Anoushka Shankar
Anoushka Shankar is the extremely talented 18-year-old daughter of Ravi
Shankar, who has studied under her father for the last nine years and in 1995,
at the age of 13, made her professional debut in New Delhi, India. Since then
she has assisted her father at major concert halls in India, Europe, the U.S.A.,
Asia and the Far East endearing herself to the listeners with her sincerity and
exceptional talent.
Anoushka is the only student of Ravi Shankar to study under his tutelage from
the absolute beginning, starting with how to hold the sitar. Trained also in
classical piano, she is developing her own unique sound by studying the
masterful style of her father. In March of 1997, she accompanied him in a
performance of his Concerto No. 1 for Sitar and Orchestra with the London
Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zubin Mehta, in celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the independence of India.
In January 1998 Anoushka played both the Piano and the Sitar with Maestro
Jean Pierre Rampal. Critics worldwide acknowledge the gifts of this rising star
and hail her as the obvious successor to the great tradition of her father.
Anoushka was honoured by the Parliament with a House of Commons Shield, in
London, on July 17, 1998, in recognition for her artistry and musicianship - as
a pre-eminent musician of Asian Arts. At 17, she was the youngest and the only
female recipient. Ms. Shankar is an exclusive EMI-Angel artist.
The Prime Minister of India released her debut album, 'ANOUSHKA', in the fall
of 1998 at Carnegie Hall. Her second album 'ANOURAG' was released in August
2000. In July 1999 Anoushka performed with Maestro Rostropovich a new piece for
sitar and cello, written by her father, Ravi Shankar. Anoushka became the first
woman ever to perform at The Ramakrishna Centre in Calcutta in February 2000.
