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Abilash Giriprasad (born 04th October 1995) is an Indian Carnatic Classical musician. Hailing from a family of ardent rasikas of carnatic music, Abilash was initiated into learning this art form at the tender age of four, by his grandparents. He took initial lessons from Smt. J. Rajeshwari, retired Vice Principal of Madras Music Academy’s Teachers Training College. Abilash, as a kid, was prompt in repeating the lessons that his teacher had taught. This enthusiasm in him transitioned him to a talented-knowledge seeking boy. At this point of time, he was identified by Sri Abaswaram Ramjhi, who was popularly running the “Issai Mazhalai” troupe featuring artistic children and thereby promoting their talents and nurturing it.
Eventhough Abilash started doing concerts from his age of seven, it was in the year 2005 his grand arangetram took place in the midst of galaxy of carnatic musicians, under the aegis of Issai Mazhalai . Few of the remarkable names who attended the arangetram and blessed the children were Padmavibhushan Awardee Dr. Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Sri Neyveli Santhanagopalan, Dr. Mrs. YGP, Padma Shri Awardee Dr. Nalli Kuppusami Chetty, Sri A. Natarajan, former Director, Doordharshan and many others. From then on Abilash was a notable performer in the carnatic music arena and was actively performing concerts in major sabhas and temples in and around Chennai and other cities. In 2006, Abilash boarded his flight on an abroad concert trip to Malaysia and Singapore, when he was just 10 years old.
The major expansion of his musical knowledge happened under the tutelage of Guru Sri A. S. Murali, the senior most disciple of Padma Bhushan Awardee Sri P. S. Narayanasamy and the torch bearer of Semmangudi Bhani in carnatic music. Abilash feels fortunate to be trained in the most sought after styles of carnatic music. Sri Murali has been generous in giving lessons and polishing his student. As Abilash has been under the tutelage of Sri Murali for more than a decade now, he has grasped the major characteristics of their singing style and has also been making a mark by singing in his own style infusing many other of his inspirations too. Also Abilash is one of the preferred students by his guru Sri Murali, to accompany him as a support vocalist in his concerts.
Earlier, Abilash has learnt several nuances of this traditional art form from veteran musicians and doyens of carnatic music including senior mridangist Sri Srimushnam V. Raja Rao, Sri Madurai G. S. Mani, Sri Seerkazhi Jayaraman, Sri Trichy J. Venkataraman and Sri Alepey Venkatesan. His training under various Gurus has widened the knowledge of various musical aspects. His flair for Hindusthani music was honed by Prof. B. Ramamoorthy Rao, who is a direct disciple of Bharath Rathna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. Abilash had the opportunity of learning several abhangs and bhajans under his tutorship.
Abilash’s mellifluous rendition of Krithis has an impartial mixture of bhakthi, bhava and laya, which is highly appreciated and complimented by the peer musicians and is absolutely enjoyed by audiences throughout the world. He is a dual graded artist of All India Radio, Chennai in Carnatic Classical and devotional music categories. His in-depth analysis of the niceties of carnatic music adding to his own creativity has made his concerts popular in virtual media, besides being crowd pullers physically. Abilash has widely toured countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Re-union Island, South Africa, United States of America, Canada and has attracted many people of varying diversities to his concerts. He has shared multiple moments with various senior experienced artists on pakka vadhyams on concert platforms and on foreign tours. His concerts have been appreciated invariably by various reviewers in leading journals and news dailies, irrespective of geographical boundaries.
Few of his notable concerts include the performances at Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, Swathi Sangeethothsavam (Kutharamalika Palace), All India Judges’ Meet, Mahathma Gandhi University, Mauritius, India International Centre (IIC), New Delhi, a rare collaboration with African Jazz artists at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Spirit of Unity concerts, “Asthana Mandapam” of Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD) at Tirumala, Srivari Brahmmothsavam concerts, concerts at Udupi Sri Krishna temple during the Gokulashtami celebrations, HCL Concert Series and Radel Mid-year music series conducted by the Madras Music Academy, etc. Abilash has also had the rarest blessing of accompanying Padma Vibhushan Awardee Pandit Birju Maharaj during his performance in Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival – 2019.
