Biography
About Shonali Srivastava
Shonali Srivastava is an Indian-born American tabla player, percussionist, Hindustani vocalist, dancer and music educator based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
From Lucknow to the Bay Area
Shonali grew up in Lucknow in a family of musicians. Her father, flautist Girja Shanker Srivastava, introduced music early in her life, and she began appearing on stage at about three years old. She moved to the United States in 1997 and later founded Shonali's Academy of Music & Arts in California.
Dhun in Raga Pilu, with her father Girja Shanker SrivastavaTraining and lineage
A disciple of Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri and Pandit Birju Maharaj, Shonali works in the Lucknow gharana of tabla. She completed a Post Nipun in tabla at Bhatkhande in Lucknow, a Visharad in Hindustani vocal music and a Prabhakar in Kathak from Prayag Sangeet Samiti.
Performance and broadcast work
Shonali is an approved artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan and the first woman approved by AIR to perform naal. Her work includes tabla solo performance and accompaniment for Hindustani music and dance.
Teaching and recording
In the Bay Area, Shonali continues to perform and teach Indian music, dance, language and cultural arts. Her 2015 recording Melody's of Tabla features Teen Taal, Jhap Taal and Kaharwa.
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