesh Sankar performing on the Carnatic Classical percussion instrument – Ghatam and has been playing from young age. He has started learning Ghatam ( Claypot Percussion instrument) from his grandfather Vidwan Sri T H Subash Chandran and continuing his advanced training from Vidwan Sri Ganesh Kumar. Sarvesh has performed in the December Music Festivals in Chennai and played in many prestigious sabhas and local television channels. He has travelled widely in India, USA, New Zealand and many other places accompanied with many leading musicians in Carnatic Music. He has performed in the Suryan FM Radio Channel, Zee Television and many online broadcasts. He has toured New Zealand for concerts in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Hamilton and also at the Indian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand. Recently he has toured USA and performed concerts in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Houston, Seattle and many other cities. He has performed in many albums and awarded “Yuva Sangita Kala Jyoti” by Suswaraa Trust. He is now studying in the final year of Bachelor of Computer Applications at the D G Vaishnav College, Chennai.
