Rank/Position
Professor
Graduate/Undergraduate Faculty
Music Department, York University, Toronto, Canada

Field
History, Theory, & Performance Traditions of Asian Music
Leading concert performer
(Percussion: South Indian Mrdangam, Kanjira, Voice)
Composer
Research Scholar: Indian. classical music

Born
July 27, 1942, Poovalur, Madras State, India

Citizenship
Canadian

EDUCATION
M.A., Madras University, 1966
B.A., Madras University, 1964

Professional apprenticeship in Karnatak
(South Indian classical) music under masters:
P.A. Venkataraman 1949-54
Palani Subramania Pillai 1954-59
Voice Training 1954-57

ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
York University
1997 - present Professor of Music, Graduate/Undergraduate Faculty
1988-96 Associate Professor of Music
1980-88 Assistant Professor of Music
1975-79 Assistant Professor of Music
1971 -75 Special Lecturer

Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC
1992 - 98 (Summer) Visiting Professor, Artist in Residence

Berkelee College of Music, Boston, MA.
1-995 - 99 (Summer) Artist in Residence, World Percussion Festival

San Diego State University, San Diego, CA
1979-80 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Music

Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
1979 (Summer) Visiting Artist, Graduate Summer School

HONOURS AND AWARDS

1998
Doctor of Music (Hon.), University of Victoria, B.C.

Palani Subramania Pfilai Award, presented by the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu for Nadalaya, Chermai, India

Felicitation~by Brhaddhvani, (Research Institute for Music Cultures of the World), Chennai for receiving Honorary Doctorate degree in Music at University of Victoria, B.C.

1997
Professional of the Year, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce
Award, Toronto

Nominated for Jeane Chalmers Award, Ontario Arts Council

Sangita Seva Ratna award for 25 years of contribution to the
Tyagaraja (composer) Festival, Bharati Kala Manram, Toronto

1996
Kswa Kala Bharati, title conferred for distinguished
ambassadorial service abroad by Bharat Kalachar, Madras

1996
Mysore T Chowdiah Memorial National Award for
outstanding contribution to Karnatak Music by
Government of Karnataka, India

1996
Special Award for 25 years of distinguished service to Indian culture, Bharati Kala Manram, Toronto

1996
Honouredjor contributions to cultural promotion in U.S.A., Dikshitar Celebrations Committee, New Jersey

1996
International Jury, Glenn Gould Prize Competition, Glenn Gould Foundation, and The Canada Council,

1995
Special Honoree, Delhi Telugu Arts Academy, New Delhi

1995
Special Honoree, Kapali Fine Arts, Madras, India

1994
Lansdowne Scholar, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.

1994
NAIRD Award for CD Sunada in category "Best Sound Production ", Chicago, IL

1994
Chosen as the Musician of the Year by Thyagabrahma Gana Sabha, Madras

1993
Entry as an artist, scholar, and composer Encyclopedia of Canada in Music

1993
Citation given by South Indian Cultural Assn., Toronto

1993
Certificate of Merit given by Indian Association Tyagaraja Festival, Cleveland, Ohio

1992
OCUFA (Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Association) Teaching Award, Canada

1992
Mrdangam Maestro Award, Raga Mala Society Calgary, Alberta

1990
Palkhat Mani Iver Award and the title Mrdanza Kalashironmani conferred by Percussive Arts Centre, Bangalore, India

PUBLICATIONS
Books Published

1994
The Rhythmic Principles and Practice of South Indian
Drumming, Lalith Publishers, Toronto

1977
The Art of Drumming. South Indian mrdangam
(Private edition), Toronto.

Articles

1997
Music for Bharatanatyam, Interview with Andrew Timar.
Kala Magazine, Vol. 2, Issue 1, Toronto

SH Tyagaraja, Kala Magazine, Vol. 1, Issue 3, Toronto

1990
Transplantation and transformation: Musiefrom India in
the Canadian environment. Ethnomusicology in Canada
CanMus, 5, Ed. Robert Witmer, Toronto, 1990, pp. 119-123
Writing For Gamelan Music. Musicworks 47, pp.24-27

1989
Rhythmic Analysis of Some Selected Tiruppugazh Songs
(Madras, 1989) in The Journal of the Music Academy,
Vol. LX, pp. 92-102

1987
The Palani Style, Sruti, Vol. 3 3/34, pp. 2 8-29

1986
Improvisation in Indian (Karnatak) music with a special
reference to its rhythmic aspects. The Journal of the Music
Academy, Volume LVII, pp. 100- 109

Talavadya Kacced, Percussioner International
Vol. 1. No. 2, pp. 16-19

1985
Tune with Time, Interview by James Tenney and Casey
Sokol with accompanying cassette of music samples,
Musicworks 29, pp. 14-18

1984
The Drumming Principles of South India, Percussioner
International, Vol. 1. No. 1, pp. 183-185

1979
Communication of Culture through Music: The Folk &
Classical Music of India, Multiculturalism, Vol.11 No.3,
pp. 7-13

Musical Scores

1999
Jazzadorian (for Jazz orchestra)

1998
Twins (Jazz idiom -piano, saxophone, mrdangam)

1997
Carnatic (Mrdangam) Concerto (Western Chamber Orchestra)

1996
Timescape (music score for Bharatanatyarn dance)

1996
Jhampalaya (Mrdangam, Piano & Saxophone)

1996
9 to 5 (percussion ensemble)

1993
Mela Tembang (gamelan)

1993
Misra Mela (suling & mrdangam)

1993
Catch 21 (percussion & voice)

1990
Lagu Misra (original composition for garnelan)

1986
Misra Koraippu in Talavadya Kacceri,
Percussioner International, Vol. I No.2, pp. 16-19

1984
Svaralaya (gamelan)

Graduate Advisor/Thesis Supervisor

1995-96
Bhangra Music by Jacqueline Warwick
Brazilian Music by Eduardo Lis

1994-95
Comparative Studies India and Africa by Alexander Gelfand
(M.A. thesis completed April 1995)

1993-94
Drum Set Improvisation: Towards a Conceptual Model
by John Brownell (M.A. thesis completed April 1994)

1990
Mrdangam Mind: The tani avartanam in Karnatak music by
David Nelson, Ph.D.thesis completed in 199 1, Wesleyan
University, CT, U.S.A. Thesis consultant and project
participant: provided interviews and performed in concert
videos for comparative analysis

1990-91
Comparative analysis of a French Sarabande and an
Last Indian Alarippu. M.A. thesis in Dance by Genevieve
Dussault (Thesis completed January 1991)
Co-advisor, Project consultant

Graduate Courses taught at York

1997-98
South Indian Music

1994-95
History and Sociology of the Karnatak Music Culture
of South India

1992-93
Improvisatory Genres in Indian Music

1990-91
Area Studies: A Comparative study of Karnatak
and Hindustani Music

1988-95
Directed Reading Courses

UNIVERSITIES VISITED (U.S.A & CANADA)
(LECTURE-DEMONSTRATIONS/CONCERTS)

2000 University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
1999 Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
1999 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1999,98,97,96,95 Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA
1997,95 Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
1997 Hartt School of Music, University o Hartford, Hartford, CT
1996 University of Illinois, Dekalb, IL
1996 University of Northern Illinois, DeKalb, EL
1994 McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
1994 University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia
1994, 93, 92, 9190 Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
1993,90 Union College, Albany, New York
1993 Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
1993 University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario
1992 University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
1992 Amherst College, Amherst, Mass.
1992-90 World Music Institute, New York
1991 Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia
1991 Lawrence University, Appleton, Wisconsin
1998. 91,90, 88, 80 California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California

SELECTED CONFERENCE/SEMINARILECTURE PRESENTATIONS

1997
South Indian Music, Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver

1997
Rhythm in World Music, DACARY, York University

1997
Karnatak Music, University of Guelph, Ontario

1996
World Music, Annual Conference, Music Academy, Madras

1996
Percussion Clinic & Lecture Demonstration
University of Illinois, Dekalb

1995
Rhythm seminar. Rhythm from World Music Perspective
Brhaddhvani, Research Centre for Musics of the World
Madras, India

1995
Seminar participant, and Expert Committee Member
The Music Academy, Madras, India

1994
Rhythm seminar. Participant/Panelist
Presented a paper on Rhythm in Indian Music,
Brhaddhvani, Madras
Voice seminar. Chaired panel on Voice Culture. East-West
models - methods and problems, Brhaddhvani, Madras

1994
The Role of Mrdangam in Karnatak Music -from three
perspectives: Accompaniment, solo, ensemble playing
SEM Conference, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1994
Rhythm Clinic, Percussive Arts Society International
Convention (PASIC94), Atlanta, Georgia

1994
Book Release & Rhythm Workshop,
Music Gallery, Toronto

1994
Orality and Literacy, Graduate seminar, York University

1994
Lansdowne Scholar, Visiting Fellowship.
Guest lectures and seminars, University of Victoria, B.C.

1993
Tiruppugazh talas Dance seminar, Madras, India

1993
South Indian Music: Compositional forms,
Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio

1993
Rhythms of India: Workshop with Zakir Hussain and Vikku.
Harbourfront Summer Festivaljoronto

1993
Karnatak Music, University of Guelph, Ontario

1992
Indian Music, Conference, Canadian Society for
Ethnomusicology, Montreal, Quebec

1992
The Language of Music in the 21st century
Glenn Gould conference: Invited Panelist, Toronto

1992
Tribute to Jon Higgins, Raga Mala Conference
York University, Toronto

1991
The Teaching of South Indian Music in Canada at CASCA
(Canadian Anthropology Society) Conference,
University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario

1991
Hand Drumming Techniques, PASIC 91 (Percussive
Arts Society International Convention), Anaheim, California

1991
Composers' Forum, California Institute for the Arts,
Valencia, California

1991
Cadential forms and their variation in the Karnatak
drumming repertoire, Music Academy, Madras

1990
Rhythm from a cross-cultural perspective
Amherst College, Amherst, Massachussetts, U.S.A.

1990
The Correlation between the Prosodic patterns and Rhythmic
Sequences as Found in the Performance Practice of
Karnatak Tectual Compositions, 11th European Conference
on South Asian Studies: Performing Arts, Amsterdam

SELECTED PERFORMANCES Traditional Indian concerts

1997 Solo recital, Museum of Natural Civilization, Ottawa

1997 Solo recital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver

1997 Karnatak concert, CMANA (Carnatic Music Association of
North America), New Jersey

1996 Solo recital, Noon Hour Concert Series, DACARY,
York University

1996 Jugalbandi (Mrdangam & Tabla duo), India Literacy Project,
San Francisco, California

1996 Kamatak concert, Bharati Kala Manram, Toronto

1996 Karnatak concert, Kerala State Sangeet Natak Academy
Trissur, Kerala, India

1996 Karnatak concert, Swati Tirunal Academy, Trivandrum, Kerala

1996 Karnatak concert, Emakulam Sangeetha Sabha, Kerala

1996 Indian Fine Arts Society, Hyderbad, India

1995 Music Gallery, Toronto

1994 Solo recital, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C.

1994 Sri Venkateswara Temple, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

1993 Union College, Schenectady, New York

1993 Solo recital, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

1993 Solo recital, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

1993 Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan (New York) inaugural concert
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre, New York

1993 Jughalbandhi (mrdangam & tabla), SEVA Foundation
San Francisco, California

1992 Museum of Anthropology, Vancouver, B.C.

1991 Solo recital, Music Gallery, Toronto

1991 Noon Hour Recital (CJRT recording), DACARY
McLaughlin College, York University

1991 Solo recital, World Music Institute, New York

1991 Solo recital, University of Western Ontario, London, ON

1991 Solo & Tala Vadhya (percussion ensemble) concert
Sangeet Natak Akademy, New Delhi

1991 Sahitya Kala Parishad, New Delhi

Contemporary concerts (World Music context):

1997 Carnatic (Mrdangam) Concerto, World Premiere with
Ensemble Mondetta, Winnipeg, Manitoba

1997 Mastersfrom the Fast Series: Music Gallery, Toronto

1996 NEXUS25 th anniversary gala concert
Glenn Gould Studio, CBC, Toronto

1994 Collaboration with University of Victoria Percussion group
Victoria, BC

1994 Sound Symposium, St. Johns, Newfoundland

1993 Meta Tembang, (World premiere) with
Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble
Du Maurier Theatre, Toronto

1993 Collaboration with African and Latin percussionists
Simon Fraser Univiersity, Burnaby, BC

1993 Gala concert, Music Gallery, Toronto

1992 World Percussion, World Music Institute, New York

1992 OASIS: Cross Cultural Roads, collaboration with
Persian and Ethiopian musicians. Music Gallery, Toronto

1990 Solo works, and Computer Music with David Rosenboom
World Music Institute, New York

1990 Border Crossings: Concert with Sound Pressure
Music Gallery, Toronto

Festival (traditional & contemporary),concerts

1997
Navaratri Festival, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT

1997
Harbourfront Festival. India's 50th Anniversary of Independence. Harbourfront, Toronto

1997
Trichy's Trio at Guelph Spring Festival, Guelph, Ontario

1997
Tyagaraja Festival (25h Year), Bharati Kala Manram, Toronto

1997
Tyagaraja Festival concert, Cleveland, Ohio

1997-95
World Percussion Festival, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

1996
Skaneateles Music Festival, World Music Series, Skaneateles, NY

1996
Computer Associates World, Caribiner
20th Anniversary opening ceremony drum concert
New Orleans, Louisiana

1996
The Guelph Jazz Festival, Guelph, Ontario

1996 Navaratri Festival concert, Trivandrum Palace, Trivandrum

1996 December Music Festival concerts, Madras, India

1996 Jhampalaya (world premiere), Piano & Mrdangam duo
Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver

1996 World Drums, Taipei International Festival, Taipei, Taiwan

1996 Tyagaraja Festival concerts, Cleveland, Ohio

1996 Dikshitar Festival concert, New Jersey

1995 December Music Festival Concerts, Madras, India

1995 Drum Heat, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Vancouver, B.C.

1995 Festival of The Sound, Parry Sound Summer Festival
Parry Sound, Ontario

1995 Guelph Spring Festival, Guelph, Ontario

1995 Sun Fest, Summer Festival, London, Ontario

1995 Navaratri Festival, Wesleyan University, Middletown,
Connecticut, U.S.A.

1.994 Drum Heat, Vancouver Jazz Festival, Vancouver, B.C.

1994 Festival of The Sound, Parry Sound Summer Festival
Parry Sound, Ontario

1993 Tyagaraja Festival, Bharati Kala Manram, Toronto

1993 Tyagaraja Festival, Cleveland, Ohio

1993 Harbourfront Summer Festival, Rhythms of India,
Molson Dry Place, Harbourftont Centre, Toronto

1992 Music & Arts Festival, CAL ARTS. Valencia, California
Collaboration with Charlie Hayden and David Rosenboorn

1992 Vancouver Folk Festival, Vancouver, B.C.

1991 BUKA (The Best of World Drums)
Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto

1991 Solo concert, Cross Cultural Folk Festival, London, ON

1991 Black Mountain Folk Festival, Black Mountain, NC

1991 Bumbershoot Festival, (International Folk Festival)
Seattle, Washington

1991 Indian Music Festival, San Francisco, California

1991 International Folk Festival, Houston, Texas BUKA (Best of World Drums)

1990 W.O.M.A.D. Festival, Harbourfront Centre, Toronto

1990 International Computer Festival, Seattle, Washington

1990 Allaudhin Khan Festival at Ali Akbar Khan College of Music, San Francisco

SPECIAL RADIO BROADCASTS
1997 CBC broadcast of Carnatic Concerto, Winnipeg
1996 All India Radio, New Delhi
1996 All India Radio, Trivandrum
1996 Radio Sangeet Sammelan, All India Radio, Bangalore
1995 Talk on Guru Palani Subramania Pillai,
A] I India Radio, Madras
1995 Solo recordings, All India Radio, Madras
1995 Solo recordings, All India Radio, New Delhi
1995 Karnatak concert, Doordharshan (Television), New Delhi
1994 Kamatak concert, All India Radio, New Delhi
1994 East West, New Music Concert series
Two New Hours, CBC Radio, Toronto
1993 Arts National, CBC Radio, Toronto
1993 Cloud 9, CBC Radio interview, Toronto
1993 Out of this World, CBC Radio interview, Vancouver
1993 BUKA concert, CBC Interview & broadcast, Toronto

TELEVISION
1996 Karnatak concert, Doordharshan, Madras
1996 Interview, Asian Television Network, Toronto
1994 Solo performance, Doordbarshan , Madras
1994 Solo performance, Doordharshan, New Delhi
1994 Man A] Ive, CBC, Toronto
1994 Men and Matters, Interview and solo performance
Doordharshan, Madras
1991 Karnatak concert, Doordharshan, Madras

PROFESSIONAL RECORDINGS
Audio cassettes and Compact Discs

1998 IVORY GANESH MEETS DOCTOR DRUMS
SGL 1523-2 Songlines, Vancouver, B.C.

1997 LOTUS SIGNATURES - CDT] 41
Music of the World. Chapel Hill, North Carolina

1996 STEWED TOMATOES (Oliver Schroer & Friends)
Big Dog Music, Toronto

1993 SUNADA (Mrdangam & Vina) - CDT 127
Music of the World. Chapel Hill, North Carolina

1993 WHIRLED. (Oliver Schroer)
Big Dog Music, Toronto

1992 MASTER PIECES FROM THE MUSIC GALLERY
MGCDOO I. CCMC Music Gallery, Toronto

1992 THE LANGUAGE OF MUSIC IN THE 21 ST CENTURY
Panelist, Glenn Gould Conference. Gould 920924-081
Audio Archives of Canada

1991, BUKA, Heron Pond Productions, Norland, Ontario

1990 LAYA VINYAS --CDT 120
Music of the World, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Film & Videos

1994
PASIC 94 (Percussive Arts Society International)
Hand Drums, Atlanta, GA), CPP Media
Division of Warner Brothers, Miami, Florida

1994
Sound Symposium, St. Johns, Newfoundland

1992
The Mrdangam Mind (Ph.D. project video for
David P. Nelson), Wesleyan University, CT, U.S.A.

1991
Mountain Gorillas (IMAX International film)
Created sound track, with Glen Velez and Nexus, Toronto

UNIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

1997-98
Co-Chair, Tenure & Promotions Committee,
Faculty of Fine Arts
Graduate Executive Committee, Music Department

1995-96
Tenure & Promotions Committee, Music Department
Research & Awards Committee, Faculty of Fine Arts

1994-95
Senator, York University
Chairman, Concert - Events Committee, Music Department
Curriculum Committee, Music Department
Graduate Executive Committee, Music Department

1993-94
Tenure & Promotions Committee, Music Department
Senator, York University

1992-93
Chairman, C.A.A. (Fine Arts)

1972-present
Tyagaraja Festival Committee
Founder, Tyagaraja Festival in Toronto

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

SOCAN/AMF member
Society for Ethnornusicology, U.S.A.
Percussive Arts Society, Illinois, U.S.A.
Advisory Board Center for World Music, San Diego, California
Experts Committee,- The Music Academy, Madras
Brhaddhvani Institute for Study of World Musics, Madras
Percussive Arts Centre, Bangalore
Adjudicator Examiner, Ph.D thesis committee, Madras University, India
Examiner, Ph.D thesis committee, Annamalai University, India
Ontario Arts Council
Canada Council
Shastri-Indo Canadian Institute
Raga Mala (East-West) Competition, Calgary
Music Academy, Pallavi Competition, Madras

SELECTED PRESS REVIEWS Trichy Sankaran
"There was Trichy Sankaran, virtuoso of the mrdangam, the double-headed South Indian drum, beating out rhythmic cycles with the palms of his hands that would confound many a western-trained musician."
The Toronto Star, Toronto. June 1998

"It was Sankaran who took virtuosity to its most vertiginous heights, articulating, with indescribable sleight of hand, a wealth of liquid sound at astonishing speeds from his tiny instrument (Kanjira). Equally as exciting were his solos on the South Indian classical drum, or mrdangam, where the complexity of the rhythmic patterns seemed as abstract and as daunting as advanced mathematics."
The Globe & Mail, Toronto. June 1996

"As for Sankaran, he beat his fingers and palm against the South Indian tambourine known as the Kanjira with a speed and rhythmic complexity that threatened to take the breath away."
The Toronto Star, Toronto. June 1996

"Trichy Sankaran's tani avartanam (mrdangam solo) was an ecstatic display of rhythmic virtuosity."
The Hindu. Madras, India. December 1994

"The program began with Mr. Sankaran in the spotlight, playing a two-headed South Indian drum (mrdangam), accompanied by a light electronic drone set in motion... Mr. Sankaran is a fabulous musician, whose understated manner gave little hint of the virtuosity that lay in store. His unfailingly inventive handling of rhythm, texture and even pitch and his tireless execution riveted attention throughout the 20-minute span. ... Mr. Sankaran began the second half of the evening similarly, playing a tambourine (kanjira) unaccompanied and achieving remarkable variety with even more limited means Mr. Sankaran seemed fully at home with the microphones and made
canny use of the amplification right down to the end of the kanjira number, which gradually dissipated both dynamically and rhythmically."
The New York Times, U.S.A., April 1990

"The most outstanding feature of the recital was the superb handling of the percussion portfolio by Trichy Sankaran. There were many in the audience who sat through the entire performance to hear Sankaran who represents the inimitable style of Palam Subbudu. His padding to the music and his solos were examples of his technical virtuosity."
Indian Express. Madras, India. January 1989

"Tnichy Sankaran is a drummer who leaves audiences and fellow performers speechless with his lyrical and evocative style of mrdangam , a South Indian classical drum with a double headed barrel."
The Gladstone Observer. Gladstone, Australia. August 1988

"Sankaran displayed amazing virtuosity and invention, polyrhythms and percussive melodies rolling from those practiced hands,"
Du Maurier Jazz Festival, CODA Magazine, Vancouver, July 1988

"(When playing with World Drums) Trichy Sankaran matched top flight virtuosity with classical poise."
Globe and Mail, Toronto, Ontario. July 1988

"Trichy Sankaran's playing on the mrdangarn evoked memories of his illustrious guru Palani Subramania Pillai. His mrdangam cooed like a cuckoo, trotted like a mare, and on occasions, roared like a lion. In short, the instrument carried out his every rhythmic command."
Indian Express. Madras, India. December 1986