Pt. Shyam Sundar Goswami is one of the few undisputed stalwarts of Indian Classical Music who have stood tall and brave with an unscathed vision of elevating this divine and culturally rich art form to a whole new level and spreading its word far and wide across the globe.
A keen listener from a very young age, he was fascinated by his mother Smt. Maya Goswami's singing and began learning music from her. Later when his passion for music intensified further, he went on to learn from his Gurus Late Guru Madan Mohan Thakur and Pt. Jadunath Chakraborty. Apart from all the training, he also inculcated music into his academics in order to delve deeper into the theoretical prospect of the age-old ragas. He graduated from Rabindra Bharati University with a Master's Degree in Hindustani Classical Music.
From the tutelage he received coupled with rigorous taalim and sadhana, Panditji acquired maturity, confidence and the expertise required to set the standards only higher for himself. He not only aces in ‘Khayal’ gayaki, but also excels in intricate 'Thumris' and 'Bhajans' alike. Panditji is a one of the rare breed of artists who are actively working to revive the beauty of medieval 'Kirtans', a lost heritage of our ever-prolific musical repertoire. He has already mastered the songs of "Geet Govind", a work of poetry and songs by Jayadeva, a highly acclaimed poet of 12th century. Panditji not only preserves and nurtures these ancient melodies but also performs them in various theaters in the country and abroad with great skill.
During concerts Panditji navigates into an imaginary world, inventing freely and improvising fearlessly.
He reveals the soul of the Raga and unearthes moods and various feelings: melancholy, doubt, anxiety, love, happiness, joy, etc. He enjoys recreating the atmosphere of ‘jalsaghar’ (traditional musical gatherings) in concerts where his voice resonantes in tandem with other musical instruments and transcends the audience above and beyond the mundane world to spiritual ecstacy. He unleashes the true beauty of the Raga while still adhering to spiritual purity and rigour in the technique. His easy-going approach towards the complexities of the 'taals' or rhythms that Indian Classical Music is often associated with leaves the audience awestruck every single time. Compliments include terms as ‘jewel’, ‘magic’ from the notable critics.
Panditji earned a prestigious scholarship from the French Government and stayed at La Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, where he researched and worked on music of the Middle Age India, with many musicians from all over the world (flautists, cellists, saxophonists, violinists and others). His first album "Peace N Harmony" was released in 2009 which was unveiled by the then Governor of West Bengal, Mr. Gopal Krishna Gandhi.
He attended and was acclaimed at a multitude of famous music festivals spanning Europe and Asia viz. Fontainebleau, Fes Festival, Oriental Festival, Bangladesh Parliament House, World Music Conference in Switzerland, Governor House of West Bengal, World Bengal Conference, West Bengal State Music Conference etc, form where he was garnered with praise and rewards. In 2017 Panditji was invited to represent his melodious voice and Indian Classical music at the Sacreés Jouneés de Strasbourg, France where renowned musicians from all across the planet convereged in one place to present their music in front of the rest of the world. Fascinated by the magic of his voice and the style of his singing, he was honored from Marseille in France in 2018.
Paditji has been conducting workshops in various educational institutions in the country and abroad to educate and enlighten people all around the globe on the vastness and depth of this art that he and his contemporaries are trying to propagate across generations. Workshops at Le College des Cordeliers Dinan (Bretagne, France), Rabindra Maitri University, Islamic University, Rabindra Bharati University are particularly noteworthy. He is a firm believer in Guru-shishya parampara and teaches Indian Classical Music at his institute "Sree Sundaram" where students learn Indian Classical Music with strict adherence to traditional Guru-shishya culture.
He was awarded with "Kabi Krishnadas Kabiraj Samman" in 2018 for his unparalleled contribution to the cause of Indian Classical Music notably among countless other accolades and recognition. .
Email - panditshyamsundargoswami@gmail.com