Subramaniam Lakshminarayana (born 23 July 1947) is an Indian violinist, composer and conductor, trained in the classical Carnatic music tradition and Western classical music.
Early years
Subramaniam was born in Madras, Madras Presidency, British India, to V. Lakshminarayana Iyer and Seethalakshmi, both accomplished musicians.
He lived in Jaffna during his younger years, taking up music studies before the age of five. He began training in violin under the tutelage of his father, Professor V. Lakshminarayana. “Mani”, as he is fondly known by fellow musicians and his family, gave his first public performance at the age of six.
His uncles include Ramnad Raghavan and Ramnad Krishnan. His brothers are also acclaimed musicians, and include the violinist-composers L. Shankar (alias. Shenkar), and the late L. Vaidyanathan. He has released recordings with both.
Subramaniam developed a passion for music as well as science from a young age, studying Medicine and acquiring his M.B.B.S. at Madras Medical College. He registered as a General Practitioner, before deciding to pursue music full-time. He has a master’s degree in Western classical music, which he acquired at the California Institute of the Arts.
Music for films
See Filmography
Discography (partial)
| Enchanting Melodies on the Violin (1977) (with Palghat Mani Iyer) | Maestro’s Choice (2004) (Music Today) |
| Garland (1978) (Storyville) (featuring Svend Asmussen) | My Golden Years (2004) (Music Today/Viji) |
| Live in Concert (World Music Festival, 6 May 1978) | Best of L. Subramaniam (2004) (Niranjani Music/BMI) |
| Fantasy without Limits (Trend Records) (1979) | The Violin Legends (2004) (with Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli) |
| Subramaniam (1980) | Violin Maestros (2007) (featuring Ambi Subramaniam) |
| Rainbow (1980) (with Ali Akbar Khan and John Handy) | Innovations (2012) (featuring Palghat Mani Iyer) (EMI) |
| Indian Classical Music (1980) (featuring Zakir Hussain) | Collaborations with other artists |
| Le violon de l’Inde du Sud (1980) (Ocora) | L. Subramaniam with Stu Goldberg and Larry Coryell: Solos-Duos-Trios (1978) (MPS Records) |
| Ragam, Tanam, Pallavi / The Virtuoso Violin of South India: Subramaniam (1981) (Plateselskapet MAI/Lyrichord) | L. Subramaniam with John Handy and Ali Akbar Khan: Rainbow (1980) (MPS) |
| Blossom (1981) (Crusaders/MCA) (with Herbie Hancock and Larry Coryell) | L. Subramaniam with Stéphane Grappelli: Conversations (1984) (Milestone) |
| South Indian Strings (1981) (Lyrichord) (with Palghat Mani Iyer) | L. Subramaniam and Yehudi Menuhin: L. Subramaniam and Yehudi Menuhin in New York (1987) |
| Spanish Wave (1983) (Milestone) | L. Subramaniam and Ali Akbar Khan: Duet (1993) (Delos) |
| Indian Express (1984) (Milestone) | L. Subramaniam with Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grappelli: All the World’s Violins (1993) |
| The Irresistible Dr L. Subramanium (1985) (Oriental) | L. Subramaniam and Larry Coryell: From the Ashes (1999) (Water Lily Acoustics) |
| Distant Visions (1985) (Audiorec) | L. Subramaniam with various artists: Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival: Vol. I & II (Sony Music) |
| Magic Fingers (1986) | L. Subramaniam and Ustad Rais Khan: Sangeet Sangam (2005) (Navras Records) |
| Mani & Co. (1986) (featuring Maynard Ferguson) (Milestone) | L. Subramaniam with Karsten Vogel: Meetings (2007) (Calibrated) |
| East Meets West (1987) | Live albums |
| Electric Modes: Winter Sessions (1988) (Water Lily Acoustics) | L. Subramaniam en concert: Southern Indian Violin (1983) (Harmonia Mundi/Ocora) |
| An Anthology of South Indian Classical Music (1990) (Ocora) | India’s Master Musicians (1983) (Delos/Ravi Shankar Music Circle) |
| Indian Classical Masters: Raga Hemavati (1990) (Nimbus Records) | Live in Moscow / Time Must Be Changed (1988) (Melodiya/Boheme Music/BMG/Viji) |
| Kalyani (1990) (Water Lily Acoustics) | In Praise of Ganesh (featuring Anindo Chatterjee) (1991) (Audiorec) |
| Expressions of Impressions (1991) (Sonic Atmospheres) | L. Subramaniam en Concert (1995) (Ocora) |
| Indian Classical Masters: Three Ragas for Solo Violin (1991) (Nimbus Records) | Kingdom of Peace: Live in Nepal (1997) |
| Sarasvati (1991) (Water Lily Acoustics) | L. Subramaniam: Live in France |
| Musical Heritage of South India (1992) | L. Subramaniam and Bismillah Khan: Live in Geneva (1991) |
| Beyond (1993) (New Earth Records) | |
| Samarpanam (1993) | |
| Masters of Raga (1995) (Wergo) | |
| Pacific Rendezvous (1995) (Manu Music Productions) | |
| Electric Modes Volumes 1 & 2 (1995) (Water Lily Acoustics) | |
| Matchless (1999) (with Alla Rakha) | |
| Global Fusion (1999) (Warner/Erato Detour Records/Viji) | |
| Free your Mind (2002) (Iris Musique)Larry Coryell | |
| Asmita (2004) (Viji) (featuring Kavita Krishnamurthy and Bindu Subramaniam) | |
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