New music pioneer Trichy Sankaran, whose work is known for bridging the traditions of India and the West, has won the Muriel Sherrin Award for International Achievement in Music.

The York professor received the $10,000 prize Oct. 20 at the 2011 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards ceremony at the annual Mayor’s Arts Awards Lunch. More than 300 artists, business leaders, cultural professionals and community builders gathered for the event.

"I feel elated to have received this prestigious award,” says Sankaran. “It is great to be recognized in a big way. Such recognition only encourages an artist to go even further and enhances the quality of the artistic community as a whole."

The Toronto Arts Foundation cited Sankaran as a globally respected artist, composer, educator and cultural ambassador, who consistently demonstrates mastery, creativity, ingenuity, humility and devotion. Since his professional debut at age 13, he has had a prolific international performing career, appearing as a featured musician at major music festivals and cultural events in Europe, Australia, North America and Asia, including the World Drum concerts at Expo '86 (Vancouver), Expo '88 (Brisbane) and Expo 2000 (Hanover).

Left: Arts award winners, from left, Alan Convery of the TD Bank, York's Trichy Sankaran, Michael deConinck Smith and Deborah Lundmark of the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre, filmmaker Adam Garnet Jones and arts administrator Jane Marsland

As an active contributor to the music scene in Canada, Sankaran has also composed a dynamic body of work that bridges the musical traditions of India and the West. Collaborations include performances with new music, jazz, Western classical, world fusion and Carnatic and Hindustani musicians, such as Zakir Hussain, U. Srinivas and Hariprasad Chaurasia. 

Other finalists for the Sherrin award were pianist and music director Andrew Burashko, and singer-songwriter Rita Chiarelli.

Republished courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin.